Grand Tetons

[MattS]

Anyone have any peaks that are not technical that may not have too much snow (or maybe I'll rent snowshoes & bring my crampons) Probably won't have time for the Grand (with a guide & it being technical) but something 8-10K with a great view sould be super.

I don't know how much snow there will be in May, but last September, I did Mt. Woodring (11,590 ft). Its classified as a class two scramble and is a nice hike from Holly Lake. There was no snow when I climbed it, but there were many loose rocks and scree.

 

[Mike P.]

Thanks MattS, class 2 is okay, maybe with some snow the loose rock & Scree will not be so loose.

 

[Snowflea]

When I visited the Tetons during the summer of 2005, I was not aware of the fact that grizzlies inhabit the area.

This is a post of mine from 12/01/05:

****************************

Ignorance is bliss

June 2005 -- Jackson, WY -- Death Canyon Trail (really)

Early morning run with a friend, chatting away.
Two miles from trailhead we look up 100 feet or so.

Friend: "Well, what have we got here?"
Me: "Oh, it's a cute brown bear!"
Friend: "Get my camera out of my fanny pack!"

As I'm pulling out the camera, I accidentally grab ahold of a baggie of GORP.

Me: "Oops, you forgot to Ziplock your Ziplock!!"
Bear: "Sniff, sniff" (head bobbing in air)
Friend: "Holy S*&t! The bear's heading toward us!"

We back up a bit & watch as the bear eats the spilled GORP, still thinking it's a "friendly WY brown bear". Friend gets photo. Bear goes back to original perch and ignores us (amazingly!--somebody/thing was watching out for the two idiots from the East Coast) and after about 15 minutes, finally saunters off the trail.

We continue our run up into Death Canyon & have a wonderful morning. (Hey, the Tetons rock!)

Later that afternoon...

The photo is shown to another friend, a veterinarian with much knowledge of wildlife.

Vet: "OMG!! That's a grizzly bear!!"
Us: "Huh?"
Vet: "See that telltale hump?!"
Us: "Huh?"

So, that's my story of surviving "a grizzly encounter." ('Course after seeing "Grizzly Man," our encounter wudn't nuddin'...) It was pretty cool actually.

 

[Mike BIRD Mammy]

Grizzly Man

http://www.birdheadstudios.com/funsite/video/ne115/averyme.wmv

Had to post this Spoof we did on the Grizzly Man for all of you who saw the movie.. hope ya like and thanks for all the help on the TETONS

 

[dvbl]

I just uploaded the first batch of photos from our trip on the southern end of the Teton Crest trail (Rendez-vous to Alaska Basin, out over Static Divide/Death Canyon) here. There are more photos from Seekers camera that I haven't processed yet. Then I have to write up the trip report.

-dave-

Dave, beautiful photos (yours and Brenda's). Eagerly awaiting your trip report. Noticed a few bear pics. Care to tease us with a summary of the bear encounter?

 

[David Metsky]

I just finished uploading the last of the photos. Mine are here; Brenda's are here.

We were hoping to see a bear all trip. Brenda said the perfect way to see one would be on the last morning, after we had packed up and were headed out, with no more nights on the trail. As it turns out....

The Tetons had much more bear sign then the Winds. As we approached Alaska Basin we heard other hikers' stories of seeing bears, including one possible Griz sighting. We set up camp, hung our food, noticed the huge, old bear scat and settled in for the night. The next morning we packed up and I headed down to the pond to pump water. As I finished and looked up, there was the bear and her cub on the other side. We looked for a while, decided it was time to go, and headed out up the trail, fortunately away from the bears.

We kept an eye out for bears the entire trip, but it played out exactly as Brenda imagined it. The only thing better would have been it was a griz (and the pond was proportionally bigger).

-dave-

 

[MikePS]

we spent three weeks out there this summer, great trails. Many above mentioned cascade-paintbrush, still heavy snow last year in mid July. Hurricane pass is a must, one of the greatest spots I have seen in thirty years Camping in the Alaska Basin is awesome, watch out for marmots, they will harrass you. Also consider a day hike up Hanging canyon, not on most maps but locals will direct you, it is another awesome spot, Lake of the Crags is worth the trip. A bushwack up St. John is possible, but tough climb(so I hear anyway) btw, enjoy a stop at the Snake River Brewing company, good food and brew, good luck and have fun!