After the workshop with Scott Christensen was over we drove just a short while and reached the grand Teton National park. My oh my, what kind of landscape this is. First it reminded me of the Alps, and then it does not. It’s somehow different. Anyway with every hike we did, I embraced it with my deepest soul. In the beginning I was still trying to paint but the further we went the less I painted. Sometimes you just have to take it in.
Plein Air Studie at Schwabachers Landing,
Foto: Marc Volquardsen, 2017
The following days we got up early, but because of the jet lag that wasn’t a problem. By doing this we escaped the masses and often we hardly met any people at all.
This is a national park with wild animals and not a pet zoo. We always saw these warning signs and all of us were carrying the bear spray. But seriously, how big is the chance that we have an encounter with a bear? Well, actually very big as we were to find out.
Foto: Marc Volquardsen, 2017
In the middle of a hike around Jenny Lake we were approached by a ranger who asked us to leave the hike trail and step up the hill. A black bear with her two cups was just around the corner. Well, that’s somehow the most dangerous encounter one can have. (Besides a carcass and a hungry bear).
But lucky for us the mother went straight into the lake to take a swim. That was one of the most cutest thing I have ever watched. After 5 minutes we left the scene and went on our hiking trail. We didn’t want to risk anything.
Foto: Marc Volquardsen, 2017
The week before one of the workshop participants had said:
»How do you differ the poops of a black bear and a grisly? Well, the poop of a black bear has wood berries in it. The poop of a grisly, bear spray.«
Thanks for the very encouraging words, dude!
And yes, we also saw a grisly the next week in Yellowstone. But luckily he was on the other side of the river.
We did some pretty awesome hikes during this three weeks and my husband has the most amazing photographs: https://volquardsen.photo/en/
