Fall 2026, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, 9.8.2026 - 10.5.2026, Part 9: Grand Teton National Park/Glacier View/Jackson Hole Aerial Tram/Inspiration Point
Another great thing about spending ten days in the Tetons was the ability to see the range in a variety of moods. I shot sunrise seven different days and each one had its own flavor. On this morning, I had my sights set on shooting sunrise from one of the many great pullouts. This one was past Jenny Lake on the Teton Road called Cascade Canyon Pullout. It is butted up right at the base of the range between the Grand and Mount Moran.
We left with plenty of time to get there before sunrise but as soon as I turned off at Moose Junction and started heading towards the pullout I realized this would be a mistake on this day. A low cloud inversion filled the bottom of the valley with fog and we would have seen nothing. I knew right away we had to be higher up so we whipped a uey and drove back out to the highway. Heading a bit further north, I opted to pull out at Glacier View pullout which sits up higher on a moraine or plateau. It was the perfect decision. In the silvery glow of the blue hour, the Tetons looked magnificient. While the inversion layer put a bed of clouds at the base, the peaks rose up above to clear skies. As the sun began to light up the peaks, the colors were absolutely amazing. Normally when a group of photographers shoot a sunrise there is mostly silence as they concentrate on their task, but on this morning we heard lots of gasps, oohs and aahs. We all knew we were witnessing something special and I think this sunrise session might have been my favorite of them all on this trip.
The Tetons glowing in the blue hour before dawn from Glacier View Pullout
First light from Glacier View Pullout
Special morning
The Grand
Breathtaking!
We only got about fifteen minutes of magic before the inversion layer began to rise and obscured the peaks but that was all I needed and I was thrilled with the results.
It was supposed to be sunny all day but low clouds filled Jackson Hole and we had no views of anything. We were going to go up the aerial tram at the Jackson Hole Ski Resort but I was worried we would get up there and have no views. We had to wait until eleven anyway because we were switching to our new site in another loop and the people didn’t leave until the last minute. Once we got into the new site we decided we may as well drive out to the resort and take our chances. I figured they could tell us at the base whether or not the fog was expected to lift.
It was about a 40 minute drive down past Jackson and up Moose Wilson Road to the ski resort. When we got to the tram and inquired about the clouds, she grinned and said it was clear up top and that we were in for a treat. That’s all we needed to hear so we got on the tram and began the 4,139’ ascent to the top of Rendezvous Mountain. As we climbed, we rose right up through the inversion layer until we were looking down on a sea of clouds below us with nothing but blue skies above. Spectacular! As we approached the top we went right by a ski run called Corbet’s Coulior. This is a gnarly steep gully that is the sight of an annual event called the Kings and Queens of Corbet’s where insane people do flips and twists as they jump off a huge cornice into the coulior.
Corbet’s Coulior. In the winter there is a huge vertical cornice at the top.
At the top of the tram we had great views all around us. The Grand stuck up over a ridge to the north. The Jackson Hole valley spread out below us. There is a restaurant right off the tram called Waffles and they specialize in, you guessed it, waffles! Bridgit had a Cobbler which is mixed berries and whipped cream. I had a Belgian which is cookie butter, drizzled caramel and powdered sugar. We both got Corbet’s Coffees which had Baileys and hot chocolate.
I can still smell the waffles!
The Belgian
Waffles at Corbet’s Cabin
After lunch we wandered around to see the sights. First we walked out to the end of the skywalk and then hiked a very short hill to the true summit of 10,743’ Rendezvous Mountain. This was particularly interesting to me. Mike, Sandy and I have been talking about hiking the Teton Crest Trail next summer. This hike runs from the top of the tram all the way across the range almost to Mount Moran. For us it would be a six night, seven day backpack trip along some of the finest mountain scenery in the country. We have already gathered a ton of information on where to camp, mileage, daily elevation gain, etc… So I found it extremely exciting to be looking at the area around the first leg of this trip.
The Teton Crest Trail is somewhere over there
Looking north toward the Grand
Tetons
Tetons
13,776’ Grand Teton
Jackson Hole Aerial Tram
Chipmunk in our camp. Doc?
Hardly vicious
View from my bedroom window in the Navibahn
That evening I tried to shoot sunset from Schwabacher Landing but I just couldn’t stay there. I would say there were at least eight or nine couples getting pre or post wedding photos all up and down the trail. The light wasn’t even good and the water wasn’t calm. It just wasn’t a great night for it and I didn’t even take one photo.
I was hoping to shoot sunrise from the shore of Jenny Lake but we had to drive the Jeep into Jackson for a warning light. It turned out to be nothing major and we were back on the road by nine. We drove up to Jenny Lake. My parking karma was good and we got a spot right away. Heading down to the boat launch area, we got in line to take the Jenny Lake ferry across the lake and hike up to Inspiration Point. We had to wait in line about forty minutes just to get on a ferry but we enjoyed talking to some folks to pass the time.
It’s a short ride across Jenny Lake to the base of Cascade Canyon. By now it was shorts and t-shirt weather. Speaking of which, we had remarkably great weather almost the entire time we were in the Tetons. Sunny every day and temps in the lower seventies. Heavenly!
On the Jenny Lake ferry looking across to Cascade Canyon
Moon setting over Cascade Canyon
Ferry dock for Inspiration Point
Ready for the trail
We hiked an easy half mile to Hidden Falls. They were nice but here in the Cascades we see so many great waterfalls that this was nothing special. From there we started a slow steady climb another half mile to Inspiration Point. The views from there looked down on Jenny Lake and up to the Grand high above us. This was as close to the summit as we got on this trip which wasn’t close at all. The entire hike was pretty crowded. Not quite as bad as Avalanche Lake in Glacier but almost. When we got back down we had to wait for over an hour in a line to get a ferry back. But it was a nice hike and we’re glad we went.
Hidden Falls
Jenny Lake from Inspiration Point
The Grand from Inspiration Point
The Grand and Mount Owen from Inspiration Point
With only three days left, we were starting to feel like the end was near. We still had more to do but our thoughts were beginning to drift towards preparing to head home.