Sur-Reality - Teton Living

I just wanted to take this opportunity to express some gratuity of where I am in life right now and where I am living. This place is incredibly beautiful (yes I know I have already spent a year here in the Tetons...but...to not be stressed with school and to just to embrace this place at my own pace and in my own style has been so incredibly refreshing and wonderful!). Also, even though there are days where I miss teaching children and my students, it has still been a wonderful and awesome experience taking people of all ages around this place and sharing a love for the Tetons with them.

Yes. I am Happy.
TheChristyBel

The Arrowleaf Balsamroot in front of the Tetons

Living in Jellystone

The past few days I have been leading some Yellowstone National Park trips. I have literally done 2-3 trips in a row now! I am gaining more and more confidence as I do these tours! I really do enjoy these tours, although they can be pretty long. We drive about 2.5-hours from the town of Jackson to get to Jellystone, spend most of the time driving around and visiting a bunch of 'hot spots' and areas in the Lower Loop, then drive back to Jackson. These tours are about 12-hours! But let me tell you, I get to know my guests really well and by the end of the day when I return them to their hotels, I have made some wonderful friends and shared many stories and moments with them!

Below are some of the things I have shown some of my guests and shared some amazing and maybe some slightly terrifying experiences with! Enjoy!

TheChristyBel

The Graham's at the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
South Rim Drive

Bill Overlooking the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Overlook of Yellowstone Lake

Before We Drove Up to Jellystone
We Observed Momma Moose and Twin Calves

Great Fountain Geyser Eruption (and Superburst)

My First Time Seeing This Geyser Go Off!
Photo Credit to My Guest, Ruth

Mr. Bison & I Had an Intimate Moment Turn Almost Deadly
He Almost Gored to Van as We Drove Past Him
I Luckily Accelerated Just In Time Before His Horn Impacted My Vehicle
Don't Worry Mom, TheChristyBel & Guests are OKAY!

Mommy and Me in the GTNP

Momma Moose & Calves
The Second Twin is Hiding to the Right of Its Mother in the Bushes

Here is the second edition to the Grand Teton Babies. I am really enjoying this month of tours: there have been lots of sightings of new life here in the park. Enclosed in this entry is just pure cuteness, it will make your heart explode, pure jealousy of my life, and some amazing views of what this park has to offer.

Come Visit!

TheChristyBel

Osprey On Nest

Lupine Meadows Fox Den
Multi-Colored Kits Playing With Each Other

Beaver Creek Fox Kits Cuddle with Momma

Beaver Creek Fox Kits Morning Playtime

SandHill Crane Colt at the National Elk Refuge

SandHill Crane & Colt at the National Elk Refuge

Momma Moose & Calves

Some Highlights from a Full Day in GTNP

Today I had a Full Day in Grand Teton National Park with two couples from Malvern, Long Island, New York. They were such a great group of people spend the day with! Not only were they great company, but we were able to see some really awesome animals!

Check It Out!

TheChristyBel

Grizzly 610 (and Her Hidden Cubs)
Pilgrim Creek, GTNP

Broad-Tailed Hummingbird
Jackson Lake Lodge, GTNP

A Fat Coyote
Lupine Meadows, GTNP

Highlights from a GTNP Sunset Tour

I'm gonna start using my blog for my tour highlights. Look for the Blog Label: Safaris Highlights to check out my latest tour finds!

Some evening highlights from my GTNP Sunset Tour.

Mule Deer Squat to Use the Bathroom! 

Cow Elk at Pilgrim Creek

Western Meadowlark Provide an Evening Concert on the Gros Ventre Road

Say Cheese, Mr. Bison!

Today, I led my first Yellowstone National Park tour! It went super well. The guests I had said I was incredibly engaging, provided beyond professional service, and took them to some wonderful places in the park. Below is one of my favorite moments of the entire day: we stumbled on some bison laying in Hayden Valley and I was able to capture the bison licking its chops! But I'd like to think he was sticking his tongue out when I was saying, 'Cheese!'

Super adorable!

TheChristyBel

Babies in the Tetons

Grizzly Bear 610 & Her Two New Cubs
Photo Credit to the JacksonHole Instagram

This spring here in the Tetons have been pretty busy...busy with babies! So many of the local mega fauna are having their young. With the wildlife safaris guiding, we are encouraging our guests to maintain safe distances to the animals at all times, and especially with mothers and their babes. It is crucial that we set the example of not only providing our guests with a wonderful and memorable experiential tour, but educate them that these animals are wild and can be dangerous if their space is breeched. It was recorded yesterday that the Yellowstone National Park has now experienced two severe incidents with visiting guests and getting too close to wildlife. The two individuals that got too close to wild several hundred pound-bison are in critical condition at a neighboring hospital. Please folks, you may look and admire from a far, but please, keep your distance and give these animals (and Mommas and young) some space.

TheChristyBel

A Momma Moose and Her Twins! (Uncommon!)
Photo Credit to the Grand Teton Association FaceBook Page

Momma Coyote & Kill

Let me tell you, I am absolutely loving my wildlife safaris guiding job with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. Today, I was asked to lead my first private tour. Super fun: it was a large group (about 50-people) and so I was one of 5-guides that was helping with this tour. We had heard that the coyote den on Mormon Row had pups and the pups were playing outside of their burrow. So before heading to Signal Mountain for lunch, a few of the guides and I went to go check out the scene. Unfortunately we did not get a lot of viewing time for the little pups, however, one of the guests turned around and called out 'Coyote!' So we all turned around towards the Gros Ventre Range and in the sage was Momma Coyote. She was a beauty! As we watched her, we noticed that her attention was caught by some lunch, a chizzler (or a Uinta Ground Squirrel)! We got to watch her stalk and capture her lunch! It was pretty cool! I even got a bunch of pictures from the moment! The guests were all really impressed that I got these pictures by using my Nikon Monarch 8 x 42 Binoculars and my iPhone! They even asked if I would send them the photos! Of course, I shared!

Enjoy!
TheChristyBel

Step 1:
Making Her Appearance

Step 2:
Crouching Down for the Lunge

Step 3:
Bringing Home the Bacon (I Mean Chizzler)
to Her Pups

Art Through a Binocular Lens

Male Moose On the Snake River
Hey Handsome, You Growing a Nice Looking Rack!

Through wildlife guiding, I have discovered that 1) I can still make art while on the job; 2) I can take pretty cool photos (at least I think so); and 3) I am getting mega skilled in taking photos through my binoculars! It has taken some time to gain a steady hand, focus my binoculars and iPhone, and hold the two while trying to take the photo.

But...after you go back and sift through the blurry photos, you can find some gems! I think I have a new artistic medium I like: Binocular Photography! Haha! It's been great taking photos alongside my guests and it's also really cool showing them how to take their own photos through their binoculars or the scope!

Below are some photos taken from my Nikon Monarch 8 x 42 pair of binoculars. You can also do a Search on my blog for 'Binocular Photography' and it will show you all the entires in the blog that have images taken with my binocs or scope (neat huh?!) It has been really cool mastering this (and I still am), but I think I am going to have to admit that I may be searching for a decent 'Point and Shoot' camera. So, all you talented photographers out there, if you know or can recommend a beginner, not so complicated, camera that might suit my needs, suggestions are welcome! Until then, enjoy some nature bino-photography!

TheChristyBel

Male (Red-Shafted) Northern Flicker
Near the Entrance of Moose-Wilson Road (Teton Village Side)

Mountain BlueBird Paid on a Snag
On the Inner Loop Toward RKO Road Junction

Silvery Lupine with the Cathedral in the Background
Near Jenny Lake Loop

In Yellow-Bellied Marmot Nation
Not to be Confused with Meerkat Nation (only cuter)
Near Pilgrim Creek

Barrow's Goldeneye
Such a Sharp Looking Stud!
Found at Moose Overlook on Moose-Wilson Road

Great Blue Heron Having Dinner with a Tiger Salamander
(with the Salamander as the Main Course)
Found at the Moose Overlook on Moose-Wilson Road

Training to Lead Jellystone

Today, I went on my first training session to lead Jellystone trips (aka Yellowstone National Park tours). I was able to observe Jody. I really enjoy observing him. He is pretty comical and knows so much about guiding and the parks. Below are some of the places that he took his guests. It's great to shadow a tour to get ideas on how to lead your own. Although I have a pretty good idea of where most things are in Jellystone, I am pretty sure I need to refresh myself with the history. Even after grad school, theChristyBel still has homework! I better get studying, since my first trip to Yellowstone is in a few days! Wish me luck!

TheChristyBel

FireHole Falls on Firehole Canyon Drive

It Hailed at the Fountain Paint Pots

BeeHive Geyser Eruption Before Old Faithful!

Hot Spring at Firehole Lake Drive

Iron Springs

Found a Gem at Canyon Village

Mt. Washburn Fire Tower From Hayden Valley

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Last Day Training in GTNP

Osprey on Moose-Wilson Road, near Teton Village

As of yesterday, I had my walkthrough with my Laramie landlord, packed up the last of my things in Little Blue, and travelled back on the five and half hour drive back to the Tetons. I'll be camping or staying with friends until Marc comes back with the van to live out of for the summer, but I'll be busy with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. I am beyond pumped for this job this summer season!

Today I finished up my training to lead tours in the Grand Teton National Park with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. It feels incredibly awesome that your co-workers have the confidence in you to take the lead and lead tours on your own. After my training session in the morning shadowing one of the leading senior guides, he told me that he feels I am ready to go solo! How awesome is that!

Training has been great to learn from experienced guides about the hidden gems and places to find things or to go for a good story. I feel really informed about the park. But I am incredibly thankful to have had Teton Science Schools under my belt, because they helped teach me the knowledge of this place. With that, I only needed three training days before I was given the check off to go SOLO!

Its great to feel this high level of confidence in knowledge of this place and support and faith from your co-workers. I am beyond pumped to get these tours up and rolling this summer! So, if you're in the area and want a tour of Grand Teton National Park...you know who to call!

Wish me luck, I have my first tour tomorrow!

TheChristyBel

Reflective Photos From Schwabacher's Landing

Female Barrow's Goldeneye

Peek-A-Boo, I See You, 610!
Near Oxbow Bend!

My First Sighting of a Great Grey Owl!
Moose-Wilson Road