During a month and a half of working in Grand Teton National Park we did not have much time off, but when we did, we used those days for trips into the mountains. The most demanding routes fell in the last two weeks of our stay – they were two-day trips with a night in a tent, which require a paid permit. On 15–16 September we climbed South Teton (3814 m), and on our last weekend in Wyoming, 22–23 September, we hiked a loop of more than 32 km over the Paintbrush Divide pass. We remember both as some of the best days of the whole trip.
Table of contents
- South Teton (3814 m) – our highest yet
- Paintbrush Divide – the most beautiful trail in the USA
- Permits, bear boxes and practical information
South Teton (3814 m) – our highest yet
South Teton is one of the highest peaks of the Teton Range (3814 m above sea level). You climb it via Garnet Canyon: first along a normal trail with switchbacks, then up an increasingly rocky valley. On the first day we walked to the campsite in the canyon, where we pitched our tent – on the way we were accompanied by marmots basking on the rocks.
On the second day we set off for the summit. At a certain height the official trail ends and from there you have to pick your own way – over boulder fields, scree and snowfields, which in September were still lying in the gullies. Without good boots and ice axes, some places would have been very hard.
Towards the end I started having serious problems. I have a fear of heights, and the sight of the drop right next to me bothered me more and more; on top of that, I had almost no strength left to keep climbing. But I did not want to give up – carefully and steadily, we reached the summit. That is the moment I remember best from the whole trip: before going to the USA we had never even been at 3000 metres, and here we stood at 3814 m.
We had misjudged the time the climb would take, though. We were already coming down in the dark, then spent the whole night hitchhiking to Colter Bay Village – and in the end we were late for work. Lesson learned: for a climb like this, allow more time than you think, and take a headlamp.
Paintbrush Divide – the most beautiful trail in the USA
Just before leaving Wyoming we hiked the Paintbrush Divide trail – more than 32 km (20 miles), with the best views in the whole park. The name comes from the pass, the highest point of the route (about 3250 m), from which you can see Paintbrush Canyon on one side and Cascade Canyon on the other.
We started with Paintbrush Canyon, and it made a huge impression on us – to this day it is the most beautiful area we have hiked in the USA. At the end of September the bushes along the trail glowed in autumn colours, and higher up we had to cross a few snowfields.
From the pass we descended into Cascade Canyon – less stunning, but still beautiful – past Lake Solitude. We pitched our tent at over 2600 m. On the first day we covered more than 18 km, almost all of it uphill, leaving about 14 km for the second day, all downhill.
On the second day we walked down Cascade Canyon to Jenny Lake and hitched a ride straight to Colter Bay Village – we were there at about 15:30. We spent the remaining hours packing, because the next day we were leaving Wyoming and starting a month-long trip around the USA.
Permits, bear boxes and practical information
- Overnight permit – for a night in the mountains (outside campgrounds) you need a paid backcountry permit with an assigned camping zone. Some sites can be booked in advance, others are issued on the spot.
- Bear box – once your tent is up, food must be stored at a safe distance in a sealed bear-resistant container (a bear canister, lent to you when the permit is issued) or in a metal locker, if there is one at the campsite. This minimises the risk of a bear smelling food and coming up to your tent.
- South Teton – above Garnet Canyon there is no trail, only rock and snow; you need good boots and, in a season with lingering snow, an ice axe (and the skills to use it). This is a climb for people with mountain experience.
- Paintbrush Divide – the Paintbrush Canyon – Cascade Canyon loop starts at String Lake. There may be snow on the pass until late summer; ask the park rangers about conditions before setting off.
- Getting back – both trails end far from Colter Bay, and we got back by hitchhiking; in the park it is quite easy to get a ride.
Photo gallery
