One of My Last Teton Goodbyes

Marc leaves for the east on Monday (tomorrow), while I finish up work with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris this upcoming Thursday. Before I head back east next Monday (the 17th), I'll take my recert for my Wilderness First Responder at Teton Science Schools. 

It is really coming full circle for me about my Teton and West adventure; it was about 2-years ago (on Monday the 17th), at least it will be, that I made my journey out west to start this graduate school adventure. It was two years ago this week that I took my certification for my WFR and started to explore the Grand Tetons. 

Over the past two years, I originally set out for this Forever West adventure to upgrade my schooling, challenge myself in my passions, mind, and body, and to allow myself to grow up without certain clutches and security blankets that I held onto (that in reality haunted me and prevented me from being true to myself). 

Two years later, I have challenged my mind, body, and soul to absorb information in two areas (education and science), rekindled old passions (art and hiking), strengthened my abilities to teach others, lost confidence in myself but then gained in back, learned a lot about myself, determined areas of self I need to work on, lost friendships, gained new ones, found love, and most importantly was able to live for MYSELF in a new part of the country (by myself - to start) where I did not think I could. Two years later I say farewell and thank you to a place I was nervous about immersing myself in. Two years later, I give my appreciation and gratitude to this place for allowing me to live and really define for myself who is theChristyBel.

TheChristyBel

Saying Farewell to the Wedding Tree

Wedding Tree Sunset

One of My Last Summit Poses in the Grand Tetons

Just Let Me

I just wanted to post the most adorable pictures...ever.

Taken from Saturday's Exploration & Adventure during my Spring Break.

Just Let Me.

Enjoy.

TheChristyBel

Marc Giving 'Moose Ears'
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

The Creative Couple At The Wedding Tree in the Bridger-Teton National Forest
Look at That View!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

I Think This Picture Pretty Much Sums Me Up
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

Two Girls in Patterned Pants at Wedding Tree

As graduated Teton Science Schools Graduate Students, we have been kicked off campus so next year's graduate students can move in. Since I am still living in the Tetons for the month before moving to Laramie, I am balancing my stays in town with Marc to camping in my tent in the national forest. For the past two nights, I have been camping in patterned pants with Mandy at the Wedding Tree in the National Forest. It's quite convenient since I am still working for Teton Science Schools and it's free! Below is our homeless, camping in luxury set up. It's been quite luxurious - it has been a bit chilly the past two nights and non-stop rain; until this morning that is! We have quite the set up! 

Awesome Tent Set Up with A Lounging Tarp!

Great Prime Camping Site - Large Fire Pit, Great Conifer Protection Cover, and Fantastic View!

A Great New Hippie TV - A Larger Screen Compared To the One We Had at TSS.
Not Too Bad!

More photos to come of the homelessness adventures!
TheChristyBel

PS. Don't worry - we still shower! We find ways! CBel

Camping at Wedding Tree

Saturday was an awesome day! In the early afternoon, Marc and I made it to the Enclosure Rock Gym for a few hours to test out my new harness and get into top-rope climbing. Super fun although really tiring - haven't been on a wall in a long time and definitely rarely on a harness! It was great that I remembered a bunch of terms and processes from my EMS days and that Schools to Stores professional development day at Chickie's Rock! Now it was time to try it, Teton's Style! Another awesome moment, when I discovered I could climb a 5.8-5.9 route! So exciting! Now...its time to work on some of the projects that stumped me then onto outside!

That evening, we decided to go camping in the Bridger-Teton National Forest; this was awesome because 1.) you do not need to reserve a spot - it's first come, first serve! 2.) you can have a campfire and 3.) and the view from this particular campsite was phenomenal!

The Clouds Slowly Moving Out of the Teton Landscape

The campground near the Gros Ventre Slide holds some really nice sites that overlook the Teton viewscape! Located near the Wedding Tree, there are a few little campfire pits to the north of the two Wedding Tree. The view was a little iffy when we got there at first - there were really big and dark storm clouds lurking over the Tetons. We were both a little worried if the dark clouds were headed east towards us. Luckily, the wind directed northward and started to pass behind the Tetons and stayed away from us!

A Beautiful Sunset Building! We Were Waiting For the Spectacular to Start!

We decided to bring dinner to cook over the fire - aluminum foil packet dinners! So delicious - made a ground beef and lamb dish with cut up sweet potatoes, tomato, and onions. All ingredient were placed together, seasoned, and placed in the foil, then wrapped up to cook all together on the embers of the fire from the awesome fire place of a pit at our campsite. Sorry, there was no photo of the meal - too delicious to take a photo before eating.

In the Mean Time, Built a Fire to Cook Our Dinner and Heat Up the Evening!

Oh Man, Look at That Sunset Starting to Peak Its Way Out!

During dinner, we looked up and the sunset that we saw...let me tell you, it was so beautiful! the clouds were blocking the direct rays of the sun, so you could only see a few rays peaking through. It was completely gorgeous - full of shades of dark purple, magenta, pink, orange, yellow, and red. Absolutely stunning! And well the spectacular did not just last during dinner, it lasted until 9pm-ish - constantly changing its color patterns and the rays from the sun as they peaked through the clouds.

Dun-Dun-Dun!!!!! Such a Sunset!
Photo Credit to Marc Sweet

The next morning before packing up, we woke up to no clouds in the sky and a clear view of the Tetons! Such a great night!

Great night for a night outside!
TheChristyBel

The Wedding Tree

This afternoon, Sarah, Mary Beth, and I explored and scoped out some sites for teaching later this week with the Snake River Montessori School.  For Wednesday, we were focusing on natural disturbances and hydrogeology/geothermal activity in the Tetons.  So we scoped out the Kelly Warm Springs and the Gros Ventre Slide.

For a full-view stop of the Teton Mountain Range and the Gros Ventre Slide, Mary Beth suggested that we should all take our students to see the Wedding Tree.  

I had not been there before, so I was pretty interested on what this place was.  Since I was on Outreach in the Fall, many local areas are still NEW to me, since our places to take students were pretty limited in the Winter.  

Getting to the Wedding Tree was really simple.  You just follow the main road past the Kelly Warm Springs into the Bridger-Teton National Forest driving like you were to go to the Gros Ventre Slide Trailhead.  Instead, make one of the first rights for the first pull off where you can see a great view of the Gros Ventre Slide and take a 2-minute walk to the most beautiful viewscapes I have ever seen.

The Wedding Tree and the Beautiful View

The view was absolutely amazing and not to mention, the trees on either side are quite remarkable too!  They are over 300-years old!  So cool!

TheChristyBel