The Grand Tetons loom across Jackson Lake in Wyoming.
Photos and stories by Mike Kellems
(Click on photos to enlarge)
Paying attention to our forefathers’ suggestion to “Go West, young man,” I recently took a long-overdue vacation. Departing July 31, I took off for Wyoming and Colorado.
Along the way I visited with friends in Laramie, Wyoming, where I made a snowball on Aug. 1. In Lander, Wyoming, I met up with a friend who works for the FBI. He took me on an eye-opening tour of the Wind River Indian Reservation before heading to the Grand Tetons, where I spent the night in the wilderness at the foot of the great mountain range.
I followed the mountains south to Colorado, where I met up with more friends near Denver and scaled 7,500 feet (in a car, I ain’t crazy) to the top of Lookout Mountain. There were some great moments along the way, lots of laughs and a couple of somber moments, including a stop at Columbine High School.
The loyal fans of WNLP know that I’m a photography enthusiast. When faced with the incredible beauty of the mountains, lakes and vast open expanse of the West, well, I just couldn’t help myself and snapped almost 2,400 photos during the 10 days I was gone. I’ve sent in several of the highlights to share with you … enjoy.
A pond reflects the Snowy Mountain Range.
The Popo Agie cascades down Sinks Canyon near Lander, Wyoming.
Fishing, anyone? There were hundreds of trout and salmon in the Popo Agie.
One of the few trees I saw in Wyoming. But what it lacks in vegetation, it more than makes up for in scenic beauty.
That's snow -- yes, SNOW! -- on Aug. 2 on the Snow Mountain Range just outside of Centennial, Wyoming.
A rainbow over I-25 south of downtown Denver.
