Vacation Adventure - Grand Teton Part 2

Our two adventurers have just exited the ferry boat and are staring down the daunting climb to the North Fork of Cascade Canyon. The hike isn't terribly difficult as a day hike, but strap a 40lb+ pack on your back and the task at hand becomes more intimidating. Take that task and add to it that you don't have extra time to rest or you'll be searching for your campsite in the dark and you start to get an idea of what we were facing.

We encountered a lot of people in the first couple of miles, as there are two destinations that are within a mile of the boat dock that many people frequent. The first was Hidden Falls, the first of many falls/cascades we would encounter today. The second destination is Inspiration Point, a overlook of Jenny Lake that gives views back towards Jackson Hole.



Jill and I barely paused at the two destinations in the initial mile, as we were anxious to keep moving and to get away from the masses. We made good time as we went, but making sure we kept our head's up to check out the incredible views we were submersing ourselves with.





As we pressed forward we passed lots of day hikers on their way back down from higher points. We stopped and talked briefly with many of them as most people we passed were surprised/impressed we were camping in the high country. Several people we passed mentioned rapidly increasing snow levels as you approached Lake Solitude, which was not that far from our campground.



Despite the warnings and a lot of people using words like "brave" and "adventurous" to describe us as we told them our plans, we kept moving towards the North fork of Cascade Canyon. We moved at a steady pace, but tried to make sure we were enjoying the view up as every turn offered something more outstanding than the previous one. Happy to be under blue skies again, we certainly made sure we were taking in all the sights.



We were moving along pretty good when something caught my attention. In this area, you have to be on your toes as there could be a grizzly bear or bull moose around the corner. I quickly went still and motioned to Jill. Looking over to our right I saw the culprit, which was far from a grizzly.



After 5.5 miles, we hit the fork in the road. The snow was definitely getting deeper in a hurry, but we were within 1 mile of the campsites. We stopped and took a break and then started the final push to the campsite. Since we had not gotten started as early as possible, daylight wasn't plentiful but we should be fine.

The final mile to the campsite steepened up quickly, and coupled with the deeper snow made for a pretty slow trudge. The temps were high and the sun had been on the valley, so the snow on the trail was melting quick, which provided a challenge to us to try and keep our shoes from getting soaked. I had been wearing my waterproof hiking boots, but a blister had forced me to opt for my non-waterproof trail shoes for this hike. Finally we crested a small ridge and got our first glimpse of what would be our temporary home.





A very scenic, albeit snowy, home awaited us. I hiked up ahead trying to scout the campsites to see what looked like our best option. I was genuinely concerned about the 6-8" snow pack we'd be camping on, the 9,000 feet of elevation and the temps that would surely be sub 20 degrees. We picked a camp on the far south end of the camping area, as it was the lowest elevation and we found a small ridge we could settle up next to in case of any winds that night.

Jill & I were both new to snow camping. We had some frantic conversations about our best plan of action. Should we dig out the snow so the tent could be against the ground or should we just put it on top of the snow? Should we really be doing this? Is our gear going to stand up to the test? It was getting serious, as wrong decisions in these conditions can be dire.



After using our garden spade to clear a small area, it was quickly clear to us that removing enough snow to clear an area for our tent was not feasible. Maybe with a shovel, but not with just a garden spade. Time for plan 2, set the tent up on top of the snow. The good news for us was that we had the tent, with a footprint under it, and then Thermarest sleeping pads to help insulate the cold that was transferring up from the snow.

We set up the tent, and immediately turned our attention to dinner. Still a bit disheveled, I walked by the stove and knocked over 16oz of clean water that was to be used for making our dinner. Geez.

Normally losing a little water wouldn't be a big deal, but when you have to posthole in 6-8" of snow to get to the creek it becomes a bigger deal. Anytime you had to venture off the beaten path, your shoes and pants got cold and wet in a hurry. Luckily we had more clean water that we had carried up in a Camelbak bladder and we were able to get it boiling (JetBoil stoves are simply incredible) in a hurry.

As we ate dinner, we were treated to one of the most spectacular sunsets I've ever seen. The red hues bouncing off the jagged peaks in the Teton Range were things that dreams are made of. Jill & I felt really lucky to have been able to be in this place at this time, regardless of the cold night that we were about to face.



So as the sun set behind us, Jill managed to find the "bear box" to store our food in. After securing our food, we settled into our small, but incredibly light and effective tent for what would likely be our coldest evening thus far. Its an interesting phenomena, that you can actually psyche yourself into staying warmer by mentally preparing for it. The night before in Yellowstone, Jill & I had let down our guard and both gotten cold. Tonight we could not afford to let our guard down.

We built a snow wall around the edge of the tent vestibule, where the gear would be stored and lined the outer walls of the tent with all the left over clothing and gear we could find. Any insulation from the outside world would be a good thing. Jill had been very fortuitous and packed us good, warm sleeping clothes. Having completely dry sleeping clothes would prove essential. We talked for a bit, and faded off into the deadly silent, starry night and hoped we wouldn't get too cold.

What's the point of an "adventure" if you don't feel poor decisions could be life threatening right?