Teewinot? TeewiYES

Thursday, July 09, 2009

By Daniel Haworth

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-This summer my goal is to get out in Grand Teton Nation Park at least once a week, and to get into mountaineering. I’ve lived here for nine years, and I have done many of the popular hikes, but it is time to step it up.

I found that making friends with Park Service employees is a great way to do this. Gary, Kal and Jeff are on the fire crew, and Jess is a ranger at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. They showed up at my house on a Friday afternoon, and invited me to climb Teewinot, the easiest peak of the Tetons. Then we drove to Moosely Seconds, and rented crampons for $8 and ice axes for $6.

Two weeks earlier, in preparation for our climb, we had taken a daylong Mountain Safety Course with legendary Exum guide Rod Newcomb. He taught us how to maneuver and balance on the snowfields, techniques for kicking steps and how to use an ice ax. Our group also learned how to self-arrest in the event of losing control on the snow. Newcomb emphasized three points: 1. Examine the condition of the snow, 2. Have a safe run-out, clear of large rocks and 3. Never drop your tool.

So, with the gear rented, but rainy skies, we got pumped.

The next morning, we parked at the Lupine Meadow trailhead, and made our way up. The inversion layer was a ceiling of cloud as we hiked. Jeff stopped at a switchback to examine a plant with fern-like leaves and a small corncob-like flower stalk. He called ahead to Kal and Gary, our plant nerds, to identify the plant. They walked back and we gathered around the specimen.

That’s when I happened to glance down the mountain. I saw a large mass of brown fur about 50 feet away. My heart jumped with excitement. I wanted to speak, but I couldn’t form a sentence. I managed to grab the shoulder of someone and loudly whisper, “Sleeping bear! Sleeping bear!” There was a moment of confusion, for obviously this was not the name of the plant we were looking at.

But then we all noticed her. She was resting peacefully, her head propped on a pillow of granite. We had a perfect vantage point – close enough to observe, but still a safe distance. We had brought bearspray as a precaution.

Mist rolled in and occasionally the bear’s ears perked up at our hushed conversation. Once, she lifted her head and looked directly at us before sinking back onto the rock.

We enjoyed the scene for several minutes then made our way up the trail, looking back at the bear. The grizzly finally woke and lumbered away and to our surprise and delight, a newborn cub bounced after her!

Soon, we came to a snowfield and donned the crampons. We climbed for a couple thousand feet and the snow became too soft, so began our descent. Kal and Gary had brought skis and a snowboard respectively, and proceeded to carve turns on the way down. The rest of us glissaded down, which is basically skiing on your feet or bum. Arriving at the base, we headed into town for Billy’s burgers. Epic day! JHW

Photo by Danny Haworth
Hit it from da back.

PERMALINK:
Teewinot? TeewiYES | Planet JH News Article: General News

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