Death Canyon

My next campsite was at about 8400 feet in death canyon. I get there around 3 and set up camp. Luckily I get there just before the clouds burst open with pea sized hail and a deluge of rain. The hail lasts for about a half hour but the rain doesn't stop till 4am. It hails a few more times in the evening and I'm glad I set my tarp up above my tent. I get a little sleep and manage to stay relatively warm and dry. It's twilight and I peek out of the tent to see if the sun is on its way. I spot a red fox just outside my tent. It quickly darts into the trees as I think it realized I was there. I finally crawl out of my tent and eat breakfast. All the while I am trying to stay warm while I pack up all my wet gear.

I don't get my hands and feet warmed up till I'm about a half hour into the hike. Today I descend the rest of the way. I'm following moose tracks most of the way down. I get to some switchbacks and the moose tracks go straight up the side of the mountain. Absolutely amazing animals. The morning is filled with a little bit of sun, but as I get close to the trailhead the clouds start to show signs of rain. I reach the bike and start to repack. As I have all of my gear strewn about the parking lot it of course starts rain again. Everything gets wet and I have a few choice words for the unwelcome rain.

Once everything is packed I head for the visitor center to return the bear canister. While I'm there I get a room using precious Wi-Fi at a Super 8 in Jackson so that I can dry off, warm up, and get a good night's sleep. The hotel is obviously nothing special, but I make the most of it by turning the room into one big clothes line. I grab some food from a nearby grocery store and then pass out.

The next morning I head for Yellowstone! I wait for the weather to improve a bit as it snowed are higher elevations. The roads were mostly dry when I left the hotel, but the clouds had yet to lift. Even so a little bit of mountain and a whole lot of fall color is showing. The ride is beautiful, but it continues to cool as I ascend again. Here I come Yellowstone.

First stop is camp. I set up at Lewis Lake (7800 ft) and then make a b-line for the visitor center and back country office. I get a permit for two nights from now and plan on seeing some touristy attractions the next day. I get back to camp and make some new friends who have a fire going. I warm up and engage in some basic get to know you conversion before climbing into my tent. It's going to be a cold night.

Pictures: Super 8 drying rack. Tetons on my way to Yellowstone.Read more