10 photos
We were in the Tetons during the full moon, and several nights we were able to see it rising over the valley and casting its warm light across the mountain range. The camera’s long exposure captured even more detail in the mountains and brought out more stars than could be seen by the eye alone. Although the camera gear I had with me on this trip was less than ideal for night photography, it was a special gift to photograph the Tetons in the moonlight.
The first of four views of the moonlit mountains came after our hike to Leigh Lake. After dinner at our lodge, I went outside late at night and set up the tripod to capture the moonlight on Grand Teton (13,755 ft) and the nearby peaks of Mount Owen (12,933 ft) and Teewinot Mountain (12,330 ft), with Mt. St John (11,435 ft) and Rockchuck Peak (11,149 ft) sitting to the right. It was a mesmerizing sight, as the moonlight cast its bright light across the lake on the slopes of the mountain, and the scene was made really special by the snow that remained on the peaks after the recent storm. The view was across the lake, which was shimmering with moonlight, while the stars glowed brightly in the clear sky above. It many ways, it was the best view we had of the mountains.
The other moonlight scenes occurred on our way back from the day’s hike. They also required being out later and later each night to wait for the moon to rise. Our next opportunity occurred after our hike to Phelps Lake. Just as we reached our car at the end of our hike, we saw the full moon rising through the trees. While driving back to the lodge, we stopped at a pullout near the Taggart Lake trailhead, where the entire central Teton range was glowing in the moonlight. We were tired from the hike, and it was cold outside, but what a magical moment! The next chance came while driving back to our lodge from our hike at Coulter Bay. We stopped at Oxbow Bend to take photos of Mt. Moran lit by the rising moon, reflected in the calm waters of the river. A special treat! And finally, at the end of my hike on the Cascade trail, I stopped at the bridge across String Lake outlet and rested while waiting for the waning full moon to rise high enough to bathe the mountains with light. Although it was late evening and it delayed my return, it was once again a stunning sight to view the stars in the night sky above the iconic Teton peaks lit by the moonlight.
The first of four views of the moonlit mountains came after our hike to Leigh Lake. After dinner at our lodge, I went outside late at night and set up the tripod to capture the moonlight on Grand Teton (13,755 ft) and the nearby peaks of Mount Owen (12,933 ft) and Teewinot Mountain (12,330 ft), with Mt. St John (11,435 ft) and Rockchuck Peak (11,149 ft) sitting to the right. It was a mesmerizing sight, as the moonlight cast its bright light across the lake on the slopes of the mountain, and the scene was made really special by the snow that remained on the peaks after the recent storm. The view was across the lake, which was shimmering with moonlight, while the stars glowed brightly in the clear sky above. It many ways, it was the best view we had of the mountains.
The other moonlight scenes occurred on our way back from the day’s hike. They also required being out later and later each night to wait for the moon to rise. Our next opportunity occurred after our hike to Phelps Lake. Just as we reached our car at the end of our hike, we saw the full moon rising through the trees. While driving back to the lodge, we stopped at a pullout near the Taggart Lake trailhead, where the entire central Teton range was glowing in the moonlight. We were tired from the hike, and it was cold outside, but what a magical moment! The next chance came while driving back to our lodge from our hike at Coulter Bay. We stopped at Oxbow Bend to take photos of Mt. Moran lit by the rising moon, reflected in the calm waters of the river. A special treat! And finally, at the end of my hike on the Cascade trail, I stopped at the bridge across String Lake outlet and rested while waiting for the waning full moon to rise high enough to bathe the mountains with light. Although it was late evening and it delayed my return, it was once again a stunning sight to view the stars in the night sky above the iconic Teton peaks lit by the moonlight.
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