THE ICE IS GONE...SO IS THE WATER

We decided to take a hike on the first of our two days off this week, since the temperature finally was supposed to get above 50 degrees again.  We started at the Colter Bay Marina where Jackson Lake is no longer covered with ice.  However, the water level in the lake is extremely low due to water being let out of Jackson Dam into the Snake River because of the expected heavy snow melt in the next few weeks.  This is our 6th trip (4 as vacationers and 2 as workers) to this area in the last dozen years and Jackson Lake has never looked like this.

In the first photo, you can see the gas pumps that were barely visible sticking above the snow on a previous blog entry (2 weeks ago) when the lake was covered with ice and snow.

The lake level is down about 15-20 feet.  These docks are supposed to be floating.  Most of the brown shoreline at the top and bottom of the photo is normally underwater.

Here is a view looking back towards the Colter Bay Marina.  The boat ramp is to the far right and no longer reaches the lake.  The canoes, kayaks, and other small boats are sitting on the shore ready to go.  The marina is still scheduled to open on June 10.  

This photo is of two of the mooring buoys used for those boaters who can not get a slip in the marina because of capacity.  The buoys and its concrete anchor are connected with about 25 ft. of rope and are now high and dry.

We also took a short hike towards Heron Pond but had to turn back when the trail got too muddy.  Here is Paul standing in one of the snow drifts along the same path.

Here is a view of Mt. Moran (12,605 ft.) from along the same trail.  Notice just how much snow is on the mountain on June 2nd!  The larger white area to the lower left, shaped like a guitar being held near vertical, is Skillet Glacier.  Once the lake gets back to normal depth, the brown areas will be underwater.

Walking to work on Memorial Day just before noon, we noticed these spring flowers struggling with the little bit of snow that remained from the overnight 3-inch snowfall we received.  Here the buds are trying to open.

What a difference a few days make to Mother Nature.  Here is a similar patch of spring flowers on June 2.  Notice the blossoms appear to be fully open now that we have had several days of temperatures in the upper 40's and low 50's.  Yea!