day 14: jenny lake and cascade canyon hike (by david).

On Day 14 we had an ambitious hike mapped out, said to be one of the best in the park.  So I bribed Judah and Amie with snacks, ice cream, no-more-hiking-this-roadtrip-I-swear, and my undying admiration if they would join me.  They agreed!  Reluctantly!  And so off we set on the Jenny Lake to Cascade Canyon Trail, 10 miles from parking lot to the top of the canyon and back.

The key to hiking in the Tetons in July is to start early.  It can be a blissful 50’s at the start and a sweltering 80’s at the end.  After almost two weeks of daily hiking/walking 6+ mile days, we’ve found our groove.  We fell right in, bypassing the ferry ride across Jenny Lake (which would cut the whole hike in half), and pressing through early drizzle.

 

 

We were duly rewarded by spotting a bear.  We geek out on wildlife, and both moose and bear had eluded us until the Tetons.

 

 

 

The trail up from Jenny Lake into the Cascade Canyon was no joke.  It crawled up through conifer forest and huckleberry patches and into a narrow, granite-carved ledge.

 

 

 

Inspiration Point was a beautiful view of Jenny Lake.

 

 

And the canyon itself was breathtaking.  Mt. Owen, the second highest mountain in the park, punches into the clouds and dominates the landscape.  We saw gobs of wildlife throughout the day – two bears, mule deer, a moose, lots of chipmunks and pikas (over-sized mice looking mammals), and a marmot.

 

 

We finished the hike in about five hours.  The kids were champs.  This was their biggest continuous hike yet, and with descent elevation gain, and at a descent starting elevation making the air thinner than we’re used to.  I love watching their love of the outdoors grow, their adventuresome spirit to see more and more of it, and their knowledge of nature and wildlife sharpen.

Love and admiration of creation and love and admiration of the Creator can go hand in hand.  When we see a big world, we see a big God.  And how beautiful to share these moments together in breathless, sweaty awe.

“In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him” (Ps 95:4).