Posts Tagged ‘GRTE’

Bearpaw Lake

In Grand Teton National Park the eyes track the skyline. There is no doubt about this. And feet must answer for what the eyes insist on seeing ever more closely and clearly. Curiously, a goodly number of the day hikes in Grand Teton National Park measure in for the round trip route at just around eight miles – the eye makes extravagant demands….  Most of these routes run flat along their length, and thus make very doable day hikes.  There are not less than a dozen of such treks, but our favorites of these cluster along the eastern side of the waterworks, providing the classic Teton water-and-peaks-‘o-granite views.  Among these, the path from String Lake to Bearpaw lake may be the very best.

Grand Teton Trip, July, 2014.

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The path begins at the String Lake Trailhead, shown in the pano above (43.784416N, 110.727310W), and heads north along the lake shore.  Alternative starts may be commissioned anywhere along the mile long eastern shore of String Lake.  On a sunny day, you will find the picnicking areas along the shore of String Lake packed to the limit with enthusiastic visitors.  In summer months, you will need to arrive before 9 am to secure a parking spot – no joke, the String Lake area is super popular.

Leaving the bulk of humanity behind, make your way north.  You will most probably be accompanied lakeside by a small flotilla of canoes and kayaks paddling along the length of String Lake.

Grand Teton Trip, July, 2014.

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Near the north end of String Lake you will pass the portage between String and Leigh Lakes (43.796686N, 110.728348W).  This is busy junction, with boats departing/entering String Lake before/after moving north and south along the portage. The portage from String Lake to Leigh Lake is about 225 yards, and gains less than 50 feet – all in all not an unpleasant lift.  The southern bay of Leigh Lake is one of the most beautiful locations in the park (43.798275N, 110.727328W).  Bordered in thick shore growth, the crystal clear water in the shallow bay opens up to the north with most excellent views of Boulder Island, the bulk of Leigh Lake, and towards the north end of the lake, Mystic Isle.

Grand Teton Trip, July, 2014.

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The HP on the Shore of Leigh LakeThe HP makes an appearance in the image above, shot towards the northwest from the eastern shore of Leigh Lake (43 48.2552N, 110 43.1717W).  Note the presence of Mount Moran and Leigh Canyon in the background.  The path continues, tracking north along the eastern shore of Leigh Lake.  Leigh is a mighty Lake, and would take two days with a fair bit of bushwacking to circumnavigate.  Our travels encompass only a quick  three mile run up to Bearpaw Lake, which lies just a fraction of a mile north of the top of Leigh Lake.  A highlight at the midway point is the the set of three campsites, 12A, 12B, and 12C.  The sites are primitive, with very strict occupancy regulations, but offer some of the best lake shore camping anywhere.  The pano below was recorded at site 12C.

Grand Teton Trip, July, 2014.

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Cascade Canyon from the East Shore of Leigh Lake

The image above provides a view into Leigh Canyon (43.8150N, 110.7558W).  The canyon lies between Mt. Woodring to the south and Mt Moran to the north, and is (mostly) used by climbers seeking to access routes on the northern Teton summits.  I am interested in a venture here next summer – since access is pretty much exclusively by (private) boat, I have to imagine that the canyon is relatively wild and uncrowded.  The shot below shows one of several bear boxes and hanging rigs that lie near the back of the Camp 12 sites.  Given the relative remoteness of the location, I would guess that bears could be frequent visitors to the camp.

Campsite 12 Along Leigh Lake

Bearpaw Lake (shown below) is a small lake that is isolated from the Jenny-String-Leigh Lake system.  It lies nestled (together with Trapper Lake) in a lovely basin in the relatively untraveled region of the park.  Although it is highly unlike that you would find your self completely alone here, solitude seekers will be encouraged by a very low head count.  There is one large campsite available on high ground between the bulk of Bearpaw Lake and a minor, heavily silted, arm – a bit too right in the middle of things for my taste, but again, the traffic here is low.

Grand Teton Trip, July, 2014.

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A small stream exists the northern tip of Bearpaw Lake (43.8317N, 110.7280W), and leads north into a heavily silted corner of the lake.

Bearpaw Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton Trip, July, 2014.

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Bearpaw Lake, Grand Teton National ParkNorthern End of Bearpaw Lake

Images in this entry were recorded on July 26, 2014, using the Nikon D810 with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR.  This combination represents the state of the art in outdoor photographic gear.  I’ve used it all, and I will take this simple setup above anything other one-camera + one lens setup.  Panoramic images were recorded using the Apple iPhone 5s with the Autostitch app.

Image

Copyright 2014 Peter F. Flynn.  No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

Hermitage Point Trail – Grand Teton National Park

Hermitage Point Trail, Grand Teton National Park

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Grand Teton may very well be the most versatile park in the NP system.  Within park boundaries, one can tackle classic big wall rock climbing, ride your bicycle along paths the run below some of the most dramatic peaks on earth, float a legendary river, or paddle around in beautiful mountain lakes of remarkable clarity.

Hermitage Point Trail, Grand Teton National Park

The northern portion of the park is dominating by Colter Bay, with its many boating options.  While these boating opportunities are unique and wonderful, they are not the only reason to spend some time in this part of the park.  Some of our favorite hiking trails start in the southern end of the Coulter Bay complex, near the boat launch.  The trail to Hermitage Point provides an excellent chance to experience the northern park vistas along a flat and fast track out and back to an excellent terminus on the shore of Jackson Lake.  Along the way, you will also be able to make visits to two other smaller Lakes, Heron Pond and Swan Lake.

Grand Teton Visit, July 2014.  Hermitage Point Trail.

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The pano above and the image below were shot at Heron Pond.  The trail passes along the eastern shore of the pond, which provides stunning views of the northern portion of the Tetons, including most notably, Mount Moran.  The pond is filled to about 50% of its surface with some species of water lily – and I am not certain that these are proper lilies, but anyway, some form of aquatic veg.

Hermitage Point Trail, Grant Teton National Park

Excellent time can be made along the Hermitage Point trail, which gains/loses only a couple of hundred feet along the 4.4 mile trek.  Much of the trail is either close and above Jackson Lake, or runs very near to the shore.

Hermitage Point Trail, Grand Teton National Park

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The pano above, and image of the HP below, were recorded at Hermitage Point.  The approx 4 mile distance is just long enough to insure that you will never have to share the point with more than a couple of other people.  Passing power boats, as shown in the image of the HP provide a curious contrast to the otherwise natural wonders visible from this viewpoint.

Hermitage Point Trail, Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton Visit, July 2014.  Hermitage Point Trail.

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A variation on either the route out or back leads you to Swan Lake, shown above, which is another lovely lake near Colter Bay.  This is a mature Lake, wrapped in shade from firs and pines that run right down to the shoreline and nearly filled with water lilies – an especially welcome rest stop on an afternoon return.

Images appearing in this entry were recorded using either the Nikon D810 and the AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR, or the Apple iPhone 5s (all panos).

Copyright 2014 Peter F. Flynn.  No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.

Inside the Tetons

All in all, Grand Teton National Park is arguably the most accessible of the big nature parks.  It is a manageable drive from Bozeman or Salt Lake City, or of course just about any place in Idaho.  Alternatively, you can fly literally right into the park, since landing in Jackson Hole Airport places you within park boundaries.  With Grand Teton NP you get the big views right from US Highway 89 (aka US 26), and indeed, it is enough for most folks just to stop at the overlooks and scope the mighty Teton massif.

Jenny Lake Boat Dock

If you are the adventurous sort however, you may be compelled to explore the Tetons at closer range.  There are a variety of options to satisfy your curiosity about what lies within the range.  From the highway, the range may seem to be perfectly impenetrable, but in truth there are a number of routes that lead you deep into the heart of the granite wilderness.

Three major park trails lead up and into canyons that penetrate the Teton range.  From north to south they are the Paintbrush Canyon Trail, which begins at the Leigh and String Lakes Trailheads; Cascade Canyon Trail, which begins at the western side of Jenny Lake, near the shuttle boat dock; and the Lupine Meadows Trail, which leads into Garnet Canyon.

The HP on the Ride to Cascade Canyon

Clearly the most popular, and in my view, the best choice, is the path through Cascade Canyon.  This choice has the advantage of allowing the intrepid visitor the opportunity to incorporate the unique experience of the ride on the Jenny Lake shuttle boat to the start of the trail.

Cascade Cayon

A short walk (0.6 miles) from the mouth of the canyon at the shore of Jenny Lake brings you to the Hidden Falls of Cascade Creek (above).  Cascade Creek will  be your faithful companion as you travel into Cascade Canyon and into the midst of the Teton peaks.

Bridge Over Cascade Creek

A number of bridges transverse back and forth over Cascade Creek.  All of these structures are built in that old-world WPA/CCC/NP style that conveys timelessness – built one time, the right way, for all time.

Cascade Canyon

The trail past Hidden Falls ascends through several steep switchbacks built into the granite slope.  About 0.4 miles past Hidden Falls (1 mile total) and 400 ft of elevation gain (from the boat dock) along the Cascade Creek trail, brings you to Inspiration point.  Views from the point are shown above and below.

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From Inspiration Point, looking east, you can watch the shuttle boats crossing Jenny Lake every quarter-hour.  For some, the walk up to the point is as far as they are compelled to venture.  There is more to see however, much more.

Cascade Canyon

The route veers west, away from the point and into Cascade Canyon proper.  The walk begins in forest, but emerges into the open after about a quart of a mile and another 200 ft of elevation.  Below, the HP takes in the scenery, including Mount Owen shown in the background.

HP in Cascade Canyon

The path into the Tetons leads westward along Cascade Creek through meadows and across granite scree fields.  The path is virtually flat from this point onward all the way to the forks (see below).

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Cascade Canyon

Even though you are quite literally right below the major summits of the Teton Range, including Grand Teton and Teewinot, the depth and shape of the canyon prevent a view of most of the peaks.  The exception is Mount Owen, shown above, which lies north and west of the other peaks.

Bear Paw Print in Cascade Canyon

The lush flora present in Cascade Canyon invites all sorts of wild life, including pika, chipmunks, marmots, moose, squirrels, and the rarely sighted pine marten.  And yes, this is bear country, the evidence of which is shown above.   Travel into Cascade Canyon only with bear spray rigged in a ready-to-deploy condition.

Cascade Canyon

At several points along the trail, Cascade Creek meanders a bit, forming small lakes.  Here grasses, bushes, and trees grow thick and tall (see above and several below).

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Cascade Canyon

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Cascade Canyon

The forest closes in on Cascade Creek near the western end of the canyon.  By the time you reach the junction with the South Fork Trail, you are walking through dense forest.

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Capitol Domes from the Notom Road

A clearing marked with the signpost* shown above confirms that you have reached the forks of Cascade Canyon.  From here, you can travel northwest another 2.7 miles along Cascade Creek to Lake Solitude.  Alternatively, you can travel along the South Fork to Hurricane Pass, with views of the Teton summits and Schoolroom Glacier.

We decided to turn around at the junction, having overheard that the trail up to Lake Solitude was rough and steep – happy to leave this for a day with an earlier start.

Full-frame images in this entry were recorded on August 25, 2013 between 10:30 and 16:45, using the Nikon D800 with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED VR (mostly at 24mm).  Exposures were either f/11 or f/16, with shutter speed from 1/160s to 1/640s, ISO 1600.  Panoramic images were recorded using the iPhone 5 with the Autostitch application.

*The sign reads:

Cascade Canyon Trail

Jenny Lake – West Shore Boat Dock 4.5 <=

String Lake Outlet Parking Area 6.2 <=

Jenny Lake Outlet Parking Area 6.5 <=

Copyright 2013 Peter F. Flynn.  No usage permitted without prior written consent. All rights reserved.