Grand Teton National Park

As we camp around the western United States, we'll leave a blog post here and there detailing our adventures!  We began June 20th, departing Utah and heading into the wild unknown.


Day 1: Salt Lake City to Grand Teton National Park


Weather: Rainy driving; sunny/cloudy hiking; 60-65 degrees in day; 40-45 degrees at night



Physical Condition: M.'s left knee hurts a bit; C. healthy as an ox


Downers: skeeters (which C. says the Australians call "Mozzies"); we realized only once we'd hiked to our campsite that C. forgot his MSR fuel pump


Blessings: great company; M. had brought an emergency spare stove and fuel tank; beautiful (breathtaking) scenery; free backpacking permits; lake that sounds like the ocean lapping on the shore; Cameron's GPS map system worked that he had painstakingly downloaded to his phone


Food: cereal, bananas, nuts, bread, cheese, pasta with green onions, tuna and spinach


Activities:
driving
hiking
singing
jumping jacks on the lakeshore
trying unsuccessfully to start a fire with C.'s magnesium stick
photography
stick-throwing contest (C. is the unchallenged champion)


Observations: layer of black sand about 1/2 inch thick underneath a think white layer on the beach; solitary tree on its own very tiny island; lots more fungus than in Uintas; gnats are friendly; giant skeeters here are not friendly; M.'s hair can't stay braided through a whole day of backpacking (see below)


Wildlife:
nesting bald eagle
squirrels
chipmunks


Places seen/visited: Echo Reservoir; Snake River; Jackson Hole; Grand Teton Natl. Park; Leigh Lake


Campsite: beachfront on east side of Leigh Lake; soil and sand; thick trees and thick undergrowth; spectacular view of the high snowy Teton peaks, including Grand Teton


Conclusion: sore, tired, happy

Yellow wildflowers and spectacular clouds the whole drive from Salt Lake

First evening at Leigh Lake

Day 2: Grand Teton National Park


Weather: Sunny; 75 degrees all day


Physical Condition: both hale and hearty

Downers: running low on toilet paper --- using dirty socks

Blessings: great company; nice weather; not too many skeeters; great wildlife sightings; beautiful new campsite with sandier beach; enough fuel for dinner from M.'s little spare; perfect mirror image of mountains in lake at sunrise --- absolutely the best part (see below)

Food: apples; pb&j; nuts; power bars; orange; pasta with spinach, green onions, salmon, cheese

Activities:
hiking 6-7 miles
tanning on lakeshore (C. only)
rock throwing contest WWII style
dead log trampolining
wading in lake (M. only)
exploring enchanting forest
reading in the tent
photography
successful fire-starting with magnesium stick

Observations: the forest is thin at our new site (but big) -- trees are skinny and spaced 5-10 feet apart with no undergrowth --- bad soil?  many dead fallen trees on ground

Wildlife:
beaver dam
mother and baby moose
flying bald eagle
many marmots
squirrels, chipmunks
big ants
fluffy big grey birds
crow

Places seen/visited: Bear Paw Lake; Trapper Lake; whole perimeter of Leigh Lake

Campsite: lots of dry wood; sandy lakefront beach; firepit; big "boss" bee

Conclusion: one fine day

First morning at Leigh Lake.  Like glass!

The clouds made alien-like shadows on the pines

Scenery our second night

Meredith's braids on day 2

Cam and his ever-so-much-more tidy hair

Cameron's panoramic masterpiece (seven vertical shots side by side)