Day34 Gros Ventre – Jun 13
I awaken, breakfast and clean for Tracey’s arrival. I ran out one of my propane tanks at 3a last night and had to dash out and switch over. I ran into town and replaced the tank and headed back to camp. Got to the airport in plenty of time to collect Tracey and her baggage, then brought her to camp and introduced her to the trailer and all of the systems available on board. We will be dry camping for the most part, with a replenish day every three to four days as needed to recharge the batteries. As I think I have mentioned previously, this is cheaper than paying for full hook ups.
We take a quick inventory of my food supply and head out for a little dinner and some serious grocery shopping. Other than some fruit and a couple of dinners out, this food will last us the entire two weeks.
View from my camp at Gros Ventre, a bison close up and bison feeding in the Tetons
Day35 Gros Ventre – Jun 14
This is an acclimation day for Tracey. We head over to the town of Moose to the Visitor’s Center and do the shopping thing as well as visit the back-country office to plan our first overnight. We get some preliminary ideas from the Ranger there, but don’t make a commitment as we want to wait until we move into the north end of the park. We do get the details on a short day hike in Death Canyon, which Tracey picks just because she likes the sound of it. We hike that out to Phelps Lake Overlook and the view cannot be described as we lunch about 400 feet above the lake.
On the way up, we do come across a Black Bear feeding in an open meadow. Lots and lots of photos are taken by us both as well as several other hikers in the area. I know he can smell us nearby, as the wind is at our backs, but he cares very little and keeps on feeding.
Lewis Lake, Black Bear feeding in a meadow, and Phelps Lake from an overlook
Bison feeding in the Tetons and a Beaver in the Gros Ventre River
Day36 Colter Bay RV Park – Jun 15
Moving day! We head north through Grand Teton NP to camp at the Colter Bay RV Park. This is the only camp in Grand Teton that has full hook-ups (electric, gas & water). I have been dry camping at Gros Ventre (Grow Vont) for four days now and battery power is below a third, water tanks are low and darn it the cold weather was really starting to wear on me. Nice to have all the electric I wanted to run as much heat as I could get. We stopped at several overlooks and pull offs on the way up, including Jenny Lake where we pop in at the Ranger’s Station and pull our back-country permit for our first backpacking adventure. We set up camp in the late afternoon and spend the better part of the evening checking through our gear, prepacking our meals and packing our backpacks for tomorrow.
Our plan is a single overnight on the Cascade Canyon Trail; however, snow is a very real possibility. We decide to use my two-man tent to take advantage of a single footprint and perhaps the benefit of shared body heat in a small space. Our meals are partly no cook and partly reheat. Tracey will use her stove for most of the cooking to gain some experience and I will utilize my little alcohol stove for hot water and purification if necessary.
We have to use a Bear Barrel, which is a container shaped like a beer keg only much smaller. It is constructed so that the bears cannot get at your food. This item is provided free of charge when you apply for your backcountry permit at the Ranger’s Office. I will carry the tent and food, and she will carry the water.