Grand Teton Wildlife of the Day

Some photos of my morning tour in Grand Teton National Park. Enjoy!

Perfect Mirroring at Schwabacher's Landing

Pronglettes!

My First Sora!!!!!! Life-Bird!

Mr. Beaver Amongst the Tall Grasses

Amazing Families and Tours

Today, I had a private tour from a family from Florida. This family was an all-around awesome group of people to show around Yellowstone. They were down for whatever came there way, incredibly engaging and welcoming of conversation in and out of the van, and not to mention their four-adopted little girls from China were just the cutest and totally loving! I felt like one of the family! Thanks for a great day in Jellystone!

TheChristyBel

Seeing Lower Falls in Yellowstone

Hikes Help Clear Your Head

I had been working and leading tours for about nine-ten days straight. I think being sick with that terrible cold really got the best of me to the point where I was not at the top of my game. Today, I was finally given a day of rest to 1) sleep in of course, 2) get some errands done, and 3) do something for me. So, today, I was able to sleep in past 8am (which is something I never get to do), I bought a new phone (finally upgraded!), and then go on a hike with my friend, Jamie.

Jamie ended up taking me to Ski Lake in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. I had never been there, so she said it would be a good 2-3 hour hike to get out of town and clear my head of all things. She was totally right. The hike was awesome! At parts challenging and totally made me realize I need to get out more (a little out of shape), but when we got to the lake, it was just glorious views!

Look at this Beautiful Lake!

As we sat on the lake edge, we could hear Pika chirps and meeps. So, we decided to explore over to the other side of the lake in search of them. Along the way, we totally found some fossils! How cool is that?!?? So we totally switched focus and found some fossils to take home in our packs. There was one rock that I wanted, but it was literally the size of my torso. Too big to carry home, but I did get a whole bunch other ones to cover my desk with! 

Crikey! We got shells in the mountains!

So stinking cool! Usually I find these in the store!

Today's hike with Jamie was pretty awesome. I am really glad and incredibly appreciative of taking me and letting me come on this hike. She's a great person to hike with and it was awesome to nerd out and look for these fossils. It was definitely a good brain break, way to clear my head, and to not think about working. :)

TheChristyBel

Geo-Nerding Out!

A Moment Captured of My Day

Today I had a day off to recover from a two-week cold. However, having a cold during the summer is not really fun. Because all I really wanted to do on a day off is be outside. So, in that case, I was getting some rest and relaxation for this cold, not tucked in bed, but out on the river. I am not sure if that is at all wise for cold recovery, but I have not had many days off to go and explore the outside. So, I will take any chance I get to do it. It was a great day soaking up the sun's warm rays (although I am sure I definitely got some sunburn on my back). The price I pay for not being inside getting better. Oops.

TheChristyBel

A Moment of Our Snake River Day From Sarah Wemple :)

Grand Views in Yellowstone

A Hot Spring Hydrothermal Feature at the Fairy Falls Trailhead
Midway Geyser Basin

I had a Yellowstone National Park tour today. This family was from England and wanted to see the uniqueness and beauty that this park had to offer. In that case, not only did I give them a traditional Jellystone tour, but gave them some views that they would not forget. It is really awesome seeing people experience this national park for the first time and seeing a place as unique as this. They definitely were blown away with the colors from Grand Prismatic and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

TheChristyBel

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at Artists Point (Lower Falls)

A Grand View at Grand Prismatic
Midway Geyser Basin

Then eXplorations, Now eXpressions

Me, Skylar, Deondre, and Vince
Some of my boys from Teton eXplorations '14

Last night, Matt McGee, my lead faculty of Teton eXplorations and eXpressions in Nature and Art from my Summer Capstone at the Teton Science Schools texted me letting me know that several of my students from my graduate year were coming back to attend some camps. The summer camps at the Kelly Campus were having their Celebrations of Learning and my students had asked Matt to invite me to see their hard work from the summer. I was beyond honored and excited to attend! Skylar, Vince, and Deondre from Teton eXplorations were back for the second summer in a row and attending eXpressions in Nature and Art.

Being back on the Kelly Campus was definitely weird. I think it was because I was not teaching this time and it was weird seeing the new grads take lead on the programs I had worked on last year. But really quickly that feeling of being weird subsided and was overtaken with joy, pride, and being impressed. It was super awesome to see this year's grad students take what my group had done with eXpressions and 1) improve upon what we had done, 2) compare and contrast my summer to theirs, and 3) see how this grad group made eXpressions their own. Not to mention seeing Sylar, Vince, and Deondre was beyond awesome. These boys have grown up (literally in height and maturity) in the spark of one year. I was beyond proud of them and so happy to see them. 

It was really cool to talk to them about this year's camp, what they learned, what they did, and some of their highlights from their second time around at the Kelly Campus. It was just a really great gallery walk for eXpressions. Those students are incredibly talented and incredibly amazing beings.

Pretty excited to see how eXpressions will change for future programs and very excited to see how my former students will continue to grow and do wonderful things.

TheChristyBel

Vince Presenting the Communal Project

The Barred Owl Communal Project

The Boys' Art Exhibits

A Morning in Grand Teton

Just posting some awesome finds from this morning's Sunrise Grand Teton National Park tour.

Enjoy.

TheChristyBel

Red Fox on the Prowl for a Brunch Meal
Murie Center

American White Pelican
Oxbow Lake

Cow Moose
Moose Overlook, Moose-Wilson Road

American White Pelican
Oxbow Bend

A Morning in the Tetons

Woke up early this morning to catch a sunrise and then give a Sunrise Grand Teton National Park tour. Even though I have not had many days off this summer, it does not get old finding really awesome animals and views here in the parks. I consider myself really lucky to have a job where I get to be in the park everyday and viewing some really unique, special animals. Enjoy some of this morning's finds!

TheChristyBel

Our Country's National Bird
The American Bald Eagle

A Red Fox on the Prowl for Some Grub

Checking Out the Sedimentary Rock and Diabase Dike on Mt. Moran

Wildlife of the Day

I have not had a Full Day Grand Teton Tour since I started working with JHWS. It was great to be back in the Tetons. I mean, do not get me wrong, I love being up in Jellystone, but its nice spicing up the work schedule with a good ol' Teton tour! Plus, I am recovering from a cold (so it was nice finishing up around 3pm and sitting in a hot tub with a long hot shower to soothe whatever is remaining in my system).

But back to the tour. Had a wonderful couple from Seattle today. And today's successful tour was provided by: Pronglettes (aka Baby Pronghorn). I just love this time of year! Not just because it is warm and I can be in shorts, but there are still babies out in the GYE! Got a little snapshot of this little cutie today. It's sibling is hiding behind the sage next to it. Until next time!

TheChristyBel

Birthdays and Big Rocks

For Marc's Birthday, we decided to take a trip to City of Rocks in Idaho for some birthday fun. The birthday boy definitely had more fun that I did, since I was graced with a terrible head cold and fever from one of my guests. But when I had enough energy to explore, we were able to hike this area and get in a few good climbs!

Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

Moose Ears from the Birthday Boy!
Can You Also Note the HUGE Storm in the Background -
Scary Thunderstorm We Had to Resort to the Van For A Few Minutes Later

There Are Two Marcs?!?! Of Course, One Has to Scold the Other.

There May Be Two Marc's, but There are Three Crazy Christybels!

All Clear & Beautiful Skies

Happy 28th Birthday, Marc!
Celebrating With Some Adventurous Climbs!

A First State in Yellowstone

Today, I had a private family Yellowstone National Park Tour. It was super fun! I really love big families from the east coast, especially this one! This family was from Ohio and Pittsburgh. However, one of the daughters is a fellow Blue Hen! How small of a world is that! I was just so happy to meet another person that went to Delaware...and well knew where Delaware was! haha. Not only did I have a family that was from close to home, but we saw another DE plate in the park! That never happens! The day was great full of great views of the hydrothermal features, waterfalls, and of course, yet again, another grizzly siting! Actually we saw two separate sitings: one lone bear and one with two cubs! Score! The family was super awesome! I wish I had gotten a photo of them! But their fantastic experience will definitely stay in my memory! 

TheChristyBel

Water Run Off into the Firehole at Midway Geyser Basin

Grand Prismatic on Such a Beautiful Day!

Hello, Fellow Delaware Car!

Nice Hooter (Owl)

Sleepy Owl

This week the temperatures have dropped to a normal heat during the day with cooler mornings and evenings. With this change in the weather, the Great Grey Owl has been seen hanging out in the trees near the Moose Pond Overlook on Moose Wilson Road before the Moose Entrance Gate. It has been great seeing this Great Grey! This bird is just so beautiful and incredibly true to its name: Great! Check out the greatness from my past few tours!

TheChristyBel

A Stank Faced Owl
I guess it was not ready for its close-up this early in the morning!

Badger, Badger, Badger!

This morning during a private Grand Teton National Park Sunrise Tour, I took my guests to Mormon Row. Instead of focusing on the Mormon Row homesteads, this is what we focused on: a Badger digging out a burrow! Super cool.

Badger, Badger, Badger!

However, the only thing I could think of when I saw it was:

Hahaha! 

TheChristyBel

Pan Full of Biscuits

I have been given a lot of trips up to Yellowstone this month and I always see or experience something new. Today I learned a new term for describing clouds: 'a pan full of biscuits.' On our way home from Yellowstone, the clouds literally looked like a pan full of biscuits. That is what one of my guests had stated in her observation, and well looking at the clouds, I agreed. 

Tell Me How You Would Describe This?

Look at This Sky! It's Incredible!

Other than the cloud observation, we had a successful day up in Jellystone: bison calves nursing from mom, pocket gophers trying to steal the show when we were viewing bull elk and trumpeter swans, and of course, another viewing of a Grizzly sow and her two cubs!

TheChristyBel

Baby is Hungry!

Pocket Gophers!

Grizzly Momma and Two Babes

Grizzlies and Double Rainbows

Today's Yellowstone Tour was brought to you by a few things: thunderstorms, torrential downpours, and lots of clouds. However, nature always has a way of making it up to you. After attempting to view a grizzly sow with her two cubs near a bison carcass in Hayden Valley in a torrential downpour, the skies cleared up and we were given a double rainbow view! Incredibly beautiful! It was well deserved since I was outside of the van in a raincoat squeegee-ing the windows as my guests were trying to view a grizzly from inside the van! After the bears went out of site, we were about to leave when of course it stopped raining and a rainbow appeared! What a great way to end the tour day!

TheChristyBel

The Attempted Viewing of the Grizzly and Two Cubs

Double Rainbow All The Way in Hayden Valley

Bros of Bull Elk

Today's Wildlife of the Day is the Brethren of Bull Elk

They were congregating near the Potholes in Grand Teton National Park.

Pretty cool to see so many males together!

TheChristyBel

Grizzlies and Blacks

Today's tour with a family from Arkansas was filled with bears! Saw a grizzly and a black bear during our traveling up and through the Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. 

What is the difference you say?! Well. There are a few differences!

Grizzlies have that huge shoulder hump, the dish-shaped nose profile, and smaller teddy-bear like round ears. Black bears have no shoulder hump, a straight nose profile, and prominent pointed ears. Today, my guests were able to see both and distinguish the different characteristics.

Grizzly Movement Time-Lapse

Shoulder Hump, Rounded Ears, and Dish-Shaped Nose
Definitely Grizzly

No Shoulder Hump, Straight-Nose Profile, and Pointed Ears
Black Bear

Happy 4th of July From the Tetons

Happy 4th of July From the Tetons, the Wildlife, and Jackson Hole!

TheChristyBel

Fireworks Show at Snow King Resort
Photo Credit to @RyanJonSheets Instagram

Bull Moose at Snake River Bridge at Moose Junction

Pronghorn and Babies