Day 2: Hiking in Grand Teton National Park
JOURNAL ENTRY BY BOB VOYLES
Friday morning began early for our group, as our off-fishing day would be spent hiking up into the Tetons on one of their many iconic trails into the rugged backcountry. After breakfast, our group provisioned up, packed lunches(and a few beers to celebrate our hopeful ascent) and headed out into Grand Teton National Park. The route around town took us through some remote venues where frequent wildlife sightings were common. We passed a group of stopped cars who were observing what appeared to be a black bear back in the brush.
As the sun peaked over Sleeping Indian mountain, high clouds kept the air cool, and promised some respite from what could otherwise brutal August sun. The dry air and higher altitudes allow a 40 degree swing in temperatures during the short summer season, and today was no different.
Temperatures climbed into the low fifties as we arrived at the Lupine Meadows trailhead. Already a number of cars and SUV’s were parked on the side of the road spilling out of the small fenced parking area. We all jumped out, gathered together and began our five mile hike up to Amphitheater Lake, nestled in a beautiful granite bowl, surrounded by several or the more northern peaks which make up the Teton range. The trail took us through some lowland meadow areas and over a beautiful forested stream with water splashing noisily over large boulders under the large timbered footbridge. Quickly ascending up a glacial moraine finger ridgeline, the trail turned into a series of long switchbacks traversing the slope of the mountain. Beautiful views of the valley and lakes below emerged from the trail as the tall pines and Douglas Firs thinned out in the higher altitude. The trail would take us up over 3,000 + feet vertical . Up, up we traveled, occasionally being passed by younger hikers scampering along the trail, whose apparent destination was the top of the Grand Teton itself.
Our group observed a variety of wildlife, including numerous birds, ( including a humming bird, marmots, a female mule deer, and our first young black bear, busy eating berries and obviously unimpressed by us. Gradually the switchbacks grew shorter, and we observed the sky pushing its blue and white hues through the thinning tree cover. Up top, we traversed a short final push across some upland meadows full of late summer wildflowers.
As if on cue, our final destination appeared suddenly over a crest in the trail. A stunning mountain lake appropriately named “amphitheater”. Clear mountain water, so clear that you could observe debris and boulders 20’ or more down below the surface. We gathered around a granite outcropping overlooking the crystal clear water of the lake, and broke for lunch. Breaking open backpacks and feasting on fried chicken and sandwiches of various kinds, the beer and sodas tasted good as a reward for our 3 hour hike. Little chipmunk sized pikas, which Curt described as “rock rabbits”, darted in and out of the boulders strewn about around the lake like a typical teenager’s clothes heaped in random piles around their bedroom. David Entrekin, braved the cold waters for an after lunch dip, and several of our group scrambled up a steep rocky path to the crest of a saddle at the edge of the bowl, getting a rewarding view over the mountains. As the sun moved in and out behind the clouds, the temperatures would toggle 10 - 15 degrees.
About 1:30, we began the five mile descent, stooping occasionally to take pictures of the stunning vistas along the trail. Up ahead as we began the steady descent, we observed a mother black bear and her cub scrambling ahead of us down the trail, and later encountered the previous bear still eating berries, and still oblivious to our presence. At the base of the trail we were greeted by the surprise of the day, a young bull elk, nearly 5 feet tall at his shoulder, and less than 10 yards off the path. He quietly continued munching on some low growing greens, as we passed , slowly, cautiously and quietly. His antlers, still fuzzy and growing, glistened like velvet in the late afternoon sun. The sheer majesty of that magnificent animal standing there in the later afternoon sun’s rays, provided a capstone to our day’s adventure, reminding each of us of the incredible beauty and breadth of God’s magnificent creation in this very special place.
That evening ended with several of us celebrating our adventure in the hot tub, resting our tired feet, enjoying some local brew pub selections, together with cigars and a little brown water. Dinner was provided by our gracious Beyond trip hosts, and allowed us to enjoy some great steaks and trimmings as the sun set over the mountains in the west. A good day for all but we also knew we would need to be up early for our second and last day of fishing.