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| Looking up the trail head at Teewinot |
Teewinot is the sixth highest peak in the Grand Tetons. It reaches an elevation of 12,325 feet and the summit can only be reached by using ropes. Today would not be the day I would reach the summit of Teewinot, but I would be having lunch at the Apex which sits at an elevation around 9500 feet. The morning began early with a 7:30am meeting time. Andy and Cami organized this hike and they wanted to beat the heat. This always makes me laugh in Jackson Hole, because their heat and Florida heat are two totally different things.
The trail starts out traveling through the lupine dotted sage flats before you have to hike through rocks (some large rocks) dropped by the glacier that flowed down Glacier Gulch. The trail is a steep one with beautiful views in each direction.
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| Views from the trail |
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| Trail views |
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| Taking a much needed water and breathing break |
The views on all of our hikes are amazing. The air is thin. The air is crisp. The trails are steep and in many places a physical challenge. It is hard to describe the feeling of simply being "out in it." It is a freedom that I love and a physical workout that pushes every muscle and fiber in my old body.
It is my "Adult Summer Camp," and I am falling in love with it as much as I love Mentone and my summers at Skyline Ranch.
Recently when Rashawn found out I had a trainer here in Jackson, he informed me that if I spent all my money staying in shape and lived until I was 85 years old and my money had run out, he would not pay my nursing home bills! My goal is not to out live my money or stay in shape to live until 100. My goal is to take advantage of every day while I can and to enjoy the world that is in front of me.
The trail leading up Teewinot is not a heavily traveled trail. It is a tough hike which has a large elevation gain in a short distance. These factors combine together to keep the short term tourist away from the trail. Because it is not a heavily traveled trail, there are sections of the trail that simply disappear. Searching for the trail always adds a bit of laughter to the day.
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| Andy searching for the trail. That is Jackson Lake in the background. |
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| View of Jenny Lake in foreground and Jackson Lake in the distance |
After two hours of steep up hill climbing, we finally reached the Apex. This was Andy's choice of a lunch spot, and it was a great lunch spot. The hike to the Apex was a tough one and my body needed to take a sit down break. From the Apex, we could see for miles and miles. The views were simply beautiful.
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| My seat at lunch at the Apex |
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| View from the Apex |
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| View up at the summit of Teewinot from my lunch seat at the Apex |
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| View from the Apex |
After a 20 or 30 minute lunch break, it was time to head back down. The hike down took about an hour and 40 minutes. The hike down is always a lot easier on a person in terms of cardio. The tough part of a hike down on a steep trail is the stress on your knees. Jackson Hole is also very dry at this time of year, so on a steep trail it is easy to lose your footing on the way down.
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| View on way down |
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| Heading down |
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| Almost all the way down. Can you see the cars in the parking lot? |
After 3 and a half hours, your body is tired. Your legs are a bit shakey and your feet are ready for flip flops. I have been taught to stay focused until my feet are on the flat end of the trail. This is very good advice to avoid injury. I must admit that as I crossed the small boulder field at the end of the trail, I lost a bit of focus and found myself stumbling off a boulder and into a tree branch. My first hiking injury. An uncomfortable stab by a branch, but I survived!
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| First hiking injury of the summer. A reminder to stay focused until the hike is over. |
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