June 29-July 2, 2023 -- Set 2 -- Wyoming, USA
Early French explorers saw these peaks and named them, "the large teats". They rise abruptly from the Jackson Hole valley. Our first of four hikes in this National Park got us up close and personal with them.
June 29: Table Mt on the west border of Grand Tetons NP.
Stats: 13.9 km / 1274m gain / 3385m high / 5:45 hours MT
Of all ten hikes we did in both Grand Tetons & Yellowstone NP, this one was the least busy and the most scenic. Later at the visitor centre they said this is because people tend to think it's not in the park, being the only hike on the west side of the park and located right on it's border. We found this one to be the most challenging but also the most rewarding with close up views of the Tetons and far reaching views of the surrounding flat plains.
Sticky Geranium grew in abundance in the park.
The trail started out quite steeply, climbing through a forest of aspen and pine trees, yellow arnicas and purple lupines. We took the Face trail which went straight up instead of the North Teton trail which still had snow on it and a sketchy creek crossing.
At the T-junction we turned right and were at this viewpoint within minutes. After this point the grade mellowed out somewhat.
1) Forget-me-nots 2) Spring Beauties
Looking back from the meadows -- north.
The Grand Tentons National Park covers an area of 310,000 acres.
I can see why it's called Table Mt. It was still over an hour hiking from this point where we first set eyes on it. The tips of the Tetons beckoned us onward.
We did not use our micro-spikes on the snow. It was too soft and previous hikers had left a packed path through most of the patches.
The last section from the base of the mountains' slopes to the flat summit was quite steep but the solid narrow rocky path provided stable footing.
Charlotte left her backpack at the base of the slope. She said she wouldn't have made it otherwise. The air was thin, it being 85m higher than Mt. Baker!
360 views from the summit, beginning with the Grand Tetons, from the southeast.
That dark cloud came our way but it did not rain on us. It hailed on us! From our vantage point during the ascent, Table Mt. looked flat and broad. But once up there, we realized it's a narrow ridge of rock.
Watching the other three come up.
Group shot: Heather, Charlotte, Janice, Tammy & I
Peaks from left to right: Owen Mt (3934m) / Grand Teton (4197m) / Middle Teton (3902m)
1) Mr. Marmot kept us company at the summit. 2) Buttercups
Heading back down. We saw a black marmot here.
Denise was waiting for us in the meadows. She didn't want to push it, since her ankle break was only 4 months old and these were the first hikes she was doing since then.
2) Potentilas
1) Purple Fringe
We spent two nights at the Teton Canyon campground which was within minutes of the trailhead.
June 30 - Phelps Lake: 13.1 km / 310m gain / 2020m high / 3 hours MT
Morning sun.
It took over two hours of driving to get to the southeast corner of the park.
Now that we were on the east side of the park, there were far more people which meant parking lots filled up quickly which meant early starts were prudent. This we quickly learned after trying to find a parking spot at noon.
A few minutes of trail-walking got us to the Rockefeller Interpretive Center. The John D. Rockefeller Memorial Park covers 24,000 acres. J. Rockefeller first visited Jackson Hole in 1920. He began buying land there, having a summer home on the shore of Phelps Lake for 75 years. Later he donated over 32,000 acres of the valley to the federal government, which ensured protection of this region.
1) Penstemon 2) Scarlet Gilia
Such clear clean water.
1) Oregon Grape 2) Rocky Moutain Maple
We hiked a counter-clockwise loop round Phelps Lake. Prospectors Mt (3428m) -- west.
Allbright Peak (3216m) -- north
1) Columbine 2) Jumping off of the 23' high "Jumping Rock" into 30' deep water.
Charlotte was lured once again to the water. When asked how it was, she breathlessly replied, "Cold!!!"
At the opposite end of the lake.
south
I did a short side-trail to Huckleberry Point -- north.
south
When the other three caught up with us, they said I'd missed a magnificent photo op. Apparently Heather had jumped off of the 23' high rock!
west
1) False Fennel
Coralroot
These life-size statues at the Jenny Lake visitor center were extremely life-like and detailed.
The Tetons with Jackson Lake being the large body of water to the left. Our fourth hike was through Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude which is in the upper centre of this photo.
We spent the night at the Gros Ventre campsite.
After dinner we drove about 20 minutes to Mormon Row to catch the sunset. Five Mormon families settled here from Utah in 1889. It took John & Thomas Moulton over 30 years to build this gable-with-shed stlye barn.
July 1, Taggart & Bradley Lakes
Stats: 10 km / 400m gain
We drove down Teton Park Rd, the most scenic highway in the park.
This was rated the most scenic shorter hike in the park.
1) Salsify 2) Paintbrush
1) Arnica 2) Phacelia
Six Canadian women showing off their Canadian tatoos on Canada Day (thanks Charlotte!).
1) Chokecherry 2) Rosy Pussytoes
This was our turnback point from Bradley Lake.
Middle & Grand Tetons (+ Mt. Owen (3920m) -- northwest.
Group shot at Taggart Lake. Here we met a lovely couple that gave us some good advise on Yellowstone NP. He took this shot.
At the south end of the lake, where there were hoards of people out for a cool swim with minimal hiking.
Almost back.
1) Indian Pipe on the verge of rising their heads above the surface.
2) A friendly mule deer, hanging around our campsite.
We spent the night at the Signal campsite on the eastern shore of Jackson Lake.
July 2 - Lake Solitude
Stats: 23.55 km / 855m gain / 2753m high / 6:15 hours MT
This was a longer hike but for the most part, had a gently graded slope, bringing us through Cascade Canyon and then through the alpines to a mostly frozen lake nestled in the mountains.
A 15 minute $20.00 water taxi took us across Jenny Lake at 8:00am.
Most people do the boat ride and then a short but steep 1/2-mile walk to Inspiration Point with a short side-trail to Hidden Falls at the bottom. We carried on, to do the long route to the lake.
At Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake.
On our way to the canyon on a much less populated trail, we soon ran into mother moose and her calf!
In the canyon the trail followed alongside Cascade Creek.
About 2 hours from the dock, the trail splits. Left would've gotten us to the valley between Table Mt. & the Tetons. We stayed right, hiking northwest for another half an hour to the lake. Mt. Owen and the Grand Teton were to our left.
Glacier lilies are the first to bloom after the snow melts.
Arrived at Lake Solitude. Since it was a Sunday, there were more people out & about.
Group shot: Denise, Charlotte, Heather, Janice & I. Tammy opted to stay back at the visitor center because she had to nurse a bad cold.
Denise was very tired, having pushed herself beyond her comfort zone. When she roused herself, I said, "She's alive!" Charlotte was doing stretches and Heather was giving Janice a massage on her painful shoulder.
Heading back.
Jenny Lake from Inspiration Point.
A short side-hike to Hidden Falls.
At this point Cascade Creek was a raging churning and roaring river. We were almost back at the boat dock where we stood in a long line in the heat waiting 45 minutes to board the boat.
The next day we would cross the border into Yellowstone NP. Our most challenging two hikes were behind our backs.
To be continued in set 3...
Comentários