Too far gone

I made my way over to the Tetons. A mountain that has so much meaning behind it for me. Infamous for its snowboarding, nature, raw style, and stunning jaggedness.

I woke up early, ate, packed my hiking bag, and went. Starting at Lake Jenny, working my way towards cascade canyon. The hike started looping around a crystal clear lake with views of the mountains dancing on the water. A good amount of people along the trail at this point.

I hit the canyon, already spinning at the scenery around me. Ice blue flowing water, lush green forests, and striking mountains surrounding you. I spotted three moose across a stream, a safe distance for me.

I kept on trekking until most of the crowd was gone, my legs and energy still felt really good, with plenty of supplies to continue. Then I hit a junction of trails, this is where 98% of people stopped. I met a woman named Lisa photographing a waterfall 70 feet above the junction. She was sweet, took my photo, and asked if I was gonna keep going up. Of course I was. Little did I know this was the first hidden sign.

The trail was now consistently gaining elevation, and the views kept getting better. Usually on solo hikes I always give myself a time limit and I am constantly checking in on myself and the limits I should push. Although, here in the Tetons, it felt like something kept pulling me higher into the mountains. My phone was almost dead, but everything in me said keep going.

It was a long time before I saw anybody else at this point, this time it was a couple around my age. We chatted, and they said they had stopped after seeing a bear about 100 feet ahead. I asked “Was it a big boy?”. He said an average black bear. My confidence came back, so I put my bear spray in hand and continued on. If it was a grizzly I would’ve turned around. Sign number two.

Hours go by, just me and my thoughts, backpack, and camera. I am up there now, and haven’t seen anyone. Legs getting pretty sore, but it was too gorgeous to stop. I finally stop gaining elevation and run into a group of three guys. We chatted for a while, they were on the third night of wild camping. They saw my daypack, no shirt on, and reeboks, and concerningly asked if I was camping out here. I told them where I started and they were pretty dumbfounded, which was starting to get into my head. I looked at the mountains where I started and it was very far away. They laughed with me about my gear, but also stoked I made it that far aha. We chatted more and I gave them 2 water bottles before saying “You guys are right, I should probably turn around”.

I started my trek down, and after the first hour and a half, zombie mode hit. No thoughts, just one foot in front of the other, only not sore cause my body was stuck in the movement. I made it back with the sun hanging onto the horizon. Legs were jello, morale gone, sunburnt, and defeated. I turned to those jagged peaks one last time, forgetting about my soreness, and nodding as a smile spread across my face.