Crossing Teton Pass, Steep to say the least!

We rested the day after the show and then decided to head to Driggs, Idaho and Jackson, Wyoming via Teton Pass. We invited our friend Valerie and she readily said yes, so we picked her up and headed to Alpine and then towards Victor and Driggs.
Its about seventy five miles to Driggs and the first part is easy as we drove to Alpine and then down the Snake River Canyon. The leaves have just started to turn so its not really colorful yet. Still there is a hint of the beauty soon to be here.

In Swam Valley we turned towards Driggs and for once we did not stop at the home of the Square Ice Cream Cone Shop! It took all my willpower to keep on going but the doctor said I am a lot heavy ad need to go on a diet, (part of my problem is I still think of myself as being the 112 pound wrestler I was in High school).
Crossing the Big Hole Mountains we reached Victor and then Driggs where we stopped at the Teton Jade Store. There Renita and I picked through boxes of Wyoming jade slices and before we left we had a small but expensive box of green and emerald Wyoming jade.More weight for the long long trailer!

We retraced our route to Victor where we had lunch before heading up and over Teton Pass. We had heard of the steep grade, lots of the pass is a ten percent grade, and also heard stories of the numerous winter avalanches that sweep across the road .
The most frightening story was told by Ted Majors, the founder of the Teton Science School. He told our group, we were taking a winter seminar on winter survival and avalanche rescue, of how he and his son had had their jeep swept off the road. The avalanche buried their vehicle, leaving only one tire visible which allowed the rescuers to find them, He survived in an air pocket but his son passed during the ordeal.
Climbing up the road was steep and slow and reaching the top we stopped to enjoy the spectactcuar view. Above us loomed an avalanche chute and a tree nearby told of the force that stripped its limbs from the roaring snow.

Renita and Val posed for a great picture/image, with Jackson and Jackson Hole three thousand feet below. The view reminded me of the time, long ago, when I climbed Teewinot. Its a mountain whose peak is right below the Grand. A relative safe route it still cna be dangerous if you get off route,
Heading down the east side we stopped for images of the road far below. The descent was just as steep and the Pass is one which I would never pull a trailer. On the way down a tow truck was towing a motor home up the pass, reminding me of our friends Jim and Nancy. Their big motor home had broken down in Grand Teton National Park and the towing service had their rig carried over Teton Pass, (a decision made by some flat lander sitting safely in a office. as it was cheaper by a few miles to require such a route).

We reached the bottom of the pass and drove by Teton Village, (a community built at the bottom of numerous avalanche run outs), and then made it to Jackson. There of course we had to stop at the grocery store to purchase items not available at our local Thayne supermarket, ( if you have been here don't laugh too hard at me using the label supermarket).

Driving back to Thayne, along the Snake River Canyon, we did stop and walk down to view a couple of the named rapids. The Big Kahuna and the Piano Bar can be quite dangerous during high water levels but right now the rivers flow is really low and so the rapids could be easily paddled.
It was a great day of a new road traveled, a new pass crossed, and of course more rocks! Thank you God for this days blessings and the blessing and beauty of each new day. Clear skies