u/TheTree-43

Over the last year or so, I've really been enchanted by the Northern Tetons. The wild mountains above Jackson Lake are the perfect compliment to the jagged peaks in the central part of the range, and I finally managed to see them the right way this weekend. Perhaps the "easiest" way to get up here is from the other side, using the trails of the Jedidiah Smith Wilderness to gain entry to the most remote corner of the park thru the back door.

Getting to this point took a 12 mile backpack on day 1, and an 8 hour round trip (camp to camp) bushwhack/scramble on day 2. But the view over Snowshoe and Moran Canyons, with Cirque Lake just below the Cathedral Group with Mount Moran looming a little ways off made it all worthwhile. And the glacier at the head of Moose Basin 1000 ft below my boots made me feel small in such a great way.

An adventure I won't soon forget!

Conditions:

-A couple steep snow crossings still between Albright and Static, crampons would probably be needed in the morning but mine stayed in my pack as i was there in the afternoon and could easily kick steps in with my hiking boots. Buck Mountain Pass looked very snowy still.

-Timberline Lake is still frozen, and Buck Mountain east face/east ridge are still buried pretty deep.

-Death Canyon Shelf looks pretty melted with some snow patches.

-North aspect of Prospectors has quite a bit of snow remaining in certain gullys, particularly the drainage below rimrock lake.

Definitely a long day coming from the LSR Preserve, but the switchbacks up from the patrol cabin are a consistent grade which makes it easier to gain the elevation. Tons of marmots and chipmunks, and I even saw a rubber boa snake

I fooled you! This is actually both of my cats. It just looks like 1 long cat because of the perspective