GRAND TETONS: Winter in Grand Teton Photography Workshop

Length of Tour

8-Days/7-Nights

Brief Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Jackson Hole.

Days 2 through 6 – We will photograph at the National Elk Refuge where we will look for Bighorn Sheep, Elk, and more at this beautiful location. There is a wonderful pond near Jackson Hole that should harbor Trumpeter Swan, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Muskrat, waterfowl and more! We will photograph the historic Mormon Row Historic District with the park with beautiful morning light falling upon the Tetons behind! Snake River Overlook will be a definite destination to capture sunrise on the Tetons and possibly a nice moon shot as well! Oxbow Bend will be a for sure destination as the winter wonderland can be so variable at this location! There are some unpaved roads we will explore as well such as Antelope Flats Road and Gros Ventre Road. Destinations are dependent upon weather and road conditions, but we are giving ourselves plenty of time to hopefully experience a beautiful snowfall in the park as well!

Day 7 – Return Home.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Jackson Hole and check into hotel

We will meet this evening for dinner and a meet and greet. Here we will also discuss the coming week, photography strategies, logistics, and expectations.

Days 2 through 6 –

We will photograph at the National Elk Refuge where we will look for Bighorn Sheep, Elk, and more at this beautiful location. There is a wonderful pond near Jackson Hole that should harbor Trumpeter Swan, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Muskrat, waterfowl and more! We will photograph the historic Mormon Row Historic District with the park with beautiful morning light falling upon the Tetons behind! Snake River Overlook will be a definite destination to capture sunrise on the Tetons and possibly a nice moon shot as well! Oxbow Bend will be a for sure destination as the winter wonderland can be so variable at this location! There are some unpaved roads we will explore as well such as Antelope Flats Road and Gros Ventre Road. Destinations are dependent upon weather and road conditions, but we are giving ourselves plenty of time to hopefully experience a beautiful snowfall in the park as well!

At least one night (if not more) we will dedicate to photographing the Jackson Hole town square all decorated for Christmas.

*The following opportunities will be arranged day-to-day as weather and wildlife conditions dictate.*

Day 7 – Return Home

From here, we will say our farewells and depart our separate ways!

Cost

Cost is $5,850 per person, based upon double occupancy, from Jackson, Wyoming. (Airport code JAC.
This trip ends in same as arrival city (Airport code JAC).

Although we will eat our meals as a group, meals costs are not included in this tour.

Single Supplement

If a single hotel room is preferred, or we are unable to find a suitable roommate for you, a single supplement fee of $940 will be assessed.

NOTE: For boat-based tours, see pricing options for single cabins. Single cabin cost includes the single hotel cost above.

Minimum Number

If fewer than the minimum number of required participants are registered, we may still be able to run the trip by adding a small-group supplement fee, per person, determined by the number of participants registered.

Deposit Requirements

A $1,000 deposit per person is required to hold each space on this tour. Deposit may be made online by clicking the "Book Your Trip Now" button and using any credit card. If you prefer, you may call us at 888-875-9453 to pay by phone. You may also mail us a check, however, remember that all space is held on a first come-first served basis as deposits are received.

How to Book

In order to hold your space, click the "Book Your Trip Now" button above and complete the deposit process, including payment of the deposit through our Paypal portal using ANY CREDIT CARD. Upon completion of deposit, please visit our secure, online CLIENT INFORMATION FORM to complete your registration.

Final Payment

For all land-based tours: full payment by check is due 120 days prior to the departure date.

For all boat-based adventure cruises of 7-days or longer: full payment by check is required 180 days prior to departure.

NOTE: If you prefer to use credit card for final payment, a 3% fee may be added to cover the credit card merchant fees we incur.

The Antler Inn offers comfortable amenities and easy access to our photo locations as well as local eateries and the famous Jackson town square.

Activity Level Rating: 2 (Note: 1 is easy and 5 is difficult)

It can be quite cold (I have had as low as -20F) but that makes for great photographic opportunities. We will do some walking but most photography will be close to the vehicle.

There will be a good amount of driving as we seek wildlife and follow reports from the leaders’ friends and contacts in the area.

Gear for Birding & Wildlife Viewing

• Good quality binoculars

Photography Gear Recommendations

The best camera is the one you have with you! That said, we will help you get great photos no matter what camera you use.

This Photo Workshop is geared toward those using DSLR or Mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses, here is what we recommend that you bring:

• Bring at least 2 camera bodies – to reduce changing lenses and just in case of accidental damage to one.

Recommended Lenses for Birds & Wildside

• 70-200mm range is also good for larger mammals
• 100-400mm (or equivalent) for larger mammals and closer wildlife
• 500mm lens or longer for birds and wildlife

My lenses I carry are the 40-150mm (80 to 300mm equivalent) and the 150-400mm (300 to 800mm equivalent).

Recommended Lenses for Landscape Opportunities

• 7-14mm in the ultrawide category
• 24-105mm (or equivalent) for landscape and general purpose
• If the night skies allow, you may want to have a F2.8 or faster lens for possibly night skies opportunities

Filters (Mainly for Landscape Photography)

• Polarizing Filter for removing reflections (screw in for wide-angle lenses)
• Neutral Density Filter(s) – Not quite as important as the Polarizing filter
• 2-stop Hard and/or Soft Graduated Neutral Density Filter (for balancing out the light in the sky and the foregrounds)

Other Accessories

• Tripod for long exposures, big lenses
• Rain cover for camera
• Weather resistant Camera Bag
• Batteries and chargers
• Lots of memory cards!
• Laptop or other downloading device

Clothing & Outdoor Gear

Temperatures can be quite cold (I have experienced as low as -20F in winter in Grand Tetons NP) and these temperatures actually produce conditions for amazing photographic opportunities such as Diamond Dust, hoarfrost on animals and ground, snow, and bisons covered in frost! But, you need to be prepared with great gear.

I rely on three (3) layers of gear for top and bottom warmth and I will share that from the inside out.

1. (Upper) Thermal Underwear – Designed for Extreme Cold and inactivity (I want more warmth on my upper body than my lower body) with thumb loops to keep the sleeves from sliding up my arms.
2. Mid-Layer – Thinner shirt such as a Fly Fishing Shirt from Orvis or Simms also with thumb loops.
3. Outer Layer – Nice winter jacket (I prefer European brands such as Helly Hanson, etc) I want waterproof and windproof for my outer jacket. I want to be able to lie down on teh snow and then just brush it off without my coat getting damp! My Helly Hanson has thumb loops on the inner liner and I never have issues with my sleeves sliding up!
4. (Lower) Thermal Underwear – my is designed for extreme cold/high activity. So they are a bit thinner than my uppers as I don’t like being “bogged” down with ton of thickness on my legs.
5. Mid-Layer – I use Kuhl’s mountaineering winter pants as they are thicker and stretchy so you have warmth and maneuverability.
6. Outer Layer – I have several different outer layers I use but they all must be windproof and waterproof. I don’t want to be wet! Mine are Patagonia brand, but there are several companies who makes these. GoreTex or similar fabrics are necessary.
7. Socks – I only use Darn Tough socks for everything. I use the thicker pairs for winter.
8. Head – Keeping your head warm is crucial. I love the beanies from Coal. The warmest I have worn.
9. Feet – You will need a very good pair of winter boots that are rated to -30F or colder. They should be waterproof! Cold Feet can kill your experience. I recommend starting off with a pair of the disposable toe warmers on each foot and this will help keep them warm throughout the day.
10. Hands – I only use The Heat Company Gloves. I use the Merino Pro liners and the shells! Each will hold a disposable hand warmer and doing so ensures you can keep your hands warm!

*Although we will eat our meals as a group, meals costs are not included in this tour.

Purchasing Flights

Do not purchase your flights until the trip has been confirmed to go.

Detailed Trip Information

Upon notification that final payment is due (120 days prior to departure for land based tours / 180 days for boat based tours), you will receive a trip package of detailed information for your tour.

Any additional information about the trip, including lodgings, contacts, participants, meeting locations, etc., will sent about 2 weeks prior to the trip departure, or after final payment is received for late registrants.

Travel Insurance

As with all tours, we recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to help cover your investment, for covered reasons. Please see our section on Travel Insurance.

Passport & Visa

US Citizens may require a visa to enter certain foreign countries. See above for any required visa information.

Participants arriving to the USA from a foreign country may need to get a travel visa to enter the United States. Be sure to check the requirements for your country of origin.

Itinerary Changes

The trip itinerary is developed many months ahead of time. Occasionally, despite our best planning, changes may occur during the trip, or we may be forced to alter our plans. Changes may occur because of weather, road conditions, safety concerns or other circumstances. In these situations, it is the leader(s) responsibility to carefully consider and implement appropriate alternatives. Any additional costs incurred because of changes will be the responsibility of each individual participant. Refunds will not be issued as a result of itinerary changes.