“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.” -John Muir

Monday, January 5, 2009

Tough Hiking in the Snow

Most of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) is closed to vehicular traffic during the Winter. A few areas of the Park are still accessible and we have taken to hiking these frequently. Moose-Wilson Road, which connects GTNP & Teton Village and provides access to the new Rockefeller Nature Preserve, is such an area. The closed road is a popular cross country ski and snowshoe path because of it's flat surface and scenery. 
As we hiked we stayed to the packed paths; to do otherwise left our feet deep in the snow. Eventually I got curious and measured the snow pack. This photo shows how far down I dug to get to what I believe was ice atop the asphalt. 








The entrance to the Rockefeller Preserve off Moose-Wilson Road shows only cross country ski and snowshoe tracks. Each step across this meadow was a surprise as at times we sank up to our thighs in snow. 
Once we made it to the trailhead by the visitor center Traci discovered the trail guide box which holds maps and normally stands about 3 feet off the ground. 

Of course our hard work was rewarded with amazing views of the mountains. Clouds rolled in and out occasionally obscuring the peaks and dropping more powder. 

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