The old saying, “patience is a virtue,” may be trite, but in this case, it proved to be very true. My wife and I were returning to Oregon after visiting friends in Colorado, and we decided to drive along the Oregon Trail route through Wyoming, ending up in Jackson Hole for several days of photography and relaxation. Visiting the historic Oregon Trail sites reflects on the hardships that early pioneers endured on their trek to a new life in the West.

This was my second visit to Grand Teton National Park, so I was familiar with its landscape and the best places for photography. However, I still decided to stop by a local photography store for an updated map. My previous visit was in the fall, when the aspens and cottonwoods displayed beautiful yellow hues. During this June trip, one of my goals was to capture images of lupines with the Tetons in the background. Unfortunately, the lupine bloom was lackluster, even in our secret spot, so I focused on morning shots from Schwabacher Landing and then moved to other iconic locations like Mormon Row.

The first couple of mornings provided nice color and images, but persistent morning clouds kept the top of Grand Teton obscured. It wasn't until the third morning that the conditions looked promising from the start. While there were still morning clouds, they were thinner than on previous days and began to lift as sunrise approached. Then a spectacular glow appeared in the east, and as the sun rose, the full Teton range stood in all its glory. To top it off, there was virtually no wind, creating a beautiful reflection in the Snake River.