design finch

This past weekend we headed to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to check out the magnificent Teton mountain range. It’s still about a six hour drive from Billings, but we figured that was a heck of a lot closer than making the trip to Wyoming from Oklahoma! We left after work on Friday and didn’t arrive until well after dark, so we were treated to a stunning view of the mountains when the sun came up on Saturday morning.

Every view of Grand Teton National Park is postcard-worthy. It’s kind of ridiculous really. I’m having a hard time even remembering what we did there….I think just kind of wandered around admiring the mountains, snapping pictures, and feeling envious of the horses who get to live the good life there at the foothills.

The town of Jackson itself is pretty quaint and has a Wild West vibe. The downtown mostly consists of touristy shops, restaurants, saloons, and a few art galleries. On each corner of the square are these massive arches made of elk antlers collected from the nearby National Elk Refuge. Elk naturally shed their antlers each winter and grow a new set so, rest assured, no animals were harmed in the making of this tourist trap.

We rented a cute log cabin in the woods outside of Wilson for the weekend. It was such a cozy and relaxing little retreat; I can only imagine how lovely it would be to get snowed in there! Jason has since informed me that we need our very own little cabin in the woods.

Noted, honey. I’ll get right to work on that.

In a stroke of brilliance, we bought tickets to ride “Big Red” from Teton Village to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain (because nothing says “fun” like being suspended almost 11,000 feet in the air in a big red box with 100 other tourists….in the middle of a lightening storm). Yet, that is how we found ourselves standing on top of a mountain in the freezing rain wearing just shorts and a t-shrit.

When the sun finally peeked through the clouds again, we decided it would be more enjoyable to hike down the mountain than to ride the tram back, never mind that it was a 7.5 mile hike down a narrow trail hanging on the side of a very steep mountain. Clearly we are gluttons for punishment! Actually, the hike was gorgeous and we were so glad we did it…..until we tried to get out of bed the next morning and became painfully aware of every muscle in our bodies.

As much as I’ve loved our time in Montana, my quadriceps are begging to return to the Oklahoma prairie.

Look! More photos of beautiful mountains! (Are you beginning to see a theme here?) On the way home from Jackson Hole we took the scenic route through the Beartooth Mountians. We were there right as the sun was setting and it was incredible. Of course, photos truly don’t do it justice; we both agree that it’s the prettiest place we’ve seen in Montana yet. And also the coldest….brrr!! There was still quite a bit of snow up there (you’d think I’d catch on by now and throw a pair of pants in the suitcase!). This place definitely takes the quintessential “Sunday Drive” to a whole new level.

Stop it, Montana – you are spoiling us with all your pretty scenery!

While it’s tough to top our action-packed first week in Montana, our second week here will go down as a memorable one as well. We are beginning to feel settled now….at least as settled as you can be while living 1,240 miles from your own bed.

During the week, we don’t get to explore much since we’re both busy working, but we take the dogs for a long walk every evening to wear them out so they will be well-behaved little loft-dwellers (and they are….about 75% of the time). We’ve discovered several great hiking trails around Billings. Our favorite is Riverfront Park which Jason and I like for the scenic views of the Yellowstone River. Denver and Ollie prefer it, though, because there are plenty of squirrels and ducks to bully. (We’ve taken them on incredible mountain excursions every weekend, but as far as those two are concerned, seeing a squirrel = the. most. exciting. thing. EVER!)

Once the weekend rolls around, we escape to the mountains! This time we rented a little cabin at Bridger Bowl near Bozeman and spent the majority of our time there hiking and fishing. In college, I skied at Bridger Bowl once while visiting my friend Ricarda and it was fun seeing it again without any snow this time. My friend Sarah suggested we also check out Hyalite Lake, so we did and, just as Sarah promised, it was absolutely beautiful! We hiked along Hyalite Creek and up to Grotto Falls. The wildflowers were in bloom everywhere we went. In the evenings it was cool and rainy, so we slept with the windows open which, in my book, is pretty much the recipe for sleep perfection (well, that plus these velour sheets that were on the bed in the cabin….yes, I will be ordering a set of my own come winter).

On Sunday, we drove to Big Sky which is about an hour from Bozeman, but it took us MUCH longer because we stopped all along the way so Jason could go fly fishing in the Gallatin River (the Gallatin is a mecca for serious fisherman, so he was in heaven!). While he was hunting for fishies, I did everything in my power to entertain the dogs and prevent them from jumping in the river. Apparently, water is almost as exciting as squirrels! We finally made it to Big Sky and spent a couple hours hanging out at the base of the ski mountain just enjoying the gorgeous afternoon.

Every day we look at each other and wonder how we got here! We’re so thankful for this great opportunity and plan to make the most of our time in Montana. How have 2 weeks passed already? All I know is that our next excursion takes us to Yellowstone and I’m secretly hoping we see a bear. I will keep you posted for sure!