The Earth in my Shoes (Grand Teton, Part 1)

Dear friends and family,

Much of this trip across the continent (and back) has been defined by new experiences, and adventures into the unknown, and meanders and wanders from the beaten path. Yes, I did plan this trip out for over three years, but no itinerary has followed me so closely as the asphalt beneath and the wind overhead, and they are the only things that truly guide me in these travels.

But now we reach something I planned from the start to be the greatest highpoint of this trip: Grand Teton National Park.

I love Grand Teton. I love it like my best friend. I first came to this mountain range in 2020, without even knowing it existed, and discovering it only because I was trying to find campgrounds relatively near Yellowstone (Teton borders the southern edge of Yellowstone). How could I not have known about such a magnificent corner of the Earth? How can anyone live, not knowing the beauty that bookends the high end of the Snake River? I don’t know how I did it. And it was a journey to this fountain of life around which I planned this entire trip. I truly started thinking about this road trip before my 2020 misadventures concluded, and this was the very first locale I put on my long, long Excel sheet that eventually became this trip.

Oh Teton, I missed much. I missed you like I miss my friends and family back home, a continent away.

So I was doubly fortunate to return to your serenity with one of my dearest friends in tow 💙

Everyone say hi to Purnima!

*I mean it! Say it WITH FEELING*

Purnima and I met through LMH several many years ago in a story that involves a mild amount of miscommunication and a 13-mile-hike around Hawksbill Peak in Shenandoah. She kicked my ass on that hike and we’ve been fast friends ever since! And I was unbelievably happy that she was able to meet me out in Teton for a long weekend and ~~could split the cost of a real cabin instead of this damn twofer tent I’ve been pitching for forever and a day~~ could share in the beauty of Grand Teton!

Thanks for hanging out with me fam 💙

So anyways! Our first day we went to the southern end of the park for a warm-u- hike in Granite Canyon:

“A warm-up?” You question, having visited Teton before, “I don’t know, looks pretty serious to me! Shouldn’t you have started out on Signal Mountain or some lakeside trails?”

Maybe! But hiking around Granite Canyon has one major, major advantage over other hikes in the area:

The gondola does most of the work for you!

At the far southern end of the park is Jackson Hole Ski ~~Hill~~ Resort, which runs its gondola in the summer and allows you to hike around the peaks without the arduous, chest-hairing ascent of the local peaks. Which, you know what? I’m fine with that. I’ve put down plenty of miles up and down many peaks across this country and I’m fine having a break for this one 🙂

And look how much happier we are when we can laugh at the folly of those “uphillers”, always doing things the hard way!

The hike was just what we needed to get oriented and acclimated to moseying in the area. Taking the gondola up also allows you to see one of the most famous ski runs in the North America:

Corbet’s Couloir.

If the insane verticality of this send isn’t immediately clear from this photo, here are some other angles:

From the approach path.

From the nearby ledge.

From the tram.

Now I may be a bonified sender myself, but I would never try this out. The view from the window of the gondola is plenty enough for me 🙂

On what other hike can you get waffles and nutella at the top??

It was a grand old time indeed!

With our warm-up concluded, the next day we tackled Amphitheater Lake:

And I’m not gonna lie, this hike took some doing! It was steep up and steep down and had a lot of miles in the middle. I know that describes virtually every hike ever but trust me, it was hard.