Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I had been there a few years ago, in winter. Would this charming little town be equally picturesque in the summer? I began to plan the trip. My son, William, a professional photographer was available to take photos for my book research. And my other son, twenty-one year old Beau was just getting out of school. I suddenly realized we could schedule a family vacation! So on a from New York’s La Guardia airport with a high sense of adventure. Hole was daunting. The pilot had to land the plane into the geographic equivalent of a soup bowl. Alp-like peaks encircled a lush green valley and just as the wing tips cleared the Teton Mountains, the plane dropped like a stone onto a small runway. Disembarking we looked at the majestic snow capped mountains – a scene of post-card prettiness.
in expensive cowboy chic: leather chairs and western art. There are many high-end luxury places to stay in the area for those with billionaire taste. We opted for something a tad less ostentatious but sublimely comfortable. The Snake River Lodge, in Teton Village is about 12 miles out of the center of town - a complex of condos, hotels and shops with a ski tram to take us to the summit for spectacular views. It turned out to be a wonderful choice for a family vacation; something for everyone. There was a collection of shops, and restaurants of all levels of formality and informality, a grocery store, outdoor clothing stores, expedition After we checked in, we agreed to all explore on our own and meet for dinner later. The boys set off immediately for the Mangy Moose Saloon, for burgers and a beer. I lolled in the indoor 17,000 foot spa, taking in
partition allowed me to swim directly to the outdoor pool surrounded by stone grottos. There, waterfalls cascaded off of natural rock as I side-stroked and looked around at the beautiful mountain scenery. Pure fantasy. dinner out on the town – the famous Snake River Grill. (Snake River seems to be a theme here) Situated on the picturesque town square, it is a mecca for people who care about food. The portions were robust. The boys chowed down on glazed pork chops, buttermilk black pepper mashed potatoes and succotash, while I opted for fresh salmon and walnut sprinkled salad. Deserts were diabolical: rhubarb pie, cherry cakes and famous “Eskimo bars” of chocolate caramel and vanilla ice cream. After dinner we took a stroll around the town. Jackson has a genuine cowboy feel with none of the campiness. It seems more like a Western artist community than anything
Jackson Hole is where the rich go to pretend they are simple folk. Everything is decorated
Over the next few days we settled into a lifestyle of comfortable outdoor adventure.
Resident May 2013