Backcountry Bliss

There are certain times in my life when I look around and know that I am exactly where I want to be; no matter the minor blips, my life is just as I hoped it would become. Hiking the backcountry of Grand Teton National Park these past few days has afforded me many of those moments. Sure, I was dirty, tired, and sore, but I also felt so incredibly alive and enraptured with the absolute beauty around me.

Originally, we had planned for a 3-day, 30-mile loop through the backcountry. These plans were thwarted by the lingering snow pack, as we had no desire to mess with cramp-ons and ice axes. Luckily, the alternative we settled upon turned out just as spectacular. We ended up hiking a mere 3 miles in to Phelps Lake, where we set up camp and were able to reach both Death Canyon and Open Canyon as day hikes. The scenery was breathtaking. The waterfalls flowed freely. The wildflowers were just beginning their summer bloom. We saw black bear, moose, and deer. And - most importantly - we rarely came into contact with other people. (In fact, the most contact with had with anything living was the button buck who hung out at our camp each night.) This excursion proved to be an ideal trek into the wild.

Tonight, we're recharging in Jackson Hole. Tomorrow, we're headed up to Yellowstone, where we're going to embark on an epic 7-day, 70-mile expedition into to the northeast portion of the park. Wish us luck!