Grand
Tetons National Park, Taggart and Bradley Lakes Volkswalk:
Where yesterday was
clear as a bell, today’s view of the Grand Teton Range was marred by smoky
skies. The rangers we talked to said there were a couple of smaller fires but
they didn’t think the fires would effect the clarity of the mountains that much
and weren’t in the immediate vicinity. They hadn’t heard of any larger fires
that would cause so much haze.
Trailhead start time:
9:00 a.m. Distance to cover 11K (6.7 miles). Vertical height: 1,400’ (up and
down moraines). Start: Taggart Lakes Trailhead, Grand Tetons National Park.
Hike finish time: 12:10 p.m.
This walk started out
through an open flat sagebrush area, past horse corrals, a stream, and more
rolling sagebrush flats dotted with wildflowers. In the first mile, we saw a
weasel and a marmot sunning themselves on rocks.
Squirrel eating mushroom. |
Bob with Grand Tetons in background. |
Yellow-bellied marmot. |
The temperature cooled
down about ten degrees when we walked through a lodge pole pine forest. We
continued up to Taggart Lake at 6,902’. After a short rest to appreciate
nature’s handiwork, we continued on to Bradley Lake at 7,022’.
Susan at Taggart Lake. |
From Taggart Lake to
Bradley Lake we earned our vertical trail gain switch-backing steeply through
low-growth bushes, wildflowers, and small quaking aspen up and over a moraine,
then down the other side to Bradley Lake. Prime bear habitat.
Bob at Bradley Lake. |
Susan at Bradley Lake. |
The trail. |
Bob on bridge at Bradley Lake. |
I don’t like the idea
of surprising bears, so I either (a) talk loudly to Bob or (b) say words to a
song. Today’s song, “Move It!” was from the cartoon Madagascar. I make up my
own words, “You gots to move it, move it. Bears gots to move it, move it. Move
it! No bears on this trail. I don’t want to see you. Move it!”
On the downhill to
Bradley Lake, we hiked in cool, old-growth forest which lasted all around
Bradley Lake and part way up the moraine on the trail back to the parking lot.
After the old growth,
we again passed through low-growth shrubs and small quaking aspens, so this
part of the trail had much more sunlight. With the cool breezes and our walking
pace, the temperature was tolerable (80 F).
Scarlet paintbrush. |
Grand Tetons. |
Glad hike is over! Collapse on closest rock. |
Back at the car I took
off my hiking boots & socks and put on my Skechers sandals. Ahhhh!
Immediate foot relief. Don’t get me wrong, I love my new hiking boots, but my
feet were hot and confined. The Skechers let my feet breathe again.
After lunch, we drove
back to Flagg Ranch for lunch at the restaurant. I had a Pig Wish Salad with
wild-caught salmon and Bob had a vegetarian sandwich. Both of us enjoyed our
meals. This restaurant was very health conscious with organic chicken,
wild-caught salmon, and quinoa salad. We figured lunch would be cheaper than
dinner and eating our big meal at lunch after a 6.7 mile hike seemed like a
very good idea. We will have a small supper.
This afternoon, we are
actually RELAXING at the 5er and took a three-hour nap. Feeling refreshed.
I have all the windows
on the 5er open, breathing in fresh, piney air. It has cooled down to about 72
degrees. Overnight low will be 44. Last night we actually got cold. Tonight,
we’re turning on the electric space heater.
Yesterday while
hiking, the realization hit me that we have a cabin in the mountains, a cabin
in the desert, a cabin at the beach, a cabin in the Texas Hill Country, a cabin
at the lake, a cabin anywhere we want it. And it’s the same cabin—our fifth
wheel. We have it with us wherever we go. All of our possessions (the few we
have) are with us! The kitties are always HOME (except for the fact that the
home moves from time to time, but they have adapted remarkably well). How great
is that?
Speaking of the
fur-kids, they seem to LIKE moving to a new location. They are thoroughly
entertained looking out the windows at people, birds, bugs, squirrels, always
something new. Can’t wait to see what they think of bison! Bowie loves to ride
outside on my shoulder in a new location to sniff and look at everything. He’s
such a curious cat. Sunnie, on the other hand, is perfectly content to stay in
the rig. He might sniff the top step, but he doesn’t seem eager to land on the
ground outside.
We are at the height
of the summer tourist season, yet our campground at Flagg Ranch is not full.
Our site has a lot of space…it’s like having two spaces. We are 50 miles north
of Jenny Lake in Grand Tetons, so it’s been a bit of drive to and from our
hikes, but what scenery! It’s not a chore to go back and forth. Plus our drive
to Yellowstone tomorrow will be much shorter than if we stayed farther south.
Today as we were
driving back to our campsite, we saw four tandem bicycles towing little
trailers coming up the steep hill to Flagg Ranch. After lunch, we saw what
looked like bicyclists in the lodge and I asked one of the men if they were the
people we had seen riding their bikes up the hill. Yes, they were.
I asked him where they
were from and where they were going. He told me it was two families from Oak
Harbor, Washington traveling together. They started in Arlington, Virginia and
were making their way back home to Oak Harbor. Their journey will take them
4,000 miles. I congratulated him. That is quite an accomplishment to make it
this far. I wonder if we’ll see them again in Yellowstone? I’d love to learn
more about them: how they dealt with weather, animals, breakdowns, stamina—must
be the newspaper reporter coming out in me.
Bob went out to hike a
trail along the Snake River this evening. He said he’d be gone about two hours.
I would have gone but my feet and legs need a little recovery time after hiking
16 miles in two days.
Tomorrow morning, we
set off for our two-week reservation at Fishing Bridge in Yellowstone National
Park. Because we are so far north at Flagg Ranch, Fishing Bridge is only 42
miles away from our current location. We should have an easy driving day
tomorrow. Yay!
When we are in
Yellowstone, we will research taking the Linx shuttle bus to avoid driving “The
Beast” and paying $3.93/gallon for diesel. Besides we will be able to enjoy the
scenery and let someone else deal with road construction, wildlife gawkers and
crazy drivers.
Summertime is also
road construction time in Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. The roads take a
beating every winter from the harsh weather conditions. The short summer season
is the only time road repairs/construction are possible. For example, near
Colter Bay in Grand Tetons there is a major road repair job now. The signs say
allow up to 30 minute wait times. In the five times we’ve been through that
project, our longest wait time was only eight minutes. We must be timing it
just right.
I think I’ve cleared
my brain of all the miscellany floating around in it. Looking forward to a good
night’s sleep and feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning. I think
I’ll sit outside and read until the mosquitoes come out.
Travel Bug relaxing.
Ahhh.
Wow! My feet hurt just thinking about the miles you hiked. Scenery there is beautiful! Can't wait to go back....with my home. Enjoy reading about your trip.
ReplyDeleteI live in the Northwest. The saying is there are two seasons. Winter and road construction. Yep that about covers it!
ReplyDeleteLoved your hiking song. Perfect!
Singing to the bears. I have to remember that. Cool.
ReplyDelete