The Great Outdoors, & Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole has got to be one of my favorite little Western towns around. I've been up here a number of times during the warm Wyoming summers, but this is my first winter experience. I walked off the plane to blue skies, warm sun, and snowy mountain peaks all around.

I had a chance to wander downtown yesterday and try some local brew at Snake River Brewing Company--they had a solid Pale Ale which washed down my sausage sampler quite nicely.

I capped off the night at a local bar where I watched Obama's State of the Union and then nabbed a pool table for some quality chill time.

I took a couple of long walks yesterday, choosing to trudge through the snow-covered neighborhood streets rather than hopping on the large bus that runs between the resort and downtown Jackson Hole. On my way back from town last night, I was surrounded by cold air, huge mountains, bright stars, and nothing but the sound of snow crunching beneath my boots.

It reminded me how incredible it is to have these awesome outdoor spaces where we can play, camp, hike, explore, and generally escape from the world. I want to give a huge shout out to my family, and particularly my grandpa Tom (far right below), and Grandma Margie (far left) for making the outdoors such an essential and central experience in their children's and grandchildren's lives.

I'm the little one in green here, stoked to be up in the High Country in Yosemite, our family's favorite place in the world. The only other place that truly rivals Yosemite is Grand Teton National Park, just an hour away from where I'm sitting now. How lucky I am to have an opportunity to visit all these magnificent places...