With overcast skies and snow-covered trails, Live Water intern, Will Wright, enjoyed a day-hike to one of Grand Teton National Park’s most renowned destinations, Amphitheater Lake. At an elevation of 9,698 feet, the lake’s surface was still frozen over and surrounded by snowcapped mountains.

This year celebrates the National Park Service’s 100th birthday. As many parks reach record yearly attendance, the importance of conserving our nation’s most beloved landmarks, such as the Tetons, is stressed across the nation. Here is to a second century of stewardship for America’s national parks!

Cold and windy at Amphitheater Lake, 9,698 ft. up!

Looking back down onto Surprise Lake, with the Gros Ventre Range in the distance.

One of many deer seen along the trail.

Live Water agent, Tate Jarry, doubled up a few weeks ago with a rainbow trout along with some morel mushrooms. Morel mushroom “hunting” is a popular springtime activity in the area, as the delicious treats are hard to find but always rewarding when cooked alongside some rainbow trout. Many gourmet chefs, especially those in Jackson Hole, prize morels.

While the prospect of using the delicious mushroom in their own recipes is what draws people in, it is the thrill of the hunt that turns someone to a true more enthusiast. If you missed morel hunting season this year, take the time to read up on morel hunting tips.

If you did get to enjoy the morel hunt this season, there are hundreds of ways you can include them into your recipes, but here are two from Dishing Magazine and the Snake River Grill.

Sautéed Morel Mushroom

This recipe originally appeared in Dishing Magazine’s article Foraging for Mountain Mushrooms

Ingredients
2 cups Morel mushrooms

• 1 shallot small dice
• 1 clove garlic small dice
• 2 tbsp butter
• Splash dry white wine
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Melt butter in frying pan over medium heat.
• Sauté garlic and shallots until transparent, stirring constantly as to not burn (2 minutes)
• Place Morel mushrooms in pan and cook 1-2 minutes until slightly soft
• Deglaze pan with a splash of wine and cook until wine reduces (2-3 minutes)
• Season to taste
• Serve morels and sauce as a side, over pasta, or stirred into risotto.
• Note- It is important to make sure the mushrooms are all the same size as to ensure even cooking. Slice larger mushrooms lengthwise if necessary.

Snake River Grill Morels

This recipe originally appeared in Dishing Magazine’s article What to do with Morels

Instructions (This is more of a method than a recipe)

Melt 2 ounces of unsalted butter in a very hot medium size sauté pan.
Immediately add the cleaned morel mushrooms and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
Toss in the pan until mushrooms release their moisture.
Add 3 ounces of dry sherry to the pan, and allow alcohol to burn off.
Then add 4 to 5 ounces of heavy cream.
Lower the heat and reduce the cream until it gently coats the cooked morels.
Add a pinch of fresh tarragon.
Taste again for salt.

With a white-capped lake surface, we had a bumpy ride across Lewis Lake to the Shoshone channel in Yellowstone National Park. We were nervous about our decision. Were we striking out too late in the day? Is it too cold? NO. Flashy streamers worked. We caught four lake trout in less than two hours on the sandy flats of the channel opening. They were landed by our children age 5 to 10…we were rolling laughter and singing Born to be Wild. After surveying the hot pockets on the distance shore, we decided to haul up the boat and head to Signal Mountain for sunsets and their signature nachos and marguerites. All-in-all it was a fantastic Memorial Day in Yellowstone National Park. Here’s to a summer of fly fishing.

Great fish Beckett!

Harper with a Lake trout!

Yellowstone hot spring!

Braving the storm!

The Maher family spent time this weekend at the Trout Unlimited Cleanup. TU’s mission is “to conserve, protect and restore North America’s coldwater fisheries and their watersheds,” so it is more than fitting to spend a day cleaning up on Jackson Hole’s beloved Flat Creek. It was a great adventure with the family, removing old insulation that had fallen from a heritage-style farmhouse. Plenty of old sodas and a few beer cans were also found. Leisel and Harper loved it, and it is Beckett’s favorite community event of the entire year.

Beckett found more than just trash.

Pinder enjoyed a day on Flat Creek as well.

This weekend, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort hosted the Rendezvous Music Festival and Zac Brown Band in Jackson Hole. 20 thousand strong came out for the concert in celebration mountain resort’s 50th anniversary. It was the biggest crowd the resort has ever hosted, and it was a blast. There’s more to Rendezvous Festival than just the music. The days are highlighted by skiing the varied terrain of Jackson Hole, enjoying the great dining options and then capping the day with incredible music surrounded by friends.

Starting off with a bluebird powder day. Pictured: Beckett, Leisel, and Macye Maher on the #50 chair!

Enjoying dinner at Spur Restaurant & Bar with family and friends before the show! Pictured: Alex & Macye Maher, Maggie & TJ Wagner, Rebecca Ryan and Jerry Blann, President of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort

Zac Brown was the headliner of the festival. Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats opened the festival Friday night on the town square, and the festival capped of with Uncle Kracker. What a show! Big thanks to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for a great weekend. If you missed Rendezvous Festival this year, it’s never too early to start planning your trip to Jackson Hole for the 2017 Rendezvous Festival.