The long and the short of it......

On Tom's updated and revised bucket list was "Hike to Lake Solitude"....a 19 mile round trip through the canyon to a beautiful glacial lake. To get there, you hike around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point, and keep going through Cascade Canyon until you reach the lake. He had done this hike about 30 years ago, and really really wanted to do it again. The hike is estimated to be about 10 hrs. round trip.

sign at the turnout across from Cascade Canyon

more of the sign

Its not a good idea to hike alone...and I was really worried. We had talked to rangers, most of whom advised not going it alone. But a few didn't...and admitted to hiking alone too. We noticed that most of the trails we have been on have been well used, and on most of the trails we had company, so....with radios for communication and back up plans as to where to meet, I dropped him off for his 10 hr. hike in bear and moose country... alone. I would have loved to go with him, but I know my limits (especially the heights!).

I worried all day (silly, I know), and couldn't wait to hear that radio crackle. I went to pick him up 2 hours earlier than we agreed upon, just in case he finished early. Ugh...he didn't respond to the radio. I was directly across from the canyon, and still nothing. Oh boy.

there it is....Cascade Canyon...Tom is in there right now!

I sat at the Jenny Lake Store, on a nice bench in the shade, and pretended to read my book along with a few others that were probably waiting for hikers as well. I couldn't concentrate at all. Eventually, I heard that radio crackle! Only a few words were audible...."moose" was one of them. After a bit, we had pretty good communication. The young teenagers sitting next to me were just staring...like what are you doing? Hahahah. There faces were priceless, as you can imagine. Hahahah.

I just smiled and then walked on off to the lake, hoping for even better transmission. It was getting late and I wanted to make sure he made it out before dark, or I would be talking to the rangers! Turns out, he was just getting to Inspiration Point, and said he had seen moose in the canyon, and one of them was Bullwinkle!

I'm sitting on a rock at the lake directly across from the canyon for better radio communication

He said the hike was so spectacular, he really wanted me to be able to get up to Cascade Canyon, so he went down another trail that bypasses Inspiration Point and the "cliff walk" just to see if I would be ok. Isn't that SO NICE! He just walked 19 miles, and added another couple just for me! A hike up to Cascade Canyon is in my future. I'm so excited!

Look at that happy face!! Right after the Lake Solitude hike!

So, the hike was great and I need to refer you to Tom's pictures so you can see for yourself. (For Tom's pics, check out his website at hamgeek.org/Trips_and_Hiking/index/html). It should be under Grand Teton National Park. I think he takes a while to post...not as efficient as I am....hahahahahh! Some of the highlights, besides the lake itself and the great hiking include seeing the bull moose, a female and a young male. A fox walked right past him, without any concern at all. On the way back around the lake, he also saw a moose mom with a young one feeding right near the shore. He had a great experience! Really, check his pics!

Silly me...spending all day worrying! Wish I had the day back (though I did do laundry, food shopping, yoga and stuff like that). Look how prepared he was. I don't even recognize some of that stuff, like the battery charger for his cell phone. He lugged all that stuff in his backpack and in his pockets. Hahaha. My hero. And not bad for a 62 year old! I'm so glad he made the hike and the top item on his revised bucket list, but shhhh.....we had lots of angst over this one!

scenic view of elk in the meadow on our way home

emptying his pockets after the hike

just look at all that stuff

and the backpack!  Man is he strong!

The next day, we took a short hike to Swan Lake/Heron Pond, which is in our backyard, and spent the afternoon swimming in the lake. I am really going to miss my swim every afternoon...especially with that view!

view at Swan Lake-its twins!

playing

nice relaxing shady part of the hike

love the lodgepole pine forest-wish you could smell it

my pretty red flowers!

Another very popular hike here in the Tetons is the Ampitheater Lake/Lupine Meadows hike. It is also considered strenuous (and remember, we are in the mountains, so strenuous takes on new meaning). It is about a 10 mile hike, that goes up for quite a bit, then steep switchbacks, until you reach Surprise Lake and then Ampitheater Lake, which are two beautiful glacial lakes.

another pretty day...clear and sunny

stairs already?

 So, I have that height issue....but we decided to hike as far as we could with me and then turn back when we wanted. The hike is so popular, the parking lot was full when we got there, and we parked about a half mile away in a different parking area. That was good, actually, because it was a "warm up" before the hike and a "cool down" when we were finished. Hahaha.

early part of the hike is quite easy

bridge over glacial melt...notice how cloudy the water

i think its glacial silt

see how cloudy

and tons of melt here!

 The trail goes for about 300 yards before going up, up and up. It is a continuous up. The views were beautiful, and a lot of the hike was in the woods, which was perfect. The air temperature has been wonderful, but it is really hot in the sun. That's altitude for ya. This hike was a challenge for me because of the amount of climbing. Even though we did not set out to do the entire hike, which climbs 3000 feet total, we still did a fair amount of climbing.

quite pleasant and easy so far

yup...it goes up after about 300  yards into the hike

nice views 

can you smell the pine?

view of the pine forest below and the more mountains across

  Then the trail starting thinning and going up a ridge. Literally. There were steep drops on either side, but because it was forested, and pretty wide, I was good. Yeah! We passed a few young dudes....they were coming down the mountain with snow boards and skiis. A few other young dudes were behind us, and they had climbing gear with them. We all met at the same point....me for a "breather" and the others just passing. The sonowboarders were saying the "ride" was awesome. The climbing dudes were funny... they said something like "talk about hard core". Wow. I have no words. I'm very impressed with some of these young guys that seem to push the limit. You have to climb first, before  you snowboard. I just hope their moms don't know what they are doing...hahahha. (Don't even think about it Chris!)

Grand Teton itself

hiking up the ridge

 When we were just about at the end of the ridge, we Tom decided it was time to turn back. The steep switchbacks up the mountain, in the sun I might add, were about to begin and it was pretty hot. According to the map, we hiked about 3.5 miles of this hike, plus another mile walking to/from the parking lot. I think Tom should do this hike someday. Those switchbacks are beyond me. There were so many people on the trail, he would have lots of company.

it just keeps going...and gets steeper along the way

I'm doing pretty well!

Time to turn around?

We are really enjoying lots of hiking here. For more information on some of the wonderful hikes, for all levels, click here.

I say again....we are also really enjoying swimming in the lovely Jackson Lake, with the Tetons in view right across the lake. Pinch me!