Hiking to Delta Lake in the Tetons has become a cliché of
sorts, its popularity created by social media. Who does not want to post an
Instagram selfie with the Grand Teton towering behind your head?
I’ve been to every corner of the valley, but had never been
there with my paints and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. In our
early morning start, the smoke turned the light amber, and in this aesthetic
dreaminess the sunrise felt as if it lasted for hours.
By most standards this round-trip to Delta is quick, about
two hours. The trail is unimproved and goes from an easy traverse along the
slope to a straight up scramble. Once you get beyond the first prominent rock
lip, the view does not disappoint.
The water color at Delta is a chalky turquoise from glacial
melt, matching my Caribbean-hued aqua shirt perfectly. Beyond the lake, the
talus slopes behind the lake lead to the base of the 13,776-foot Grand, the
iconic granite tower rising nearly 5,000 feet above the surface.
The diaphanous effect of wood smoke made the view surreal as
the profile of the Grand and her neighbors was reflected. Most artists will tell you: it is
intimidating to paint the Grand at any time, because is so recognizable and you
want to avoid the cliché. When it looks
this close, the pressure is even more so. As I painted I fell under the spell
and found that though the destination was Delta Lake, I did not leave enough
room for the water.
EDITOR’S NOTE: You can follow Cedarholm’s mission to produce
one new painting a day for an entire year here.
About Sue Cedarholm
Jackson Hole-based Sue Cedarholm is a multi-media artist—painter, photographer and maker of nature-themed, wearable apparel. You can find all of the works in her ongoing series at Watercolor Diary.
