Circumnavigation of Jackson

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Due to globalization and weak economies my generation has started producing what has become known as accordion families. As new college graduates, like myself, enter the job market in these tough economic times, some choose to “temporarily” return home to continue their job search or find new employment as they enjoy rent-free living. I had never pictured myself as one of these individuals, but after I graduated from school in Baltimore and had yet to lock down a job the notion of becoming a boomerang kid sounded better and better. A week and a half back home and no word from my potential employer I quickly began feeling like a bum. To remedy this I decided to go on the longest hike of my life. Growing up in Jackson, I’ve been fortunate enough to be shown what the valley truly has to offer through a variety of outdoor sports. With plans to move elsewhere for work, I wanted to see the entire valley I have come to know for 23 years of my life. I hastily planned an 8-day trip that would take me over 15 peaks and 130 miles around my hometown.

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The adventure would begin at the top of Teton Pass, where I would hike up Mount Glory and head north climbing several Tetons including the South, Middle, and Grand. From there I would resupply at Dornan’s in Moose and bike across the flats to Kelly before heading into the Gros Ventre Mountain Range for the second leg of the trip.  The plan was then to come out near Hoback Junction where I would resupply and packraft a few miles down the snake before entering the Snake River Range for my final accents and the final 30 miles of hiking.  This section would take me up mountains at which I had looked since I was a kid but I had never explored. This last leg would spit me out into Mosquito Creek from where I would bike home to complete the circumnavigation. The route looked good on Google Earth and friends and family liked the idea, but few, including myself, were convinced I would actually make the full circle.

--> I have recently completed my solo journey, replacing six of the most tired days of my life, seen the valley from every direction, and walking 133 miles though some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. On the first night I was treated to an almost spiritual visit from a family of wolves as I ate dinner on the shelf above Marian Lake. The mother spotted me from 200 feet away and headed off toward a southern ridge stopping occasionally and howl to her pups. The three black pups followed her for a half-mile over the ridge with alpenglow making the scene surreal and the typically mundane “Mac’n’Cheese” a memorable meal.

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The rest of the Tetons went flawlessly as I climbed six more peaks and stumbled out to Dornan’s 4 days later for a delicious pizza and a bike in the dark over to Kelly Warm Springs. At 5:50am the next morning I woke up to strange grunting noises. I peeked through the mosquito netting of my bivouac sack and instantly used up all my adrenaline for the day, as I looked into the eyes of six bison a few yards way. Bivy sacks, and fully zipped-up sleeping bags are never easy to fumble one’s way out of, but with the amount of epinephrine pumping through my system I must have broken some record.  As I stood up and jumped behind the buck rail the startled buffalo took a few steps back before lowering their heads and coming back my way to protect the young ones running behind them. I spent the next 30 minutes in my boxers waiting for the heard of 80 to move far enough away to retrieve my gear and continue on my way.

--> The hike across the hot foothills of the Sleeping Indian as I headed into the Gros Ventres proved to be one of the hardest days, with wobbly legs from climbing the Grand with my father the day before and the somewhat dull sagebrush landscape compared to the Tetons. Dinner with a sunset at the summit of Jackson Peak made the haul worthwhile and gave a promising view of the new mountain range I was headed into.

--> The following day I summited a mountain I have wanted climb for years. Hard-to-get-to and at 11,180 ft. Gros Peak proved a formidable challenge. I followed the knife-like west ridge for an exciting mile as all the rotten granite did its best to fall off the mountain.The following day I resupplied at Hoback Junction, inflated my Alpacka Raft, and floated down the Snake River for nice change of pace until I took out at Fall Creek and started up toward Wolf Mountain in the afternoon heat.

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I may have been spoiled by the lack of bugs during the first half of the trip, but that night in the Snake River Range the mosquitos were as bad as I’ve ever seen. The next morning, more itchy, dirty, and tired than I’ve ever been, I promised myself that I was going to give it the old “college try” and push through the last 29 miles that lay between the swarming bugs and a comfortable bed.  After summiting three peaks, hiking for 11 hours, and 20 miles under my belt I reached my bike in the upper south fork of Mosquito Creek. As I rode the remaining miles home I questioned ever leaving the place and prayed its beauty would remain preserved and wild for many generations to come. 

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Epilogue: I am currently in the final stages of becoming employee of Stryker. The job will take me to Anchorage Alaska and place me in another pristine valley to explore for the coming years.