Teton Crest Trip 2018

[HomerJ]

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...

 

[Caleb]

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!

 

[Absarokanaut]

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.