A LOOP THROUGH ALASKA (BASIN)
We had one final free day on our trip. I wanted to do one last grand hike, and Christy gave me the day for a solo hike. My plan was to hike from the campground up the Devils Staircase to Mount Meek Pass, and then down to Alaska Basin and back to the campground along the South Fork Teton Creek. That loop is over 16 miles, with 3,000’ of elevation gain, so I needed an early start.
I got up at 6am and managed to get on the trail by 6:45. It was a nice, cool morning for hiking up the valley. Those first couple of miles featured nice wildflowers and frequent views of the surrounding cliffs.
South Fork Teton Creek
Southern blue monkshood
Teton Canyon
Teton Canyon
How do you suppose that happened?
Columbines
Lewis Flax
Most of the climb up the Devils Staircase was tolerable, but there was one extremely steep stretch that I wouldn’t want to descend.
South Fork Teton Creek
Southern blue monkshood
Teton Canyon
Teton Canyon
How do you suppose that happened?
Columbines
Lewis Flax
Most of the climb up the Devils Staircase was tolerable, but there was one extremely steep stretch that I wouldn’t want to descend.
At the top of the staircase I began following a bench through lovely meadows. The bench is above the brink of the South Fork Teton Canyon, but below more cliffs capped by iconic peaks like The Wedge and Mount Meek. Views across the canyon were impressive, towards Battleship Mountain, Table Mountain, and the Tetons. Those views improved as I climbed. One stretch follows a sizeable stream that disappears underground.
At the top of the Devils Staircase
The Tetons from near the top of the Staircase
On the bench below The Wedge
Battleship Mountain and the Tetons
Buck Mountain and Static Peak, I think?
I eventually reached a junction with the Teton Crest Trail. Instead of heading directly to Alaska Basin, I decided to walk up to Mount Meek Pass and out onto Death Canyon Shelf. Christy and I hiked some of the Teton Crest Trail back in 2003, and the Death Canyon Shelf was my favorite part. I wanted to revisit a small part of it.
Mount Meek
Mount Meek Pass only has limited views, so I continued ahead. That was nice, but it was apparent that I would need to walk quite a way in the wrong direction to get the best views.
Death Canyon Shelf ahead
Columbine
I doubled back and then headed down the Sheep Steps into Alaska Basin. Once I entered the basin, I left the official trail to check out an alpine lake. It was very exposed, but the lake provides great views of Veiled Peak.
Alaska Basin
A great lunch spot
I had lunch there before continuing on to the junction with the South Fork Teton Creek Trail. This trail features some great views of Mount Meek, The Wedge, and the bench at the top of the Devils Staircase. From there I headed down into the woods.
The Wedge across the canyon
I was 4 miles or so from the end when I saw a bear. I only got a glimpse of it before it took off. That glimpse wasn’t enough to determine if it was a black bear or a grizzly.
I made it back to camp at 5:30 after hiking 18 miles. We had a great steak dinner and a bit of a campfire before heading to bed.
The next morning we packed up and hit the road. We stopped at Provisions in Driggs for a great meal and coffee. It was probably the best breakfast of the trip. Then we hit the road for the 30 hour drive home. We spent our final two nights in Nebraska and Illinois. Jackson did great despite being in the car for three days. Random playgrounds and hotel swimming pools were enough to keep him entertained until we made it home.
Our trip was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed introducing Jackson to our traditional summer lifestyle. It was also nice to have Christy back and joining me on the trails (most of the time). On the other hand, our trip was a lot of work. Afterwards, we both needed a vacation to recover from our vacation.
What is next? My days of carrying Jackson on my back up and down mountains is near (or past) its end. We recently purchased a family kayak that has adequate storage for camping gear. We need to do some practice trips, but we are thinking about a kayaking trip in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota in the next year or two.
