The morning is cold; I wake to an inch of snow on my car. Heading west, I start my day. Out of Gillette I take the interstate one last bit toward Buffalo, WY. Once there I will follow winding two lane highways to my destination. Paying no mind to the snow that morning, I am unaware of what the day will bring. From Buffalo I take Highway 16 through the Bighorn National Forest. Snow still covers the Powder River Pass, elevation 9,666ft. Along the highway, forestry roads are the only sign of the presence of people, most for camping and snowmobiling.
Dropping out of the pass the weather changes to a more spring like feeling. Highway 20 heads south from Worland toward Thermopolis. Entering the area the scent of sulfur is in the air. Thermopolis is well known for its’ hot springs, including the world’s largest mineral hot spring. Stopping for fuel, I see a city basketball tournament lining the road through downtown. Competitors playing three-on-three as fellow citizen’s watch perched in their lawn chairs, cheering. South out of Thermopolis I continue through Wind River Canyon. The road follows the river here, winding and narrow. So narrow in fact there are tunnels along the route, I see a truck driver lowering the pressure in his tires to make clearance. Beyond the canyon passing Boysen Reservoir and Boysen State Park, I continue toward Riverton. Though it is one of the post populated areas I have driven through today, it takes only minutes to reach the opposite side of town. Again heading west, I leave Riverton on Highway 26. Taking a look at the map I see every road I have taken today. Highway 26 is the only major road through this area. The openness does not denote barren land, but a land full of the wilds that once covered this country. The only sizeable town along Highway 26 is Dubois, WY. Here they say Do-boys, a long standing mockery to a former post master. It’s said soon after gaining the title he changed the name of the town, along with towns in both Montana and Idaho, to his own. Furious, townsfolk refused to pronounce the name correctly.
Beginning to gain elevation, I near Togwotee Pass, this is where my knowledge really begins. With a new job and a new area, a little homework goes a long way, and the rest is discovered throughout the season. Togwotee Pass, elevation 9,658 ft., still covered in snow, is the only area along the way I have passed not one, but two snow plows. It is also the latest in the year I have ever seen a snow plow being used, the first of May. Togwotee Mountain Lodge, I later learn is open all year and caters to snowmobilers and folks dog sledding in the winter. In the busy summer season this lodge and others, like The Hatchet Resort, are cheaper options still close to the parks. Just over the pass, I catch my first glimpse of the Teton Range. Grand Teton peeking around the next bend, its height disappearing into the snow clouds above. A few minutes later I pull off in a turnout, a large wooden sign welcoming me to my new home stands just inside the park boundary.
Up the road I drive through the park entrance station, a friendly ranger welcoming me, I introduce myself and inform her I am working at Signal Mountain Lodge for the summer. Today is the first day the Inner Park Road is open and the South Entrance to Yellowstone will still be closed for another two weeks, weather permitting it to open. From here I still have eight miles to my destination. Driving lower than the speed limit, I observe everything along the way, making note of what is marked on the park map. I pass Oxbow Bend, one of the most notable places in the park. Here you can spot moose, elk, bears, pelicans, osprey, bald eagles, beaver and other animals, it is a favorite for many photographers, with Mt. Moran in the background. I turn off onto the Inner Park road, driving south over the dam. Jackson Lake is a natural lake; however Idaho owns the top 30ft. for irrigation purposes. From another turnout I take in the view, still in awe, the range is completely covered in snow and the lake lay frozen solid. Continuing further I pass the Chapel of the Sacred Heart. Soon a right hand turn brings me to my destination; the snow is still coming down as I pull into Signal Mountain Lodge.
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