Backstory I--the Tetons

My first moose sighting was in June 1985. Dad and I were working the summer shift in the Grand Teton National Park. It was a Monday Night, employee Movie Night. I was sitting on an uncomfortable folding chair next to the open door in the back of a crowded room of tired temps. The night outside was soft and cool, a stark contrast to the inward stuffiness of the make-shift theater and I was glad to be sitting by the door. From the corner of my eye, I saw something massive and slow-moving outside, something that could eclipse the light of the rising moon by its travels. Getting Dad's attention, we stepped outside and our movements got this bull's attention. The silhouette of his antlers as he stopped and looked towards us made the biggest impression. The fact that he was up on a bit of a rise added an awe factor to his already incredible size. I remember being a bit relieved when he decided to move on, exhilarated by a first encounter.

I wound up seeing quite a few moose that summer, and several more later on during back country travels in the Tetons. They were always at a distance.