Transfiguration: Trans Glow

I was out to check out Jackson (aka Jackson Hole), Wyoming, as part of my bucket-list “must visit” locations. I was treated to beautiful, scenic location, just under 20 miles north of Jackson Hole. This beautiful area was at the foothold of mountains that turned out to be the Grand Teton Mountains, in Grand Teton National Park (Moose, Wyoming). Just looking around to observe the area, I could see that its position, in this valley, had to be the site of some homestead, originally. It surely was, and on this spot, there was this interesting wood cabin-like structure off in the distance, with a cross on top, but one can’t tell exactly what that was all about until you actually get a look inside. I get closer and realized that it was a church chapel, albeit the smallest church chapel I had ever experienced. It can seat just over 60 people. It is called the Chapel of the Transfiguration, and from top to bottom it’s a rustic look and feel that is the house style we know today as “Craftsman”, meant to highlight simplicity through the use of natural elements like stones and/or wood. I wasn’t even sure if it had electricity or not at the Chapel of the Transfiguration. Built in the same styles, and surrounding it, are a bell tower and just a storage shed. These have been preserved since it was first created, in 1925, and it’s a chapel, an extension of the St. John’s Episcopal Church.

I opened its door and I was blasted with rays of light coming from the back of the Chapel of the Transfiguration, through this huge window which sits behind the altar area. You’re drawn to the back of the Chapel of the Transfiguration, immediately, and when you look out through this windows, you get a beautiful picture-frame view of the Grand Teton Mountains. You can sit there, pray, meditate or just take in the scenery while you reflect on life or whatever in going on in your head. That was an amazing, movie-like experience, I’m sure it is part of the intended effects of entering this Chapel. The idea to make that window there, instead of lining the window with the traditional stain-glass with angels and Christ designs blocking window space, was so any viewer could look through and get a good view of the highest peaks of the Grand Teton Mountains, commonly known as the “Cathedral Group”, with the tallest peak being the Grand Teton itself. Most of the glaciers reside in this grouping, so it looks really nice with snow on the mountains, which made for great pics during the time I went. So when that light blasted out of the Chapel, you get a chill that will come over your body. The scenery relaxes you once you are inside and seated. I saw many people enter the chapel and become affected by this, and they just started praying uncontrollably, out of control, it was very interesting to observe that. People took off their hats, took a knee, instead of sitting on the benches. It also could have been because I was shining like a diamond after mining, in that beautiful rays of light coming into the chapel, just like Jesus was in the New Testament. I’m almost 100 % sure I had this effect on these people, it was my Trans glow they were praising.

Speaking of the magical view, it was completely cloudy during the whole way there, but after stepping into the Chapel of Transfiguration, the clouds started to part, and gorgeous blue skies were starting to open up, almost as if the Chapel pushed through the clouds and blew them out of view, so I may get good pictures. I joke, but this opening up of the sky started right above the church, as I left the church. This created some sexy views in all directions, but now the mountains became clearly visible. Absolutely stunning, as the offered unobstructed views of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. Now you put that into perspective, with the wood cabin structures to highlight them, ridiculous views. I don’t see how different it could have looked back in the 1920s because there is nothing modern in the immediate area to get in the way of the view, it’s like a slice of history preserved and made to keep that “untouched” look from the early 1900s when it was constructed. The Chapel was originally put in this place as a site of worship for visitors (in the form of tourists mostly) and employees of the various Dude Ranches located in the area. The Grand Teton National Park was known for attracting tourists. These “Dudes” were mostly made up of posers from the East Coast of USA, who paid handsomely to travel there and imitate the lives of real trappers and cowboys of the Mid and West Coast of USA. The area that this Church sits on was owned by Maud Noble at the time the Church was created, but the area originally was the homestead of Bill Menor, the first to settle in this place. Noble donated the land to make the church, which is currently maintained by St. John’s Episcopal Church. The Chapel is an official landmark registered in the National Register of Historic Places and was also famously featured as a key location in the movie Spencer’s Mountain. You shouldn’t try to pass through Wyoming, without seeing this place, but apparently many do not go to this location. Today, many use it for booking weddings, but they still give service here too.  It’s not to be missed. When you experience this light radiating off of you, as you sit in this Chapel, you yourself will have a visual halo surrounding you and your friends with the same glow that people saw around Jesus, when he went with John, Peter, and James to the Mountain of Transfiguration. Don’t rob yourself of that opportunity. Get your trans glow on!

As always, the finished products can be found on the main site of www.drunkphotography.com.