Saturday, July 30, 2016

Public Asked to Report Suspicious Activity Surrounding Recent Wildfire Starts

Disturbing trends in recent wildfire starts have led local U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement officials to request public vigilance regarding suspicious activity on public lands in southeast Wyoming and northern Colorado.

From July 15-26, five suspicious fires were started on the Medicine Bow-Routt and Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests. The majority of these fires occurred fairly close to the Laramie, Wyo., area. The fires took place near Fox Park, Centennial, Commissary Park, Happy Jack Ski Hill, and Stub Creek, south of Woods Landing. All were suppressed during initial response by fire crews.

The Forest Service is actively investigating, and anyone with specific information on how these fires may have started should contact Law Enforcement Officer Hannah Nadeau at 307-343-2335.

Anyone witnessing future suspicious actions is also encouraged to contact Officer Nadeau.

As always, the U.S. Forest Service encourages fire safety to Forest recreationists. Campers and other public land users need to follow basic fire safety rules:

* Scrape back dead grass and forest materials from your campfire site.

* Keep your campfire small and under control; make it only as big as you need it.

* Keep a shovel and a water container nearby to douse escaped embers.

* Put your campfire dead out before leaving your campsite or going to sleep.

* Do not park vehicles in tall dry grass, since hot tailpipes can cause fine fuels to catch on fire.

* Remember that any ignition – cigarettes, campfires, gunfire, vehicles – could be the cause of a wildland fire, as grass and other vegetation is dry and extremely flammable.

* Always follow current fire restrictions.

* Fireworks are not allowed on federal lands.

* Stage I fire restrictions currently exist on the Thunder Basin National Grassland.

To report a wildland fire, please call the interagency dispatch centers below: 

- Routt NF – Craig Dispatch Center, (970) 826-5037

- Medicine Bow NF, Thunder Basin NG – Casper Dispatch, (307) 261-7691



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Friday, July 29, 2016

Wildlife Investigator: Bear Attacked Cyclist Near West Glacier After Collision

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) personnel are continuing to investigate a bear attack on a mountain biker on June 29th on Forest Service property a few miles south of West Glacier. Brad Treat, a law enforcement officer with the U.S. Forest Service, was riding his mountain bike when he was attacked by a bear on the Green Gate/Half Moon trail system off of U.S. Highway 2. Treat’s companion reported the incident and was not attacked. Treat was found dead by officers at the scene of the attack.

Based on preliminary findings, Wildlife Human Attack Response Team Lead Investigator Brian Sommers believes that Treat was moving at a high rate of speed on his mountain bike along the narrow trail and collided with the bear. Sight visibility at the location of the collision is very limited and the collision was unavoidable. The bear reacted which led to the attack.

Based on this information and the investigation to this point, the team has removed the bear traps and cameras from the area.

The Green Gate/Half Moon trail system remains closed and posted by Forest Service officials. For more information on the closure contact Flathead National Forest at 406-758-5200.

The incident is under continued investigation and more details will be released as they become available.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Comet Falls

Comet Falls just might be the most impressive waterfall I’ve ever seen. As one of the highest waterfalls in Mt. Rainier National Park, it plunges 462 feet over the course of four drops, with the tallest drop being measured at 301 feet.

This outstanding hike begins from the Comet Falls Trailhead, located near Christine Falls between Longmire and Paradise. The trail follows Van Trump Creek for the majority of the route. Along the way you’ll pass numerous cascades, cataracts and waterfalls as the creek rushes down the gorge. As a result of the rugged terrain the trail climbs fairly steeply in many spots.

The trail itself is also very rugged, and is littered with numerous rocks and roots. Given that wet conditions normally pervade in the Pacific Northwest, descending back to the trailhead can be fairly treacherous as a result of slick rocks, roots and mud. As you descend, your best bet is to try and avoid anything that’s wet in order to prevent slips. I would definitely recommend using trekking poles - especially during wet conditions.

Roughly a quarter-of-a-mile above the trailhead hikers will cross over Van Trump Creek on a footbridge that spans roughly 50 feet above a stream that crashes through a narrow, rocky gorge. Upstream is an awesome cascading waterfall (photo above), while Christine Falls plunges through the canyon just downstream from the footbridge. Although you can’t see it from this vantage point, I highly recommend visiting the roadside viewing area just up the road from the trailhead (photo below).

As we climbed higher we enjoyed a wide variety of wildflowers.

At just over 1.5 miles you’ll cross over Van Trump Creek where Bloucher Falls crashes into the rocky terrain just upstream from the footbridge. Don’t confuse this with Comet Falls, which is still another quarter-of-a-mile up the trail.


A distant Comet Falls finally comes into view not far above Bloucher Falls:
I highly recommend continuing a little further up the trail to get an up-front view of the falls as they thunder and crash into the rocks below. It’s quite amazing! This was by far the best waterfall hike we’ve ever done.


The waterfall received its name because it resembles the tail of a comet.
Beyond the falls the trail continues up to the sub-alpine meadows of Van Trump Park. Although snow made this area impassable during our mid-June hike, we really wished we could’ve continued on as this area is known for its awesome wildflower displays, as well as its dramatic views of Mt. Rainier. To reach Van Trump Park you’ll have to travel another mile and climb an additional 1100 feet.


Trail: Comet Falls Trail
RT Distance: 3.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1250 feet
Max Elevation: 4875 feet
TH Location: Near Christine Falls east of Longmire
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map



Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.






Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Fire Investigators: 2015 Colter Bay Dorm Fire Caused by Suicide

An investigation into a fatal structure fire that occurred last year in Grand Teton National Park has been completed. An ISB Special Agent worked with US Park Rangers, the State of Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety, Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, City of Rawlins Fire Department and United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives throughout the investigation.

Upon getting the call for help just after midnight on July 31, 2015, Teton Interagency Dispatch Center personnel initiated the immediate response of firefighters and medics. The fire originated in a second floor dormitory room of the Colter Bay dormitory, which is managed by the Grand Teton Lodge Company. Residents and neighbors deployed fire extinguishers until help arrived. Rangers, park structural fire fighters, and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS suppressed the fire within about two hours.

During suppression efforts, responders found an unresponsive man in the dorm room where the fire originated. Advance life support treatment was attempted to resuscitate him; however, medical control instructed the paramedics on scene to cease resuscitate efforts and pronounced the victim deceased. He was a 28‐year‐old employee of the Grand Teton Lodge Company, and had sustained third degree burns to over 50% percent of his body.

The investigation determined the man had intentionally caused the fire using a flammable device in his room that resulted in his death. The Teton County Coroner Office ruled the manner of death a suicide. Four other people suffered minor injuries from the fire. All patients were transported to St. John’s Medical Center where they treated and released.

The "all-out effort" by responders prevented the fire from spreading further than one room in the dormitory. "It was an amazing response from Grand Teton National Park firefighters, EMTs, rangers, and also the Jackson Hole Fire and EMS responders," said the park's spokesperson, Jackie Skaggs (retired).



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Small Wildfire Reported in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton National Park official have reported on their Facebook page that a small fire is burning near Jackson Lake. Here's what they have posted so far:
"Teton Interagency Firefighters are monitoring a lightning-ignited fire about three miles west of the northwest shore of Jackson Lake and about six miles south of the Grassy Lake Road in the park. Smoke is visible from the east side of Jackson Lake, including US Highway 89. No closures are currently in effect, but backcountry visitors to the area should remain alert for changing fire conditions."
Last week Teton Interagency fire managers announced that the fire danger rating was increased to Very High for the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Grand Teton National Park and Teton Interagency Dispatch Area. The National Park has also reported smoky conditions from two other nearby wildfires. Due to conducive weather conditions, those fires continue to grow. Here's an update on those fires:

* The Cliff Creek Fire was discovered on the Bridger-Teton National Forest at 2:30pm on Sunday, July 17th. It was reported approximately 5 miles north of the town of Bondurant. The lightning ignited fire has now burned over 21,000 acres, and is only 15% contained. The fire is currently moving towards and into the Gros Ventre Wilderness. Although Highway 191 was closed between Bondurant and Hoback Junction last week, it has since reopened. There are currently 721 personnel on this incident. For more information on this fire, please click here.

* The Lava Mountain Fire is burning northwest of Dubois on the Wind River Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest. This fire was also caused by lighting on July 11th, and is currently active in thick timber. This fire has now burned more than 12,000 acres. There are 766 firefighting personnel on the scene. As of yesterday morning, there was 0% containment. Numerous evacuations and road closures in the area are currently in effect. Hikers should note that the Continental Divide Trail is still closed from Sheridan Pass to Pilot Knob on the Wind River Ranger District of the Shoshone National. For more information on this fire, please click here.

To report a fire or smoke in Bridger-Teton National Forest or Grand Teton National Park, call the Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center at 307.739.3630. For more fire information, please visit www.tetonfires.com.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Bench and Snow Lakes

We really lucked out on this one. We inquired about the Snow Lake Trail upon our arrival to Mt. Rainier National Park, but the ranger told us that it was still impassable due to snow. However, the next day, the park updated their website and stated that the trail was now “open”. So we jumped on our chance to hike this very scenic trail.

The hike begins from a roadside parking area known as “The Bench”, located east of Paradise on Stevens Canyon Road. From the trailhead you’ll enjoy some awesome views of Mt. Rainier and Little Tahoma Peak.

I would estimate that at least three-quarters of this hike passes through open terrain, which means you’ll enjoy some great views along much of the route. Not far from the trailhead we had a great view of 6917-foot Unicorn Peak, which rises out of the Tatoosh Range.

In mid-summer this area explodes with a wide variety of wildflowers, including beargrass. During our mid-June hike hundreds of avalanche lilies lined the trail near the trailhead.

Further up the trail we saw trillium and several other varieties, including these marsh marigolds sprouting from a tiny island in the stream.

After about a half mile you’ll reach a small rock outcropping just off the side of the trail on your left. This vantage point offers good views of Bench Lake to the east, as well as Mt. Rainier and Little Tahoma Peak towards the north.

From the outcropping the trail begins descending. At roughly two-thirds of a mile you’ll reach a split in the trail. The short spur trail leading towards the left will take you down to Bench Lake. Due to very high and dense brush surrounding the lake at the time of our visit, we really couldn’t see anything here. I’m not sure if this is typical or not, but it really wasn’t worth the effort. Perhaps the water level in the lake was higher than normal, which may have prevented us from reaching the shore.

Once back on the main trail we continued descending down towards a beautiful meadow along the valley floor. After crossing over a small creek the trail began ascending towards Snow Lake. Roughly one mile from the trailhead we reached our first snow field. From this point forward we hiked across hard-packed snow all the way to the lake. Because so many hikers had already reached the lake over the prior days and weeks, the route was very easy to follow. This lingering snow, which often rings the lake until late summer, is very likely the inspiration for its name.

At 1.2 miles we finally reached the end of the trail at Snow Lake. The views from the lake, which is tucked in a cirque below 6917-foot Unicorn Peak, are simply outstanding.


Here’s a view of Snow Lake looking towards the northeast:


On our way back to the trailhead we enjoyed sporadic views of Mt. Rainier:

All in all this was a very nice hike – in fact, we really enjoyed it. For the best photographic opportunities I would highly recommend doing this hike in the morning, as the mountains lie towards the west and the north, and will present themselves at their best in the morning light. I should also mention that the park website notes that “there is always a chance of seeing black bears” on this trail.


Trail: Snow Lake Trail
RT Distance: 2.4 Miles
Elevation Gain: 700 feet
Max Elevation: 4679 feet
TH Location: The Bench – east of Paradise
Map: Mt. Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map



Day Hike! Mount Rainier uncovers the best trails for the day tripper, whether you’re a newbie hiker or a veteran with hundreds of miles on your boots. Northwest outdoors expert and Seattle Times's Trail Mix columnist Ron Judd reviews more than 50 of the best day hike trails in Mt. Rainier National Park, from Paradise and Sunrise to the lower foothills. The book describes classic routes - from easy to moderate to extreme - giving hikers the choices they want.






Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Vandal Sentenced to Three Days in Jail for Carving into Iconic Roosevelt Arch in Yellowstone

Dakota D. Tipton, 26, of Joshua, Texas, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, for carving his initials into the iconic Roosevelt Arch. U.S Magistrate Judge Mark Carman ordered Tipton to serve three days in jail, pay a $250 restitution fee for repairs, and $40 in court fees.

On June 10, 2016, park dispatch was notified by a visitor that Mr. Tipton was carving his initials into a keystone above a small walkway arch adjacent to Arch Park. When contacted by law enforcement, Mr. Tipton admitted to using a multi-tool to carve into the arch, calling it “a bad decision.”

Mr. Tipton was issued a mandatory appearance citation for vandalism and appeared before the court at the Justice Center in Mammoth Hot Springs by phone Tuesday, July 26. He will likely serve his jail sentence near his home in Texas. This location is determined by the U.S. Marshal Service and/or the Bureau of Prisons.

The Roosevelt Arch, situated at the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park, was constructed out of local columnar basalt. Dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt, who laid the cornerstone on April 24, 1903, the arch greeted early visitors who arrived in Gardiner, Montana via the Northern Pacific Railroad. At 50 feet high, the Roosevelt Arch is, and has been, a favorite photo point for visitors.

The Roosevelt Arch is part of the Fort Yellowstone National Historic Landmark District. National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.

It is difficult to measure the actual cultural resource loss that Mr. Tipton’s actions cost the park. The sentence passed down by the judge reflects the egregious nature of such an action.

The keystone of the central arch is engraved with the words, “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” “Let this unfortunate act be a reminder to all that the cultural treasures of Yellowstone National Park require our care and protection to ensure that generations to come will enjoy their presence on the landscape,” said Yellowstone National Park Deputy Superintendent Steve Iobst.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Lookout Mountain in the North Cascades

After disembarking from our Alaskan cruise ship in Vancouver, British Columbia, we drove down to Burlington, Washington with the intention of hiking in North Cascades National Park over the next couple of days. Since this was mid-June we knew that our options would be quite limited as the best hikes are at the higher elevations, and therefore would be impassable due to snow. Because it rained on our first day we were left with only one day to do any hiking in the park. Our one and only hike, however, was almost a complete bust. After consulting with a park ranger that morning we decided that the hike to Monogram Lake would be our best option. As you read further below you’ll discover that we decided to abandon that route, and instead, opted to head towards Lookout Mountain.

The Monogram Lake Trail begins in the Cascade River Valley, and immediately climbs steeply through a lush temperate rain forest of towering western hemlocks. Just a few yards up the trail we saw this albino banana slug:

At roughly one mile from the trailhead, just above a steep rock cliff section, we reached an unmarked side trail that lead towards the left. This went nowhere, so we continued along the main trail which proceeded towards the right. This first stretch of trail is very steep and strenuous. Although you’re climbing up and away from the river, you’ll still be able to hear the Cascade River rumbling through the gorge below throughout this portion of the hike.

As we climbed higher we could also hear the periodic calls of varied thrushes’ emanating from the surrounding woods. Their distinctive call sounds like a referee’s whistle.

At 2.1 miles we reached an overgrown meadow inundated with stinging nettles. This section of trail was quite treacherous. In addition to the stinging nettles, the chest high vegetation did its best to block our view of the path as we climbed over logs, large rocks and rain run-off. This section of “trail” travels for roughly two-tenths of a mile before reaching the upper side of the meadow. You should definitely consider bringing trekking poles, and you should probably consider wearing long pants and a long shirt to protect against the stinging nettles. As you proceed higher during this stretch you might notice 8868-foot Eldorado Peak looming almost directly behind you.

At roughly 2.7 miles we reached a creek crossing with a small waterfall tumbling just upstream. Unfortunately we didn’t have a footbridge to help us get to the other side. It appeared there was once an existing bridge here, but had been washed away at some point. Using rocks and a few planks of wood we found nearby, we built a makeshift bridge and got across with no problems.

Roughly one-third of a mile above that stream crossing we reached a split in the trail. To the left is the path that travels to Lookout Mountain. We turned right to continue along the Monogram Lake Trail - towards our original destination. After about a third-of-a-mile the trail finally entered North Cascades National Park. Up to this point we had been traveling through the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Shortly after passing the national park boundary, and after crossing over numerous downed-trees blocking our path, we reached a field that had essentially become a swamp after all the recent rain. It looked like this area was nearly impassable, even if we attempted to bushwhack around it. To be honest, we were exhausted and were tired of all the obstacles, and decided that we had had enough. So we turned around with the thought that we would try to make it up to Lookout Mountain.

Once back at the trail junction we turned towards Lookout Mountain. Roughly three-quarters of a mile above the split we reached a large meadow along the northeast ridgeline, just below the summit of Lookout Mountain. This area offered great views of the Cascade River Valley, Hidden Lake Peak, and portions of Eldorado Glacier and Inspiration Glacier. We could also see the fire lookout atop Lookout Mountain roughly one thousand feet above us (see the last photo below). We decided that this would be the end of the trail for us, and broke out the sandwiches.

From this ridgeline the trail travels another 1.1 miles to reach the summit of Lookout Mountain. From the fire lookout hikers will enjoy spectacular views of Mount Baker, Mount Shuksan, Teebone Ridge, Hidden Lake Peak and Eldorado Peak. You should probably note that the national forest website warns that hikers should limit the number of people on the catwalk to just two per side in order to prevent them from collapsing. The original lookout was built in 1929, but was replaced in 1962.

Although this is a pretty good hike for the early summer season, I would highly recommend waiting to visit the North Cascades until at least mid-July so that you can enjoy some of the much better hikes this region has to offer. I would recommend looking into hikes such as the Maple Pass Loop, Cascade Pass / Sahale Arm, or Ptarmigan Ridge and Skyline Divide in the Mt. Baker area - among many others.


Trail: Monogram Lake Trail / Lookout Mountain
RT Distance: 9.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 4420 feet
Max Elevation: 5699 feet
TH Location: Monogram Lake Trailhead (near Marblemount)
Map: North Cascades National Park Trails Illustrated Map




100 Classic Hikes in Washington is a collection of 100 hikes in the Alpine Lakes, North Cascades, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, South Cascades and Olympics regions. The guide features color maps and photos on high-quality (recycled) paper. At-a-glance information for easy browsing includes the following: mileage, suggested duration in hours or days, high point, elevation gain, seasonality, topo map codes as well as additional contact information.





Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Year-Round Recreation Drives Record Breaking Visitation at Montana State Parks

Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) continues to see record-breaking visitation in 2016 due to increasing year-round recreation.

According to the latest visitation estimates, Montana State Parks has set a record for visitation during June 2016. Over 422,000 people visited Montana’s state parks last month, which was 28,000 more than 2015 and the highest all-time for the month of June.

Montana State Parks has also seen record year-to-date park attendance. Overall, visitation is up 23% for the year with nearly 1.3 million visits from January to June, compared to just over 1 million visits at this point in 2015; an increase of 238,000 visits.

“We are excited to have increases in visitation at our parks for the fifth year in row” said Melissa Baker, Assistant Administrator & Chief of Operations for Montana State Parks. “It’s clear that Montanans value public lands and outdoor recreation, and we are proud to be an integral part of Montana’s outdoor lifestyle and recreation economy. The continued increase in visitation is evidence that Montana State Parks staff and volunteers consistently go the extra mile to provide great recreational experiences and high quality customer service to our visitors.”

Montana’s state parks have become a destination for year-round recreation across the state, especially at parks that are close to major population centers. As sites grow busier earlier in the year, months that have historically seen lower visitation are experiencing large increases. In 2016, visitation surpassed 100,000 monthly visits in February, a milestone reached in April in previous years.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Part 2 of Our Trip to the Pacific Northwest

Last week we ran a series of blogs that highlighted our recent trip to Alaska. After disembarking from our ship in Vancouver, British Columbia, we drove down to North Cascades National Park for a couple of days, and then paid a visit to Mt. Rainier National Park.

Over the next several days I'll be sharing photos and trip reports from our hikes while we were in those two parks.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Monday, July 25, 2016

Grand Teton Releases Additional Information on Exum Guide Fatality

An investigation by Grand Teton National Park Rangers into the death of Exum Mountain Guide Gary Falk on Saturday, July 23, has revealed some information that may have led to this climbing fatality. Through personal interviews with Exum clients and employees, and others that were in the vicinity of the incident, the investigation indicates that all four clients that Falk was leading successfully summited the Grand Teton on Saturday, July 23, 2016.

The first client successfully rappelled down the Owen-Spalding Rappel. The rappel device that the first client used was to be used again, and was sent back up to Falk via rope, but became wedged on the way up. Falk then unclipped his tether from the anchor to reposition himself to better access the wedged rappel device. Witness accounts could not identify alternative methods Falk used to attach himself to the mountain, and it appears that Falk fell as he was trying to free the wedged rappel device.

Park rangers will continue to investigate the fatality, and anticipate a final report in approximately 30 days.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Update on Wildfires near Grand Teton National Park

Last week Teton Interagency fire managers announced that the fire danger rating has increased to Very High for the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Grand Teton National Park and Teton Interagency Dispatch Area.

Over the weekend Grand Teton National Park reported smoky conditions from two nearby wildfires on their social media outlets. Here's an update on those fires:

* The Cliff Creek Fire was discovered on the Bridger-Teton National Forest at 2:30pm on Sunday, July 17th. It was reported approximately 5 miles north of the town of Bondurant. The lightning ignited fire has now burned over 16,000 acres. Although Highway 191 was closed between Bondurant and Hoback Junction last week, it has since reopened. There are currently 633 personnel on this incident. For more information on this fire, please click here.

* The Lava Mountain Fire is burning northwest of Dubois on the Wind River Ranger District of the Shoshone National Forest. This fire was also caused by lighting on July 10th, and is currently active in thick timber. This fire has burned roughly 5488 acres. There are 492 firefighting personnel on the scene. Several areas have been evacuated, and several others are in the pre-evacuation stage. Hikers should note that the Continental Divide Trail is closed from Sheridan Pass to Pilot Knob on the Wind River Ranger District of the Shoshone National. For more information on this fire, please click here.

To report a fire or smoke in Bridger-Teton National Forest or Grand Teton National Park, call the Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center at 307.739.3630. For more fire information, please visit www.tetonfires.com.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Grand Teton Rangers Respond to Fatality and Injury Incidents on Saturday

Grand Teton National Park Rangers responded to two major incidents on Saturday. At approximately 10:30 a.m., Teton Interagency Dispatch Center was notified that an individual fell in Valhalla Canyon and was believed to be seriously or fatally injured. Park rangers responded with a reconnaissance flight to survey the situation and two rangers from that flight were inserted in the area via helicopter and hiked to the scene. It was determined that the individual was deceased and a recovery effort was initiated.

The individual was identified as Exum Mountain Guide Gary Falk. Falk was leading a group of clients to summit the Grand Teton. On the descent, Falk fell from the top of the Owen Spalding Rappel into Valhalla Canyon near the Black Ice Couloir. Falk fell approximately 2,400 feet. Falk's body was recovered via helicopter long line and Teton County Coroner declared Falk deceased Saturday afternoon.

Another Exum guide assisted the clients with their descent. Exum Mountain Guides is a concessioner with Grand Teton National Park.

Falk, 42, from Ouray, Colorado, has been working for Exum Mountain Guides for 12 years. He has a wife and two young sons. Exum President and co-owner Nat Patridge said, "The Teton Guiding community is devastated with this lost. Gary was a diligent guide, always the consummate professional. Exum is grieving from this news and struggling to comprehend the situation. All Exum operations will be closed Sunday, out of honor and respect for Gary. Our love goes out to Kate and their sons."

Park rangers also responded to a rescue of a 25-year-old woman from Michigan. A call was received by Teton Interagency Dispatch Center at approximately 1:15 p.m. informing of an individual hiking in the south fork of Garnet Canyon that fell on snow and was severely injured. A short-haul rescue was used to extract her from the scene of the fall to a park ambulance that transported her to St. John's Medical Center in Jackson.

Short-haul is a rescue technique where an individual is suspended below the helicopter on a 150 to 250 foot rope. This method allows a rescuer more direct access to an injured party, and it is often used in the Teton Range where conditions make it difficult to land a helicopter in the steep and rocky terrain.

Long-line includes a 150-foot line attached to the bottom of a helicopter used to transport cargo.This technique is often used for body recovery in the Teton Range.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Two-day Closure Scheduled for Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park

To accommodate a dust abatement application, a brief travel closure will be in place for about 48 hours, beginning 4 a.m. Tuesday, July 26th, on the unpaved section of the Moose-Wilson Road in Grand Teton National Park. The road will reopen by 8 a.m. Thursday, July 28th.

Motorists and bicyclists should plan to use an alternate route on July 26-27 as this temporary closure will prevent making a 'through trip' on the Moose-Wilson Road from Granite Canyon Entrance Station to the Teton Park Road at Moose, Wyoming. This is the second of three scheduled dust abatement treatments for the 2016 season.

For those wishing to reach the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve or Death Canyon Trailhead, access will be possible by heading south from the Teton Park Road junction near the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center. Those wishing to reach the Granite Canyon Trailhead may do so by heading north from the Granite Entrance Station.

Electronic signs will be placed on Wyoming Highway 390 to alert park visitors and local residents of the scheduled road closure. For travelers heading south to Teton Village from the Moose area, signs will also be placed near the junction of the Teton Park Road.

The product used for dust abatement is a slurry of magnesium chloride—the same product that is used to treat dirt roads in and around Jackson Hole. This product coats the road surface, but it can also adhere to the undercarriage of vehicles. Motorists who drive the unpaved portion of the Moose-Wilson Road to reach Granite Canyon Trailhead during the treatment or after the road reopens on Thursday may want to rinse off their vehicles to eliminate any residue.

Roadwork schedules may change, or be delayed, due to weather conditions, equipment malfunction, or other extenuating circumstances.



Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Misty Fjords National Monument

We really wished we could’ve of done this excursion first, rather than on our last day in Alaska. To be honest, after seeing all of the incredibly stunning beauty over the last few days, we felt that Misty Fjords National Monument was somewhat anticlimactic. Although it was still a nice excursion, we likely would’ve have enjoyed it much more had we visited here at the front end of our trip.

Our excursion began from Ketchikan. Just getting to Ketchikan that morning was a bit of an adventure itself. Two weeks before our trip a Celebrity cruise ship crashed into one of the docks and put it out of commission for an indefinite amount of time. Instead of docking right next to town, our ship had to anchor in the bay, which meant we had to take a tender over to the shore. The tenders we used were the lifeboats for our ship. I can’t even imagine being cramped in one of those for days waiting for a rescue!

From Ketchikan harbor our catamaran sped south through Revillagigedo Channel before making a sharp turn towards the north and into the Behm Canal.

Established in 1978, Misty Fjords National Monument encompasses almost 2.3 million acres within the Tongass National Forest. The vast majority of the wilderness lies between Behm Canal and Portland Canal. In this part of Alaska, fjords, or glacially-carved valleys filled with sea water, are known as "canals". The near-vertical walls that form these canals rise to as much as 3000 feet above the sea, and drop at least 2000 feet below the surface of the water. At one point, while we were floating less than 100 yards off the shore, our interpreter noted that we were in 700 feet of water. At more than 100 miles in length, the Behm Canal is the longest waterway within the national monument. The canal is also home to the U.S. Navy’s Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility, which strives to make submarines as quiet as possible.

Misty Fjords is just one part of a vast rain forest that stretches along the Pacific coast, from the Gulf of Alaska to Northern California. Western hemlock, Sitka spruce and western red cedar dominate the forests within the monument. Visitors may also see a wide variety of wildlife, including both brown and black bears, mountain goats, moose, wolves, wolverines, otters, sea lions, harbor seals, killer whales, and Dall porpoises. During our visit we saw a few pigeon guillemots, sea ducks, and at least two dozen bald eagles.

Although we didn’t see any rain during our visit, we did experience overcast skies throughout much of the day. That was fine by us. Ketchikan is the 4th wettest place on Earth! On average it receives roughly 160 inches of rain per year, with much of it arriving during the fall.

Just before reaching Rudyerd Bay and Punchbowl Cove, our ultimate destinations on this trip, we passed by New Eddystone Rock. Discovered by Captain George Vancouver in 1793, New Eddystone Rock is a 237-foot high pillar of basalt rock, which was originally formed by a volcanic vent that allowed magma to rise to the earth‘s surface. There were several harbor seals resting on the tiny island as we passed by.

Rudyerd Bay and Punchbowl Cove are recognized as being the one of the most scenic areas in Misty Fjords. During our visit we also saw dozens of nesting seabirds along the steep cliffs of the cove.

Just after leaving Rudyerd Bay we stopped to check out a Tlingit pictograph painted just above the water line on a very interesting and picturesque rock. I’ll be honest, I couldn’t discern the ancient artwork from the natural rock, but certainly enjoyed the beauty of the rock itself.

As we made our way back to Ketchikan our guides brought out some snacks and beverages. They provided us with fresh smoked salmon, soup, a variety of locally made jams and relishes, as well as pickled kelp. At first this didn’t sound all that appetizing, but after trying the seaweed, I was hooked. It has a very unique and somewhat tangy flavor. Of course they sold all of these products onboard, so we took home some fresh smoked salmon and a couple jars of kelp.

As mentioned above, just two weeks before our visit, the Celebrity Infinity, a 965-foot, 91,000-ton cruise ship, crashed into one of the docks in Ketchikan. The crash caused one of the gangways to break off and puncture the ship’s hull. Ketchikan’s Port and Harbors Director estimated that the crash caused $2-3 million in damages to the dock. It sounds like wind was the culprit in this accident, as gusts were clocked at around 45 MPH.




Lonely Planet Alaska is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you in Alaska. This guide includes full-color maps and images, highlights and itineraries to help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests, as well as insider tips, cultural insights, reviews for all budgets, and essential info at your fingertips, such as hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips and prices.









Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com

Friday, July 22, 2016

Denver Valley Hike

On Day 4 of our cruise, our ship made a scheduled stop at the Port of Skagway. For our excursion that day we chose to do the Denver Valley Hike, with the thought that this could be our only chance to ever go “hiking in Alaska”. Additionally, this excursion included a ride on the famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad.

The excursion began with a van ride along the Klondike Highway up to White Pass (elevation 2865 feet), which also marks the border between the U.S. and Canada. From there it proceeds down to Fraser, British Columbia where we would board the train. While creeping along towards White Pass we spotted a cinnamon-colored black bear meandering just off the side of the road. After arriving in the tiny town of Fraser, located at Mile 27.7 on the track, we passed through customs and finally boarded the train. From the railroad depot we could see several rugged mountains towering towards the north, some of which were located in the Yukon Territory roughly 20 miles away.

From Fraser the train headed south towards the Denver Valley Trailhead, located at Mile 5.8 on the track, where it would drop-off our hiking group before continuing down to Skagway. Along the way the historic railroad route traced portions of the “White Pass Trail of 98”. In some spots you can still see remnants of the original path used by thousands of gold rush stampeders during the late 1800s, which would become “the largest gold rush the world has ever known”. 

The 67-mile White Pass & Yukon Route was built in only 26 months. It’s now designated as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, as it was considered to be an impossible task to build. Tens of thousands of men used picks and shovels, as well as 450 tons of explosives, to blast through the towering mountains.

Our hike began from the old White Pass caboose at the trailhead. This refurbished 1960s era caboose is now rented out by the Tongass National Forest for overnight stays. Hikers, skiers and snowshoers can use this unique accommodation as their basecamp while exploring the Denver Valley area.

The Denver Glacier Trail more or less follows the East Fork of the Skagway River. It begins by traveling through a second growth forest, but eventually enters an old growth temperate rain forest. The deeper you proceed up the valley, the lusher and more enchanted the forest becomes.

For the most part the route travels along a moderate grade. As you climb higher the 7000-foot Sawtooth Mountains will become visible on your left. During our mid-June hike we saw several varieties of wildflowers along the trail, including dwarfed dogwood and foam flower. Both the trees and the forest floor were covered in ferns, lichens, moss and fungi. Devil’s club is likely the most dominant species growing along the forest floor, while western hemlock and Sitka spruce dominate the canopy, some of which are estimated to be 1000 years old.

This glacially-carved valley, deeper than the Grand Canyon, is also home to bears, moose and mountain goats – though we didn’t see any.

For lunch we stopped along the banks of the river where we enjoyed good views of the Sawtooths towards the north. Given how slow our group was moving, I asked one of the guides how much further we were going to go. She indicated not much further due to time constraints. I then asked if we could split into two groups, with one going faster than the other in order to cover as much ground as possible. She was in complete agreement with this plan. In fact, I wished I had approached her with this recommendation much earlier, as we could’ve covered even more terrain. With a total of four guides on our trip, this accommodation was not an issue in anyway.

While our group consisted of only 15 hikers, the guides can handle up to 25 per trip. After lunch, our group of "fast" hikers proceeded at a much brisker pace in order to reach Denver Falls, our final destination of the day. We estimate that we hiked roughly 2.2 miles to reach the falls, and probably climbed about 600 feet along the way.

Speaking of lunch, here’s another insider tip. The lunch provided by our tour guides was quite pedestrian – in other words, just plain. Although Holland America states that you shouldn’t take food off the boat, we saw no evidence that they ever check, or care, on any of the excursions we did. For this particular excursion I would definitely bring a much tastier sandwich from the boat if I were ever to do this tour again.

After arriving back at the trailhead we noticed a mother grouse and her newborn chicks hiding underneath the caboose. After waiting several minutes the last train of the day finally came by and took us back to Skagway. Once in town we promptly beelined over to the historic Red Onion Saloon and ordered a couple of Moose Drools.

All in all it was a nice hike. But to be honest, most of the major national parks in the lower 48 have far more scenic trails than this one. We were really disappointed that we didn’t get the opportunity to hike all the way to Denver Glacier. This likely would’ve made this a great hike.

I should mention here that mosquitoes weren’t really an issue for us during our hike. Although we did see a few, and declined the use of Deet which was offered to us by our guides, we had no problems with Alaska’s “state bird”.

I should also point out that we attended a Klondike Gold Rush program on the last full day of our cruise. The program was absolutely great. However, I really wish that Holland America would’ve offered this program before our visit to Skagway. Moreover, I wish that they would've posted a video of the presentation on their website, which may have possibly influenced my decision on which excursion to take while in Skagway. If the Klondike Gold Rush is of any interest to you at all, I would highly recommend doing a little research up front in order to learn more about this historical event so as to make the most of your time in Skagway.




Lonely Planet Alaska is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you in Alaska. This guide includes full-color maps and images, highlights and itineraries to help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests, as well as insider tips, cultural insights, reviews for all budgets, and essential info at your fingertips, such as hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips and prices.









Jeff
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikingintheSmokys.com