The Ortenburger Lake Expedition, Grand Teton National Park

Joey

walking somewhere
Joined
Apr 1, 2014
Messages
878
If you don't know where this is, don't worry. No one else does either ;).

This is a special place. And one of the most "Epic" trips I've ever done. Although I know people visit here, Its probably less than once per year (and even then its mostly backcountry rangers who visit). If you do a search online, the only pictures and trip reports will come back here. I have no problem putting It out here, since its extremely hard to reach.

This is a rough draft video. I'm still learning video editing, and will be working on this for a while. But the footage is spectacular. For anyone who wants to skip ahead, things get pretty good around the 14 minute mark.

Special thanks to @kcwins, who was a part of this trip.

 
Last edited:
looks like a lot of images are broken on the linked trip report
 
Your right, I'm not sure what's going on there. Has something to do with Facebook hosting the images.

Might be privacy settings on Facebook? I tried right clicking and loading up one of the images last night and it gave me an odd message. Don't forget you're always welcome to host your photos right here on BCP. I know it can be a pain sometimes doing it externally.
 
What an awesome looking trip and picturesque landscapes, especially that 2nd night campsite. I second the others, thanks for making this for us to enjoy.
 
Thanks for taking the time to do this @Joey. I'm still working on my video which includes video and pictures from all 3 of us. Trying to get it down to about 45 minutes if I can.
This was a top 2 all time Teton trip for me. I've been there many many times and this trip is right there with one I did in 2006 where I felt like I was at a zoo. Wildlife everywhere!
I went back for a second trip the week after Labor Day. This trip (the Ortenburger trip along with my company) basically ruined that trip. The weather was much nicer too. Thanks Utah.
 
Great trip. I always wondered if you could make it down Moran Canyon, looks doable with your video. Just FYI the sign on top of Moose peak and Moose Basin must have been misleading about the Idaho boundary. You were still a good 10 miles inside of Wyoming up there on the Teton spine. Idaho is a good 10 miles West. Plenty of beautiful Wyoming country to explore between you and Idaho in the Bitch Creek and Hidden lake area dropping down towards Squirrel Meadows. Nice hike, thanks for posting and taking the time for letting us share.
 
Brent, since this trip I've been north of Mount Moran a few times. The following year we did a trip starting at the same TH and only got as far as the Glacier Lake system where we were snowed in for 3 days. I think Vegan wrote a trip report on it as that trip included Joey, John (Vegan), Johns friend Craig, Ben (Ben) and me. We ended up backtracking to Moose Basin then exited on the west side. We hiked past Camp Lake and down Bitch Creek. It was a 20+ mile day that ended up with a $300 taxi ride back to Jackson after 10:00PM.

Ben had informed us that we were NOT in Idaho while up there. As we exited down Bitch Creek we passed the sign indicating we were now in Idaho.

While there is footage from that trip, a video has yet to be created. I still love it up there (North of Moran).

Peace
 
Did you map your track for this? I'm wanting to hike the crest through the northern canyons, but my preference is to go off-trail on the east side of the crest - not on the FS trails on the west side. Thanks!
 
Did you map your track for this? I'm wanting to hike the crest through the northern canyons, but my preference is to go off-trail on the east side of the crest - not on the FS trails on the west side. Thanks!
Joey doesn't post here much...
East side was burned few years back in the Berry fire...
 
Joey doesn't post here much...
East side was burned few years back in the Berry fire...
I've hiked Berry, Owl, and Webb Canyons all as recently as this past summer. Lots of post-fire growth, yes, but my question is about route-finding along the Crest...
 
I've hiked Berry, Owl, and Webb Canyons all as recently as this past summer. Lots of post-fire growth, yes, but my question is about route-finding along the Crest...
K... . One word, easy if you're used to off trail stuff, which I do alot Did from grassy lake to Teton pass years ago but stayed on the west side to avoid carrying bear canisters. I saw a report years ago if someone hiking the divide without getting off it much at least to near solitude if I remember right
 
K... . One word, easy if you're used to off trail stuff, which I do alot Did from grassy lake to Teton pass years ago but stayed on the west side to avoid carrying bear canisters. I saw a report years ago if someone hiking the divide without getting off it much at least to near solitude if I remember righon
How was going from Littles down to Solitude for you? That looks like a pretty steep descent.
 
Where do you meet up with the trail? Do you summit Table and then go down to Hurricane Pass? How is the ledge past Mica? Any exposure?
 
Where are you planning to start and finish? The short answer is, Yes. You can summit Table or stay south of it and hit the trail in the basin. But you SHOULD grab the highly trafficked summit of Table while you're there. There is very little exposure above Mica, but it can be easily avoided.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
TheMountainRabbit Ortenburger Lake, Talus Lake, & Glacier Peak (Grand Teton NP) - October 2023 Backpacking 14
Joey Moose Basin, Ortenburger Lake, Glacier Lakes Northern Grand Teton NP 6 Day Trip Backpacking 6
scatman Grebe Lake - September 4th through the 6th, 2024 Meet Up (Members Only) 20
K How long in Lake Bled? Trip Planning 1
wsp_scott Yellowstone Lake to Brooks Lake (Aug 2023) Backpacking 16
Mikjik86 Backpacking Indian Peaks Wilderness - King Lake - August, 2023 Backpacking 0
Ugly Two Popular Lake Basins in the Cascades Backpacking 12
kwc Fall hike to Chase Lake, Southern Adirondacks Hiking & Camping 1
TrektheWorld Red Deer Lake & Beyond Backpacking 10
shredhiker Thorofare, Heart Lake, Snake River Sept. 2023 Backpacking 16
Bob Wind Rivers - Short Trip to Cook Lake Trip Reports 9
regehr (Uintas) Lake Fork Fun Backpacking 8
Timber High Sierra - North Lake to South Lake Loop - Layover Day Trip Planning 9
kwc Limekiln Lake paddle On The Water 0
shredhiker YNP Fawn Pass to Sportsman, Crescent, Shelf Lake Backpacking 11
Bob The Thorofare to Brooks Lake - 9 Days in Pictures Backpacking 10
Janice Lizard Head Plateau - overlook Upper Cathedral Lake? Trip Planning 15
uintafly Chepeta Lake to Hayden Pass Trip Planning 0
DrNed Naturalist Basin: Blue Lake to Shaler Lake? Trip Planning 12
shredhiker YNP Fawn Pass to Sportsman & Crescent Lake Trip Planning 14
kwc Jockeybush Lake- southern Adirondacks Hiking & Camping 0
shredhiker Yellowstone Heart Lake September 2022 Backpacking 9
TheMountainRabbit Black Lake (Rocky Mountain NP) - January 2023 Hiking & Camping 3
Ross Any Lake Powell experts who can advice on changed conditions at dramatically new lake levels? Trip Planning 3
NorthwestWanderer Backpacking Grand Teton National Park : Fossil Pass,Fox Creek Pass,Indian Lake,Alaska Basin,Hurricane Pass,Ice Floe Lake,& Snowdrift Lake Backpacking 19
NorthwestWanderer 8 Day High Sierra trek : Humphreys Basin, Star Col, Granite Park, Lake Italy & Piute Canyon 6/25-7/2/22 Backpacking 7
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. The Second Half. Backpacking 15
kwc Another Southern Adirondacks hike - Clockmill Pond and Rock Lake Hiking & Camping 0
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. Part One of Two. Backpacking 61
kwc Round Lake, north central Adirondacks, in the Round Lake Wilderness On The Water 2
Jackson Heart Lake and Snake River for Labor Day Backpacking 23
scatman Pacific Creek, Moss Lake and Gravel Lake - Teton Wilderness - October 7, 2022 Backpacking 32
TractorDoc Yellowstone's Hayden Valley, Trout Creek, Beach Lake, and Arnica Creek Meadows. September 11, 2022. Hiking & Camping 7
balzaccom Obata Lake...xc in Yosemite Backpacking 0
scatman Grizzly Lake - September 7, 2022 Backpacking 31
P Yellowstone, one night by a lake Backpacking 19
kwc A Few More Photos from Scatman’s Grizzly Lake trip … Backpacking 3
P Scatman's Grizzly Lake hike, 2022 Backpacking 28
P Yellowstone--Heart Lake to South Entrance Backpacking 13
scatman Shoshone Lake Lollipop Loop - Yellowstone National Park - July 24, 2022 Backpacking 63
T How big are the Mirror Lake campgrounds in the Porkies? Trip Planning 6
Georgia Yankee Apostle Islands, Lake Superior (again), June 2022 On The Water 4
kwc Adirondack Hike to Middle Lake Hiking & Camping 0
K Hello from the Salt Lake Valley Noobs: Introduce yourself! 2
J Lake Powell at 3528 feet General Discussion 1
WasatchWill WRHR: Day 5 - Camp Lake to Titcomb Basin Backpacking 15
WasatchWill WRHR: Day 4 - Halls Lake to Camp Lake Backpacking 17
WasatchWill WRHR: Day 3 - 'Desolation Valley' to Halls Lake Backpacking 15
J Lake Mead NRA and Sloan Canyon NCA summit and vista hikes. Nov 21-25, 2021 Hiking & Camping 0
scatman Grizzly Lake - Yellowstone National Park - September - 2022 Meet Up (Members Only) 149

Similar threads

Back
Top