At points, there were openings in the trees that provided nice views of Leigh Lake with Signal Mountain and other peaks rising in the background. The trail climbed gradually as it wrapped around the base of Rockchuck Peak to reach the entrance of Paintbrush Canyon.
Mount Moran rises above String Lake at sunriseĪfter following the shoreline for about three-quarters of a mile, I came to a junction at the northern end of the lake: the Leigh Lake Trail continued north but I turned left here, crossing the outlet of String Lake on a bridge and then following that trail gradually uphill for a half mile to reach the Paintbrush Canyon Trail.Īt the junction with the Paintbrush Canyon Trail, I took the right fork to follow the trail into the canyon. As its name suggests, the lake was narrow and elongated as I hiked north along the shore of the lake I caught many views of Mount Moran lit by sunrise alpenglow. I set off from the String Lake Trailhead and almost immediately came to the shore of tiny String Lake. Turn left and follow the loop road until reaching the turnoff on the right for String and Leigh Lakes take the turnoff and park at the large parking area at the end of the road. From Jackson, take US 26/89 north into the park, turn left at Moose Junction onto the Teton Park Road and follow it north to the turnoff for the Jenny Lake Scenic Drive. My mom decided to skip the 19-mile hike day, instead heading over to the Teton Aerial Tramway south of the park I was dropped off at the String Lake Trailhead early in the morning. I hiked this loop while on a summer roadtrip to Wyoming with my mother. This hike also traverses grizzly country, so it's a good idea to carry bear spray and to travel in groups. Hikers need to also be aware that afternoon summer thunderstorms are common in the Rockies it's best to be off high, exposed areas like Paintbrush Divide in the afternoon.
#Paintbrush divide snow how to
Snow lingers on exposed portions of the trail near Paintbrush Divide until August most years it's highly advisable to bring an ice axe and to know how to use it if you're hiking the trail earlier in the summer. Best done counterclockwise, this loop is a popular backpacking trip but can be feasibly be done in a long day by very fit hikers. This loop through two canyons in the Teton Range, visits two alpine lakes nestled high in the range, crosses a 10,700-foot pass, and packs in views of magnificent Grand Teton, Mount Owen, and Mount Moran from all angles. The Paintbrush Divide-Cascade Canyon Loop visits spectacular alpine terrain in the heart of Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park, with jaw-dropping views of soaring mountains and explosive displays of wildflowers in midsummer that make this one of the better hikes on the continent. Your experience may be different, but I think that going out to GTNP a few times and getting a sense for the backcountry of the park and the surrounding area during early summer was a good introduction to the area for us, and it allowed us to then set aside a few trips for purely hiking and backpacking in late August to check off those other boxes.The Tetons rise above the meadowed slopes of Cascade Canyonġ9.5 miles loop, 4000 feet elevation gainĭifficulty: Strenuous potentially difficult and dangerous snow sections before AugustĪccess: Paved road to trailhead, Grand Teton National Park entrance fee required You shouldn't have trouble with Amphitheater Lake in July either. We tried for the Paintbrush/Cascade loop one year and had to settle for a Holly Lake out and back, and tried for Static Peak divide another time and had to settle for Albright Peak, but they were still incredible hiking days and none of us felt too upset about not having to turn. The first few years that I went out to GTNP we went over the 4th of July week and, while we couldn't "finish" certain hikes, they were still great days of hiking. However, there's a ton of great hiking and there's nothing stopping you from starting those hikes and stopping when you reach an impasse.
If checking those boxes is a must, then later in the summer is a better bet.
The only down side is that, especially early in July, you're going to have to use crampons/ice axe if you want to hit the normally easy-to-hike-to spots like Static Peak, Paintbrush Divide, Hurricane Pass, etc. You're spot on about lower elevation wildflowers. In fact, it's probably my favorite time of year out there if you're going to primarily day hike and explore the area.
0 kommentar(er)
