The Tetons with Table Mountain in the foreground
Well, this wasn’t part of my plan… snow in August? In an effort to salvage my vacation to Idaho and Wyoming I found myself searching though A Climber’s Guide to the Teton Range, eventually stumbling across something to do that could be done even with fresh snow. Table Mountain fell into the category of Class 1 and a must see in the guide book which was enough for me in my desperate situation. The summit is in a remarkable position offering excellent views of the Teton Range. Although separated by a deep canyon, you feel like you can reach out and touch the Grand Teton... maybe if you were Rubber Man you could.
Table Mountain is accessed from Driggs Idaho to the West, requiring no park entrance fee. There are two trails that can be used to reach the summit of Table Mountain which converge on the West Ridge about 1 mile from the top. Both begin near the Teton Canyon Campground so a loop is practical. I opted to take the longer route on the way up and the more direct route on the way down, which is not shown on the park map and is no longer maintained. The longer trail gives you a chance to see a little more… like a bull moose that, fortunately, wasn’t confrontational. The direct route is quite steep until about 10,000’ where it emerges from the forest and follows the west ridge to the summit… okay, not much to report but worth sharing the photos.
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The Tetons with Table Mountain in the foreground |
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On the west ridge of Table Mountain |
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The Grand, Middle and South Teton |
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Another shot of the Grand Teton + Mount Owen |
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References:
A Climber's Guide to the Teton Range; Leigh N. Ortenburger and Reynold G. Jackson; Pages 274-275
