Month: August 2014

The Grand Teton towers above nearby peaks and the turquoise waters of Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Distance (one way): 4 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Best time of year: Summer

Be forewarned: Delta Lake is a very challenging trail that requires route-finding skills and a very steep ascent up a large boulder field. This trail is not at all for casual hikers.

I had always been hesitant to make a blog post about Delta Lake because I didn’t want the secret to get out. It was my “happy place” where I knew I’d have the whole lake to myself any time I went. Judging from my last hike up there, however, it’s safe to say the secret’s out. After encountering a number of parties along the trail, as well as doing a Google search discovering many other trail descriptions for access, I decided there wasn’t much of a secret left to protect.

Delta Lake is by far one the prettiest lakes in the Teton Mountains, and arguably the entire region. Fed entirely by Teton Glacier, the lake is a bold and brilliant turquoise that is tucked directly beneath the Grand Teton to the west, dominating one of the most dramatic and amazing scenes of a Teton peak. The Teepee Pillar to the south of the Grand Teton is distinctly visible with Disappointment Peak continuing the southern rim of the bowl that lines Delta Lake. To the north is Mount Owen, the second-highest peak in the Teton Mountains, with a sharp ridge lining the northern perimeter extending down from Teewinot.

A pika carries grass back to its den in the Teton Mountains of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

The trail begins at the Lupine Meadows parking area which also provides access to the South, Middle, and Grand Teton peaks, as well as Amphitheater and Surprise Lakes, for which part of the trail will be used. It slowly weaves south through a lodgepole pine forest where you soon enough cross the cloudy waters spilling down from Glacier Gulch, fed from the waters of Delta Lake. The trail then cuts west as it steeply ascends the spine of a ridge before connecting with the Valley Trail roughly 1.5 miles in.

The trail cuts back to the south as it begins to switchback up the eastern side of the Teton Mountains. Provided you’re hiking up early in the summer (late June/early July), you’re rewarded with large, open meadows brimming with balsamroot wildflowers, among many others, with marmots occasionally peeking out from the brush and boulders along the trail. In and out of groves of evergreen, the trail continues its ascent showing off better and better views of not just Jackson Hole, but of Bradley and Taggart Lakes far below. A fork in the trail is at last reached, signaling Garnet Canyon to the left and Amphitheater Lake to the right. Continue in the direction of Amphitheater Lake, but pay attention. At the very next switchback in the trail, look for a game trail that drops off of the main trail system.

Teton Glacier runoff flowing toward Delta Lake below the Grand Teton, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The trail changes dramatically at this point. Gone is the ease of a maintained trail cleared of obstacles and the obvious route to follow. Now the trail appears to drop off into a gully that requires good traction and careful maneuvering. Following a few fallen trees and other obstacles, a scramble across a boulder field leads to an unmarked path heading straight up the side of Glacier Gulch through the trees. Beyond these trees the boulder field opens up and the real ascent begins. Route finding skills are essential not only for the climb up, but also for knowing when to head back to the maintained trail on the hike out.

A relentless climb ensues up hundreds of feet of boulders and steep, loose dirt, none of it guaranteed to be reliable. Up and up, the trail continues, and while the scenery in Glacier Gulch doesn’t change all that much, a near vertigo-inducing view of Jackson Hole to the east can be appreciated whenever rests are needed. The calls of pika throughout the gulch, both near and far, provide a natural soundtrack during the climb, until finally, the final ridge is crested and a reward unlike any other opens up through the trees.

With a bit of scrambling, a seat around Delta Lake (most likely in the form of a boulder) is easy to find for a well-deserved rest. Just as well-deserved as the rest is the appreciation of the view. The commanding scenery engrossing a nearly 360 degree panorama all around shouldn’t be taken in too quickly. Find a comfortable seat and listen to the landscape voice itself through the towering peaks and the bright color of the water.

A boulder disrupts an abstract reflection in Delta Lake of Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Getting there: From Jackson, take Highway 89 north out of town, and continue north to Moose Junction. Head west (left) and continue through the Grand Teton National Park entrance station and follow the road north. Pass the Taggart Lake trailhead and then the Climber’s Ranch and as Timbered Island on the right begins to taper off, you’ll see the sign for the Lupine Meadows trailhead on your left. Follow that until it dead ends into a (typically crowded) parking lot.

A trail leads into the Red Hills of the Gros Ventre Mountains, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

Distance (one way): 2.1 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Best time of year: Spring, Summer, Fall

Tucked away east of Jackson Hole is local treasure very few take the time to see. The Red Hills of the Gros Ventre Mountains are an exposed sandstone deposit that are leftover from when the region was under a shallow sea, roughly 50 million years ago. The road to the hills is engineered in such a way that immediately after coming around a small bend in the road, a dramatic view of the hills overwhelms you with a sense of natural beauty and wonder. A pullout is conveniently located at that exact location so that you can fully appreciate the view.

While the view from the road is amazing, the hike up through the hills is even more rewarding. The trailhead begins on the other side of the road from the Red Hills Ranch and immerses you right away into the red and orange, sandstone landscape. After only a few hundred yards, you find yourself surrounding by the large hills at the bottom of a small canyon. Wildflowers, aspens, willows, and (some burned) evergreen all take their turns sharing the trail with you throughout your gradual ascent during the initial stretch of the trail.

A yellow bumblebee searching through a musk thistle wildflower, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

While the trail climbing starts gradually enough, it doesn’t take long before the steepness increases at a noticeable rate. From this point, the trail continues to climb at a rather unforgiving rate. Likewise, many of the views of the sandstone deposits have all but disappeared, leaving you with the northern side of the hills where more vegetation tends to grow, covering up the reddish dirt. Still, the trail continues its steep ascent upward.

Just as you were beginning to wonder if the best views were back at the bottom, you see a ridge up ahead; a potential summit to offer something new. You’re not wrong. As you crest the ridge, a sweeping view of the Lavender Hills opens up directly in front of you comprised of many other layers of sediment during the sea’s millions of years above these mountains before they were formed. It’s here that the trail seems to dead end into another trail, though technically the trail continues to the west (left) and a spur trail heads to the east (right).

The Lavender Hills of the Gros Ventre Mountains above a forest fire burn, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

Regardless of whether you choose to end your hike here or continue onward, it’s highly recommended you take the spur trail to the east to experience an unparalleled view of the Crystal Creek and Gros Ventre River drainages and confluence. A nearly 180 degree view of a massive open valley is sprawled out in front you, with rolling hills far below lining Gros Ventre Road as it meanders back deeper into the Gros Ventres with the majestic Wind River Mountains visible above the horizon. The Gros Ventre River peeks out from a few lower elevations to the east while Crystal Creek emerges from the higher peaks to the south. If you’re short on time, this is a great place to stop for a snack before heading back.

Continuing up the trail proves to be a rather significant challenge as the steepness only increases even more. In some places, the dirt below your feet is barely enough to hold you on your ascent higher, the Lavender Hills occasionally peeking above the trees to check on your progress. One grueling step after another, you finally ascend one ridge, only to see another even steeper ridge awaiting your challenge.

Sunrise lighting clouds over the Teton and Gros Ventre Mountains and Slide Lake, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

Finally, after much patience and perseverance, you crest a ridge whose reward is well worth the effort. Far in the distance straight ahead are the Teton Mountains looming above the entire landscape laid out before you. A bit closer are the foothills of the Gros Ventre Mountains and nearer still is Slide Lake. Turning your attention to the south, you get the back-side view of the Sleeping Indian. Aside from a few burned trees obstructing a view here and there, the view is one of the best I’ve seen from the Gros Ventres.

On top of this ridge, you’ll notice the trail continues westward, while a small spur trail heads south. Some arguably better views are offered a short distance to the south, while the official trail swings around the Lavender Hills to eventually lead you to the north side and back down toward Slate Creek. An ascent up the Lavender Hills is also easy to negotiate from this vantage point as well, one potential route very steep, the other, not as steep.

The International Space Station flying above the Lavender Hills of the Gros Ventre Mountains, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

Getting there: From Jackson, head north along Highway 89 for 6.8 miles until you reach the Gros Ventre Junction. Turn east (right) there and continue on Gros Ventre Road for eight miles, which will bring you past the Gros Ventre Campground and the town of Kelly before the road turns north for about the last 1.3 miles. Turn right onto Gros Ventre Road and follow that for 10.3 miles, which will bring first past Kelly Warm Spring, the National Forest/National Park boundary, around Slide Lake, and up and over a hill that finally brings you to the view of the Red Hills that you can’t miss. Continue for the duration of the mileage and that should bring you to a small parking area just beyond the entrance to the Red Hills Ranch (not to be confused with the Red Rock Ranch a bit further down the road). The trail begins on the other side of the road.

Storms over the forests of the Wyoming Range, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

Distance (one way): 4 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Best time of year: Summer

A water purifier is not something you want to forget on a three-day backpacking trip. A wiser person, upon realizing an essential item was forgotten while still at the car, would have packed everything back up, gone home to retrieve the purifier, then done another trip closer to home, especially if this person hasn’t been able to go hiking much lately. I, however, have stubbornness issues.

Despite being completely unfamiliar with the terrain, particularly with reliable sources of water, I still headed into the Wyoming Mountains with two liters of water to see where that could bring me.

My initial plan was to spend three days backpacking the Little Grey’s River Loop, a hike I had read about that promised solitude, rugged mountain wildness, and wildlife. Eager to explore new territory, I didn’t let a mere two liters of water stop me from heading out. I began from the trailhead at the Little Grey’s River and proceeded toward Pickle Pass, a trail I found to be very unforgiving in terms of elevation gain. The trail ascended nearly from the start and never seemed to let up for the duration of the 3.9 mile ascent, gaining nearly 2,000 feet along the way.

The trail begins paralleling the Little Grey’s River, providing a soothing white noise as you begin your trek. If you time your journey right, you’ll be accompanied by thick meadows of wildflowers, often overtaking the trail itself. It’s not soon after that the trail begins the pattern of thick fields of wildflowers interspersed with welcomed shade from the sporadic evergreen groves.

Silver lupine, giant hyssop, and showy goldeneye wildflowers growing in a meadow, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

Eventually the evergreen trees give way to a significantly large meadow covering a small valley covered in wildflowers of many different varieties: silver lupine, showy goldeneye, giant hyssop, western coneflower, and the duncecap larkspur, which can easily tower above most people. If you’ve ever wanted to experience hiking through a forest of wildflowers that dwarfs any human, this is the place to do it.

Through the wildflowers, you climb hill after hill, until you crest a ridge: Pickle Pass. Immediately you’ll notice a completely unexpected sight far in the distance: the Teton Mountains towering above the scenery, faded into the background.

Teton Mountains in the distance from Pickle Pass in the Wyoming Mountains, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

A late start combined with incoming clouds factored into my decision to camp at Pickle Pass for the night. The clouds also affected my motivation to stay up to otherwise capture a few new night shots. As the thick blanket was pulled over the area shortly after sunset, I simply went to bed early, curious about what tomorrow would hold.

As I awoke, I checked on the view of the Tetons, disappointed that they had faded farther into the horizon courtesy of some forest fire smoke. Without anything too exciting to photograph, I ate my breakfast, packed up my camp, and proceeded up the trail, hoping to find some running water at a higher elevation.

I made a steep ascent covering roughly a mile to a rather scenic overlook, but was a little discouraged to not hear any running water, nor see any in sight. I studied the map a little harder and noticed that I had two options from this overlook: continue up my planned route, gaining more in elevation where water might be safer, but with no known water for roughly four miles, or, cut downward 2.3 miles toward Roosevelt Meadows where the elevation drops significantly, thus making the water less trustworthy without a purifier. Left with these two options, I created a third: knowing the previous five miles would be nearly all downhill with potentially safe water if I needed it, I could head back to my car, stay healthy, and make other plans for the weekend.

Duncecap larkspur growing on a hillside in the Wyoming Mountains, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming

A few hours of enjoyable hiking downhill and I was back at my car, ready to get back to town and properly rehydrate. Given that I was relatively out of shape, though, I was happy I was able to hike nearly ten rugged miles with only two liters of water and never get very dehydrated at all. On top of that, the remoteness and solitude of the Wyoming Mountains will continue to call back to me until I can return for a properly prepared hike. With any luck, my next hike there will be the Wyoming Range National Recreation Trail.

Getting there: From Jackson, follow Highway 89 south out of town, through the Hoback Junction, then the Snake River Canyon and finally to the town of Alpine, Wyoming. Once in Alpine, the highway will come to an intersection where it continues south. Turn left to follow the highway, but you won’t be going far on it from there. Highway 89 will cross the Snake River and in just a few tenths of a mile, you’ll see Grey’s River Road on the left. Turn in there and continue through the Bridger-Teton National Forest boundary which is about a mile down the road, at which point the road turns to a well-packed dirt road. After 7.5 miles, you’ll see Little Grey’s River Road on the left at a relatively significant intersection. Turn left onto that road and continue for another 11.7 miles and you’ll see a right turn for Forest Road 10047, which may or may not be well signed, but will be obvious considering the mileage and relative lack of other options. Take Forest Road 10047 all the way till it dead ends at the trailhead and you’ll see the trail veering off to the north along a hill.