I make the drive from Seattle to Jackson Hole a couple times a year and I always drive by this spot hoping for the right moment that will make a great image. This one wasn’t bad. The Grand is covered in new snow and the swans are enjoying the sunshine in the river below. The road sign adds a little more detail to the image. I think I needed some more clouds and a sunset but overall I’m pretty happy with this shot.

The jagged teeth of the Teton Mountain Range are actually in Wyoming, but Idahoans prefer “the quiet side” on the western slopes, along the Teton Scenic Byway.

At nearly 10 million years young, the Tetons are the newest mountains in the Rockies. In fact, they continue to grow today at the snail-like pace of about an inch every hundred years. In fact, the largest peak on the range, Grand Teton, now stands at 13,772 feet.

Beginning at Swan Valley, this byway travels east on Idaho 31 through the beautiful Pine Creek pass to the town of Victor, and then north on Idaho 33, along the western side of the Teton Range. The mountains sharply contrast with the rolling agricultural fields to the north and west. In the towns of the Teton Valley, Victor, Driggs, and Tetonia, travelers can enjoy small town hospitality, internationally famous resorts and festival events held throughout the year. West of Tetonia, the byway turns north on Idaho 32, offering glimpses of the Tetons and the Falls River until it reaches Ashton, where the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway begins.