Each year we make the hike up the Grand View Trail. It’s a round trip of about three and a half miles. The Point itself is at seven thousand two hundred feet and often trail runners pass us…. At seventy-five years old we didn’t know if we could make the hike, but we wanted to try. Its our yearly goal!
Arming ourselves with bear spray. We started the hike and at the first mud puddles we stopped to admire the Grizzly bear tracks.
A man returned from the hike and told us he had heard a bear growling at the summit but didn’t look over the edge, (he had his bear spray out and ready!
The tracks at the start were of a full-grown bear and a much smaller cub.
Continuing, we reached the trees and noticed a spot where a bear had marked a tree with its claws. Interesting!
Two flocks of Ruffed Grouse retreated from us and used their camouflage to hide in the brush. I missed them with the camera on my phone. Further up we reached the halfway point and paused for a short rest.
We drank some water and continued to climb. I was impressed with Renita as I let her set the pace. She cranked up the trail, and we both stopped several times to catch our breath.
Passing a huge rock ledge, we knew we were nearing the summit and before long another rock outcrop marked the spot, we picnic at. The summit was just above us and we finally reached the sign. Another couple was near us and we took turns taking pictures. They were from the California Coast and remarked about the effects on altitude.
As we talked another couple stopped and we learned they were from South Carolina. No one had seen any bears, but the second couple told us that the road to Two Ocean Lake was closed due to bear activity, You can see two lakes from the summit, Two Ocean Lake and Emma Martilda, (the smaller of the two).
Stopping at the picnic site, (not tables just volcanic rock), we took a selfie, ate our lunch and headed back down. There were lots of loose rocks and so we used our trek poles to keep our balance.
it’s a lot harder to go downhill and I almost fell at several places. I was definitely not in my best physical shape and so I had to stop at places as my legs were acting like a sewing machine.
Normally we also hike the Treager Lake Trail and the Lake Phelps Trail but not this year. Between Doctors visits, Physical therapy for my back, and making cabochons, the summer has passed and now we are starting to pack for our trip to Montana and then South Texas.
If you plan on hiking any trails in Grand Teton National Park always carry bear spray!
Clear skies
