We decided, we are going to start with the gondola lift at Targhee and if we need a bigger long-view fix go for the trail.  The resort web page says gondola rides start at 10AM so we have a leisurely morning and head on out.   As we make the final climb of the drive up to the resort, we start seeing signs for pre-paid parking only at the top.  Hum, wonder what that’s about.  I know there is a music festival up here today but nothing said anything about no trail access.  Rats.  A young kid stationed at the parking entrance informs us that there is no public access today (maybe all weekend but he isn’t sure). The entire resort, meaning the entire mountain top, is open just to music festival attendees with prepaid tickets and prepaid parking and I know those tickets have been sold out for weeks.  Ack…  Back down, making alternate plans as we go.

We invoke our backup plan, a hike in Teton Canyon along the south fork of Teton Creek.   We set out along the creek through towering pines with a much lighter understory than other recent hikes.  It is cool and lovely.  There is a fair amount of traffic on the trail but Kent and I are alone on a stretch and we hear a loud huff.

Maybe 100ft to our right along the creek bank are two moose, a mature bull with a good start on a rack and a juvenile.  They browse with an eye on us for a bit before moving on when more hikers arrive.  We get a good look and some nice pictures.  We move on too. Pines give way to wide open mountain meadows backed by majestic cliffs, blanketed with wildflowers, and often cut through by a ribbon of willows lining the banks of smaller streams.  We find a perfectly placed butt rock and relax taking in the view. Kent muses that it seems a perfect moose spot and not 5 minutes later a cow moose emerges from the willows moving nervously and even challenging a pair of hikers who are on the trail fairly close.   She runs at them, not really charging but seemingly telling them not to get any closer then turns and collects up her young calf that has been hidden along the creek.  They both head upslope and disappear into the denser undercover.  All is well and it is a great encounter, for US.

We move on through one more lovely meadow and a lunch stop at the intersection with Devils Staircase trail before we reverse course for a nearly all downhill stroll back to the trailhead.

Amazingly Kent’s lens cover dropped somewhere near the far end of the trail is perched on a post awaiting our return at the trailhead.  Great walk, great views, wonderful wildlife viewing.  Maybe we were meant to take this hike today?

Heading home, right here in downtown Driggs we find the Corner Drug Soda Fountain.  The day just got even better.  Right inside the door we find a small old time counter manned by a cheerful soda jerk busily cleaning a fancy modern multi-head milkshake machine.  She directs us to a touchscreen order entry kiosk with, “isn’t that a great way to do that” (order) she says.  It spits out a printed order and we go back to old time soda fountain.  Methodically she pumps flavors, dips ice cream, blends and serves up first my Purple Monster (huckleberry shake with oreo blended in) then Kent’s chocolate malt.  It’s a fun place with a cool combination of old-time art of hand blended shakes and modern conveniences to make it all easier.  The ‘gal’ behind the counter really makes it all work.  My shake is delicious and Kent says the malt is as good as he has ever had. He reserves the right to continue sampling as he can to see if anyone can beat it.