Teton Crest Trip 2018

HomerJ thanks for the tips! My friend and I are in ROTC and our PT sessions keep us pretty fit, as well as ruck runs/marches of up to 12 miles at a time. I intend on doing these as training for the trip. Unfortunately I live in Minnesota and go to college in Ohio, so there is not much around for elevation training. :(

Oh, you'll be perfectly fine then. Only thing I'd recommend is to get there at least a day early to start acclimatizing. You could drive up to the top of either Teton Pass or Towgotee Pass and spend some a few hours there. Maybe have lunch up there or something and walk around... Towgotee is about 1200' higher than Teton Pass...
 
I mean, what is the TCT, maybe 40 miles from Phillips Pass? Less from the Tram. I did a three-day section of the TCT several years ago. At that point, the sum total of my backpacking experience was:

1) A college trip to the Smokies in March where I got badly hypothermic, carried sixty pounds, and wore cotton, and
2) A three day trip up Kings Peak, which I did immediately prior to driving to the Tetons to start the TCT.

I was the noobiest noob there is. I survived. I had a blast.

Not to diss on anyone here (there's a TON of collective experience here, and I'm certainly not the elder statesman of the backpacking world), but I'd feel very comfortable recommending at least a portion of the TCT to someone as a first backpacking trip. It's really hard to get lost, the effort/reward ratio is top notch, and information is plentiful. And I'd argue that there are plenty of bailout options. Granite Canyon, Death Canyon, and Cascade Canyon. At the end of the day, you've got to start somewhere. And while the Tetons are no joke, it's not like we're curing cancer or climbing Everest here. Do your research, plan modest days, spend a couple days at altitude before you start to acclimate, carry suitable rain gear, and you'll pretty much be fine.

But more to the point, the best way to set yourself up for a long, enjoyable "career" as a backpacker, is just to get out on your local trails, even if they're not the Tetons. Get the reps, not because you'll die in the Tetons if you don't get them, but just because... it's just plain fun. Stoked for you man!!!

Thanks man, I'm super excited as well!
 
Excellent points taken gentlemen. My concern is not so much with where the hike is but the length. Doing an overnight or two beforehand would be incredibly valuable in my opinion. I too don't want to be a wet blanket and encourage you to hike your own hike BUT: Be CERTAIN of what gear you *MIGHT* need. I've seen far too many folks out there that were miserable, hypothermic, injured, and in serious danger of demise beause they felt they were empowered ultralighers. There's a lot of great ultralight ger out there, a lot of kwap too. We of course hope you have excellent weather but be PREPARED for WINTER the first week of August and any other week of the year when you're well over a mile high all the time. I had 10" of snow once on the first of August. With far deeeper and frequent drifts Finding the trail was impossible. I'll just encourage you to think of doing a shorter trip first time out.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
A Teton Crest Trail Shuttle Resource Discussions 3
Mikjik86 4 Days Backpacking Grand Teton Wilderness/Teton Crest Trail - Wyoming, July, 2021 Backpacking 0
dgosche Teton Crest July Trip Planning 2
A Teton Crest Trail Trip Planning 3
Rockskipper Grand Teton Renews Historic Crest Trail General Discussion 9
wabenho Teton Crest Trail - August 2020 Backpacking 13
wabenho Teton Crest Questions Trip Planning 9
yoBear2116 Doing a shuttle on the Teton Crest Trail Trip Planning 4
P Teton Crest Trail via Coal Creek/Moose Meadow trails Trip Planning 2
woodmaker_58 Table Mt to Hurricane Pass/ Teton Crest Trail Trip Planning 5
C Teton Crest Trail permit campsite distance problem Trip Planning 10
Brian Bucca Tips for scoring a walk in permit for Teton Crest trail Trip Planning 0
G Teton Crest Trail Itinerary Trip Planning 3
linkin22luke Shuttle for the Teton Crest Trail Trip Planning 1
jdfut66 Teton Crest Trail - August 2018 Backpacking 6
D Teton Crest Trail questions Trip Planning 6
jdfut66 Teton Crest Trail backup plan Trip Planning 5
C Teton Crest Trail - end of August 2018 Trip Planning 0
Cburton Teton Crest Trail Permit Issues - Help! Trip Planning 15
HomerJ Teton Crest Trail - August 2017 Backpacking 13
jkgear Campsite suggestions for Teton Crest Trail Trip Planning 18
AKay09 Teton Crest Trail, GTNP - 09/2016 *Pic Heavy!* Backpacking 23
AKay09 Teton Crest Trail September Weather? Trip Planning 4
Joey An 8 Day off trail backpack through the Crest of Grand Teton National Park Backpacking 22
isleroyaleguy Teton Crest trail. ...Doug and Anita Tour 2015...final chapter! Backpacking 6
isleroyaleguy Teton Crest trail. ..Doug and Anita Tour 2015...part 2 Backpacking 4
pstm13 Teton Crest Trail July 13th-17th 2015 Backpacking 21
pstm13 Teton Crest Trail July 13th-17th (ish) Meet Up (Members Only) 1
Ben Teton Crest (mostly) loop, june 28 - july 2 Backpacking 13
Bob Teton Crest Trail Resource Discussions 0
Nickrgough Teton Crest Trail 9/3 - 9/7 Backpacking 8
TractorDoc Paintbrush Canyon / Cascade Canyon Loop -- Grand Teton NP September 11, 2023 Hiking & Camping 9
Bob Teton Wilderness July 2024 Trip Planning 38
D Grand Teton Cascade Loop Trip Planning 1
TheMountainRabbit Request: Grand Teton Ascent Trip Planning 0
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Nine / Day Nine + Ten! Backpacking 20
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Eight / Day Eight Backpacking 14
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Seven / Day Seven Backpacking 13
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Six / Day Six Backpacking 28
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Five / Day Five Backpacking 16
TheMountainRabbit Ortenburger Lake, Talus Lake, & Glacier Peak (Grand Teton NP) - October 2023 Backpacking 14
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Four / Day Four Backpacking 15
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 Part Three / Day Three Backpacking 10
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 -- Part Two / Day Two Backpacking 6
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Thorofare and the Teton Wilderness 08/09/2023 - 08/18/2023 --Part One / Day One Backpacking 10
TheMountainRabbit Invite Grand Teton NP, October 7th-10th 2023 Meet Up (Members Only) 0
TheMountainRabbit Southern Absaroka & Thorofare Mountain (Teton/Washakie Wilderness) - July 2023 Backpacking 23
J Pacific Creek or North Buffalo Fork? Teton Wilderness, Thorofare ,etc. Trip Planning 10
Bob Teton Wilderness Trip Planning 2
W Paper map for Teton Wilderness (Younts Peak) Gear 4

Similar threads

Back
Top