2009 National Park Trip - Day 6

Today Michelle and I split up (activity-wise – we still love each other). As I said yesterday, I wanted to do a long hike into the mountains and Michelle wanted to do a shorter one, and perhaps go into Jackson. I had to get up relatively early to catch the shuttle down to South Jenny Lake to where the trailhead starts (actually the trailhead starts about a mile or more south – more on that later). Then I had to have this 10-mile 8-hour hike and be back by 3:50 to catch the shuttle back. Let’s do the math. I get to Jenny Lake at 8:40, buy some stuff for lunch, hike the mile to the trail head…that’s a 9:30 start. 8 hours later is 5:30. Looks like I really have to hoof it.

As I said, I had to walk the mile to the trailhead which is through flat open ground full of lupines and sagebrush. Luckily there were shortcut trails so I didn’t have to go the long way on the road. There are many cars there – probably 50 or more. Most had been parked, but a fair number of people were just arriving. About half were going to backpack into the backcountry and the other half were going to climb one or more of the peaks.

I set out and it was immediately up. I had worn a long sleeve shirt because it was chilly in the morning and I had it off within ½ mile. After a mile my shirt was completely soaked. A couple of the backpackers walked with me awhile and I thought this would be good, with someone to talk to, but at the first trail junction, they turned on another trail. They explained that the ranger had told them there was too much climbing going the way I was. Not something I wanted to hear.

So, the real climbing began. There were several cutbacks with absolutely no relief from the up. The view was amazing and just kept getting better. There were 2 lakes below that had the trees reflecting on the water. There was the huge valley below with mountains in the distance. And there were the wildflowers.

These were what was known as the wildflower “meadow”. My understanding of meadow is pleasant little clearing maybe slightly bowl shaped with flowers filling it. Apparently the National Park understands meadow as extremely steep hillsides filled with wildflowers. This wasn’t “Sound of Music” meadow. This was “slip while picking a daisy and fall horribly to your flower-filled death” meadow. It was absolutely gorgeous but I wouldn’t call it a meadow.

So I continued the trudge upward – and that’s what it was, a trudge. Every time someone came down I stopped to let them pass so I could catch a breath. I stopped a lot to “view the scenery”, gasping for breath. After, oh, 3 miles or more of this I came to the next trail junction. I stopped there to eat a granola bar and take some water and, well, rest. 4 others were coming up and they also stopped there. There were 4 of them, 2 couples. They were there to climb. Had heavy packs, bear containers, ropes, walking sticks, etc. Heavy heavy stuff to carry. Me? I had a day pack with a water pack (generic Camelback), my lunch, a first aid kit, and some other various sundry things. I was struggling under that weight.

Anyway, I had my snack and started up my trail, Garnet Canyon. The trail leveled off for a while which was great and I turned to the west and got the whole enchilada. The mountain peaks were just above me. There was a stream/waterfall to my left and sheer cliffs to my right. The view down was great, too, with those lakes looking like tiny little puddles. My climb was far from over, however. It was over a mile to the end of the trail.

The trail now changed from dirt with a few round rocks, an occasional small boulder (double a bowling ball), and some tree roots to sharp jagged stones about the size of your hand. This was pretty much the trail the rest of the way up. I followed the cliffs to my right and did a couple of cutbacks. The waterfall stayed to my right. I was climbing up to the first show patches left over from winter. Finally, I got to the end of my trail. At that point there was a sign that pointed forward to one backcountry campground, or right for another. The problem was, there was no more trail, just rocks the size of Toyotas. To get to these, you had to climb through these large rocks from there.

I stopped and had my sandwich and more water. Took off the pack and just rested next to the top of the waterfall. I decided that what I needed to do was climb the few extra feet to get to that snow. But first, I had to get over the water. I found a place where I could step on a couple of jagged rocks and be over, but that required one of those Indiana Jones steps of faith to do so. I did so and didn’t get wet or fall to my death. But to get to the snow, I had to climb over more Toyotas. I didn’t have the energy so I gave up that quest. Now I had to get back over that water. I looked at a couple of likely places that I thought would be easier. They weren’t. So I made my way back to my original ford and did the faith leap again. It probably took me a total of 20-30 minutes to do this little escapade.

Now I started down. And I don’t care who tells you different, down is easier than up. I started making real time. I passed a few more people going up and gave them encouraging words. One poor soul going down had gotten sick on the climb and had to come down without succeeding. There were some older people up there, and some at the lower spots that I didn’t think would make it. And while the climb down was much easier, it was also a very long way. I finally got back to the trailhead.

I stopped there to change my socks, have a snack, and rest a bit. I still had that mile back to the shuttle, as you recall. I had made it back down by about 2:30 so I had plenty of time to catch the 3:50 shuttle. I munched on my salty trail mix and had the fresh footwear and set foot across the field. I went to get a drink from my generic Camelback and found I had sucked it dry. Not good. It was hot, sunny, and dusty. So I trudged across the field. As I going through the second of 2 fields, a wolf ran across the trail about 100 yards ahead of me into some woods on my left. I couldn’t see him when I got there so I missed the photo opportunity.

Made it back to the stop with plenty of time to spare and got some water, an apple, a diet pepsi, and some Ho-Ho’s. Then I just sat there waiting for the shuttle. I was glad to get back.

Michelle meanwhile had driven to that same spot and taken a different trail to Inspiration Point. Her trail didn’t climb as much but it was at least 6 miles and at the end there was a climb to that point. She had the trail to herself until Inspiration Point because there was a boat shuttle that could take you across to that point and pretty much everybody did that.

After her hike, she drove down to Jackson where she went through some shops and had lunch.

When she got back, we were both hungry and went to Signal Mountain Lodge for some excellent burritos and margaritas. We went into their gift shop and walked around the marina for awhile just looking at the water. Then we went up to Colter Bay to look at their gift shop. Saw some elk near the road on the way. We bought some shirts and stuff and headed back to our room. I went back up to the lodge with binoculars and spotted some more elk. End of this day.

But a word about being in shape. I thought I was in pretty good shape and I was proud of both of us for doing those hikes today. But that’s nothing. While I was struggling up on my little day hike, there were people with 50-70 lb backpacks going up to camp in the backcountry. And there were people with just as much equipment going up to climb a peak. My end of trail was their halfway. And then there was the guy who was jogging up the mountainside I could barely walk up. I guess I’m not as in shape as I thought.