Grand Tetons (Day 2)



Trail to Inspiration Point

We decided to do a long hike on day 2.  Lots of prep involved, packing up the new backpack with everything from bug spray, sunscreen, sandwiches and water, to bear spray, first aid, a leatherman and rain gear.  Bill even made a noise maker out of a metal water bottle and coins, to make our presence known on the trail, mainly to bears.  Based on a Ranger’s recommendation, we started at the String Lake trailhead, and hiked around the lake over to Jenny Lake and up to Inspiration Point. 




Little chippies

The final ascent to Inspiration Point  - a beautiful overlook of Jenny Lake and the mountains - was very steep, with a rocky edge, and tons of people – apparently a tourist spot to go.  It’s a moderate level trail and some of these people were wearing flip flops – tough stuff!  You couldn’t help but notice all the domesticated little “chippies” running around.  A well traveled area, these little guys come right up to you, even would sit on your leg, probably looking for food.  We hung there for a few minutes, met a nice older couple that were traveling in an RV – Jim and Mary.  Turns out they were from Berwyn, Pa!  They were a super nice, active older couple.  We took some beautiful photos, and video of the chips, and then we continued on to the Cascade Canyon Trail. 

That leads you up to the Cascade Canyon, which is a canyon between two peaks – Grand Teton and Mount Owen.  A bull moose was spotted along a quiet part of the trail in the Canyon Creek, and we got some great photos there.  We shared the binoculars with some of other hikers, because to see this thing close up was amazing…loved the fuzzy antlers!   




Bull moose

A little while later, we approached some other hikers.  A woman motioned to us, put a finger to her mouth and then waved us on, which I saw, but don’t think Bill did.  Of course, Bill was clanking away with his “bear aware” can, and then we got the big shush, LOL!  We soon realized what was going on - there was a mama moose and her calf, grazing on some bushes just 50’ off the trail.  We took some nice photos and pressed onward.  We also ran into a marmot along the way and got his pic too.  

Momma moose and her calf




Yellow-bellied marmot



At top of trail

We got to our destination and the end of the trail, a beautiful spot overlooking the canyon, and found a nice big rock on the edge to sit and have some lunch.  There was an older (unfriendly) couple that we’d been seeing along the way, and I think they wanted our rock, but we didn’t budge.  They actually stood there, as if it were “their rock” and they were waiting for us to get up, but again, we didn’t budge!  I was just glad I scoped it out and took it before they did, LOL.  We did meet a nice family from Australia there – actually, the mother was the one that had shushed us, but she was nice about it.  We chatted with them for awhile.  They had been to Grand Teton NP 19 years earlier, when their first child was an infant, and here they were with their grown (two) kids doing it again.  Very sweet.  After a about a half hour, we started the trek back.  There were some beautiful views along the trail…gentle rivers, rapid rivers, waterfalls, cascades, canyon views, and mountains all around us. 




Crazy driftwood - looks like a boar

As we got into the home stretch, feeling a little beat up, we ran into some hikers that told us they had just seen a small grizzly bear, climbing up the mountainside, right where Jenny Lake and String Lake meet up, which was exactly where we had to go to get back to the car.  The next group we saw confirmed the same thing, and even questioned the possibility that it was multiple bears.  With tired legs and anxiety, we finished the last couple of miles, as quickly as possible, while talking loudly and Bill clanking away his can.  When all was said it done, it was a 12.4 mile hike – 3.5 hours up, and 2.5 hours down.  We were spent.  But to date, it was Bill’s favorite part of our trip. 




Final sunset in the Tetons

That evening, we made some hotel arrangements, Bill took care of some work calls, and then we grabbed a bite at the lounge and saw our final Grand Teton sunset.