Wapiti Wilderness

Mardy & Olaus Murie - Jackson Hole history

I grew up in Jackson Hole in the shadow of the Tetons, and spent vast stretches of my childhood wandering the wapiti wilderness. I waded through Ditch Creek, explored the caves and crags on Blacktail Butte, and rode my little horse for miles across sagebrush flats. Lucky for me, my neighborhood north of town was…

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Unidentified Flying Objects

flying raven - Barker Ewing river float trip

As we navigate our stretch of the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park, Barker-Ewing guides are constantly on the lookout for wildlife. Moose, Mule Deer, and Elk make their homes in the spruce and cottonwood forests along the riverbank and are relatively easy to spot. I’ve frequently had Pronghorn Antelope, Bison, Otters and Beaver…

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Soft Gold on the Snake

Beaver on Snake River bank - photo taken on a Barker Ewing Grand Teton Scenic Float Trip

Jackson Hole was the center of the Fur Trade for a short period in the 1820s and 1830s due to the abundance of beaver. This squat brown mammal (once decreed a fish by the Bishop of Quebec, to fit dietary law) was once abundant throughout North America. Fur trappers venturing west to collect beaver pelts…

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Moose in Grand Teton National Park

Cow moose laying near Snake River - photo taken on a Barker Ewing Grand Teton Scenic Float Trip

We are privileged to live in Jackson Hole with Grand Teton National Park on our doorstep, and we do our best to be thoughtful stewards of our surroundings. But I admit that in my youth I have walked too close to a moose, approached a bear for a photo op, and skied close enough to…

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Birds of Jackson Hole

A chickadee in winter - Jackson Hole Wildlife

A respectful “hats off” to the multitude of birds and animals that stick it out in frigid Jackson Hole for our long, long winters. And some of Grand Teton National Park’s heartiest winter residents are also the cutest. The chickadee has stick-to-it-iveness and cuteness in spades! Here in Jackson Hole we have two varieties of…

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Keeping Perspective – thank you, George Schaller

George Schaller float trip

Everything seems so busy in July.  Tourists trying to soak in all that Grand Teton National Park has to offer, whether they have 3 hours or 3 days.  Road construction delays, testing everyone’s sense of patience and relaxation.  The sun is intense, the weather dry, with an occasional dynamic thunderstorm for dramatic effect. And then someone like George…

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