Togwotee: A Snow Lovers' Paradise

This morning Scott and I left town with Foxy and Lucy at about 6:30, heading for the ranch to drop them off and to pick up Bob and Becky before heading up to Jackson.

We hit Lander about 9:30 and were scowled at by Melissa as she walked across the street in front of us and we gave her a friendly honk.

And then we headed up through the reservation, Dubois and over Togwotee Pass - the main road from anywhere in eastern Wyoming to Jackson and its snow and world-class skiing.

Snowmobilers like Togwotee Pass very much, and there are tracks and trucks and trailers and snowmachines everywhere up there. It was a pretty drive on a clear day, so we could see the surrounding mountains.

After coming off the west side of the pass, eventually you can see the Tetons as you still descend, and Becky and i were disappointed they were shrouded in clouds.

It's still very pretty in the area. I apologize for window reflections, as I snapped these as we were driving from Moran Junction down to Jackson.

Lots of snow, almost covering the buck rail fences that line the road.

The southern end of the Tetons began to clear up a little, and the clouds look neat in this picture - I'm sad there's a windshield refelction.

We arrived in Jackson just before 1 p.m., and after a quick check-in to the Antler Inn I headed out to my 1:30 interview with Kate Mead, who lives on her family's ranch just north of town, and who raises and markets natural steers to sell to restaurants and retailers in town. We had a very interesting conversation, and I was out there with her for over an hour, visiting about everything from the local school board to her cattle to raising kids in a busy lifestyle with a working mom. She is also sister-in-law to our new Governor Matt Mead.

It's very pretty in this country!

It was overcast later this afternoon into this evening, and I hope the sun shines tomorrow because I'd really like to get some photos of the cutter races, and somehow they'd just be a little drab in overcast lighting, as opposed to sunshine with the racing horses and the flying snow chips.

Tomorrow I interview at Flat Creek Saddlery at 10 a.m., then following the races tomorrow afternoon I'm meeting up with a few of the Shriners to do interviews about the races themselves. Out of this trip we should get two solid feature articles for our cover, plus an article for our impending Horse Edition.

For now, Scott and I are relaxing in our hotel room, enjoying our crackling fire in the fireplace. Mini vacations are nice. :-)