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Spring Creek RanchOn Top of the World – Jackson Hole, WYBy Linda AksomitisThe instructions directed us to ascend the 2+ miles of switchback road to the resort—what they didn’t say was that we’d be climbing high enough to see the world with a bird’s eye view! Indeed, Spring Creek Ranch is a luxury resort offering a vista of the vast Jackson Hole valley and the world famous 13, 770 foot Grand Teton in the Teton Mountain range. Following Amangani Drive, I soon reached the Conference Center and Visitor Registration area in the main building. I’d passed the barns and corrals where horses grazed, inspiring the stop signs that said appropriately “WHOA!” The old west was everywhere. A smiling desk clerk checked me in and offered me the services of another staff member to guide us to our condo further along East Butte Road.
The interior lived up to all of my expectations, plus some! The high vaulted ceiling and large stone fireplace immediately drew my attention. The king-sized bed, as huge as it was, didn’t overpower the room, so there was lots of space to spread out everything I’d brought. I loved the natural shades of browns and mixed patterns of the spread, drapes and interior décor. Stepping through the glass patio doors I found my balcony provided me with a full view of the valley stretched out below and the Teton range that framed it. Cattle grazed, just big dots, far below me. I filled my lungs with the fresh mountain air, reached out to touch the fuzz of leaves ready to burst into green spring splendor, and settled in to read more about the activities I’d be able to participate in during my stay. Spring Creek Ranch offered everything from horseback riding to their Wilderness Adventure Spa, so there was something to suit every visitor right on the ranch. Dining was superb too, which I discovered with my first evening’s meal. The Granary Restaurant provided excellent service, delicious food, and a wide-open view of the whole valley. Jackson Hole valley is 48 miles long and varies from 8 to 15 miles wide, depending on where you are. Although I’m a prairie girl I didn’t find the elevation, which ranges from 6, 779 to 6, 069 feet above sea level, a challenge. The area is home to two national parks (Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park), and a National Elk Refuge. In fact, nearly 97% of Jackson Hole is public lands, with only a few ranches in operation.
Indeed, one of the biggest thrills of my visit was a ride up the ski-lift to the top of Snow King Mountain. The air was warm, a beautiful spring day of nearly 60 degrees, but enough of the winter’s snowfall of 400 inches was still packed onto the hill so that skiers glided beneath me over the white surface. While the ride up was relaxing, the ride down had big thrills—when my chair dropped down over the top of the mountain the buildings of Jackson spread out below me like Monopoly game pieces. My breath caught in my throat and I was thankful for the safety bar in front of me! As I expected, wildlife had an important role in Jackson Hole’s past as well as present, drawing trappers, explorers, and naturalists. One of the early mountain men, David Jackson, is credited with naming the valley—at the time the term “hole” meant a high valley surrounded by mountains. French Canadian trappers named “Les Trois Tetons” or the three breasts: Grand Teton, Middle Teton, and South Teton. Women played a significant role in not only Jackson Hole, but Wyoming in general. Wyoming was the first government in world history to grant women the full right to vote way back in 1869, which was 51 years before the U.S. Constitutional Amendment. In 1920 the town of Jackson elected the first all-woman city council, while Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first woman governor to take office on January 5, 1925. Wyoming has truly lived by its slogan, “The Equality State.”
My finals stops were the Elk Refuge and National Museum of Wildlife Art just a couple of miles outside of Jackson on the highway leading to Yellowstone. The current location of the museum was opened in September of 1994. A striking piece of architecture, the 51,000 square foot facility uses irregular lines and 433 tons of Arizona sandstone to create a structure that appeals to the imagination as well as visually blending into the rugged hillsides. The works housed by the National Museum of Wildlife Art include more than 200 artists and over 3000 paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper. Featured artists include John Clymer, Robert Bateman, George Catlin, Pablo Picasso, Charlie Russell and numerous others. John J. Audubon, whose works are also included, is recognized as America's pre-eminent naturalist and bird artist. Of the holdings my personal choice was the American Bison Collection. The artists, who created their works during the West’s 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, captured scenes that we can only imagine today. Vast herds of buffalo roaming the plains emerged from the canvas to bring oft-heard stories to life for me.
Indeed, my weekend getaway at Spring Creek Ranch in Jackson Hole was a generous blend of the old west and 21st century luxury—what more could a girl ask for? Photos by Linda Aksomitis More information on my stay:Spring Creek Ranch For more information about visiting Jackson, Wyoming, visit http://www.jacksonholechamber.com/ |
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The condos were fabulous! Every
two-story structure held four apartments, each with their own balcony—what a
weekend getaway. Sporting a beautiful wood exterior, they offered a hint of
luxury with a Western flavor to come. At the top of the stairs I smiled at
the large pile of logs for the fireplace—I could already smell the wood
smoke from neighbouring condos and was anxious to get settled myself.
Spring Creek Ranch was only a few
miles from the town of Jackson in Jackson Hole, and I was anxious to explore
the place I’d heard so much about. Jackson is at the southern end of the
valley, nestled between the Hoback Mountain Range and the East Gros Ventre
Butte, which made for fascinating geography. Snow King Mountain towers over
the town, with its ski slopes being one of the key winter attractions to the
area. 
I spent a lot of time exploring the
historic Western town of Jackson, enjoying its dozens of galleries, shops
and stores. Downtown Jackson had many treasures, from the park entrance with
its arch of antlers to the Mangy Moose Emporium, where I spent hours just
browsing. With the appeal of a true Old West community, the businesses were
all housed in rustic styled structures, so a walking tour allowed me to
admire the architecture as well as step into a wide array of shops. 
From the Museum’s viewing area I
watched Elk graze in large herds over the flat plain of the valley,
seemingly unaware of the horse draw wagons of visitors leaving from the
Museum, eager to get closer to nature and take photos. While leaving with
the car we had ten minutes to watch antelope grazing on the first green
sprouts of grass, as they climbed the hills behind the Museum.