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Post by papathedoc on Jul 24, 2019 8:52:37 GMT -8
I will be hiking the TCT with 3 others at the end of August for 5 days. I will tell you that you have to be very prepared for the permit process if you want to reserve. I was not so I am camping out in front of the permit office the day before to get the campsites right. In order to get the right campsites I was looking at my itinerary. From the south there are several entry points: Rendezvous, Phillips Pass, and Coal Creek. I don't hear much about Coal Creek. I was thinking that we would camp outside the park (perhaps at Moose meadows?) for the first night. 3 of us are from the east coast and I didn't want to stress us out the first day. I am hoping to see more wildlife on a quieter trail before getting on the TCT, which I am imagining is pretty busy. Would this be a good way to get on the TCT. Would Phillips pass be better? Is camping easy to find on it?
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zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,879 
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Post by zeke on Jul 24, 2019 9:40:42 GMT -8
I'm not sure camping out is allowed at the permit office, but merely showing up a couple of hours before they open is usually sufficient.
Coal Creek will certainly be less populated than riding up the lift, and then heading over to Marion Lake. Marion will still have some others at it regardless of how you get there. Alaska Basin does not require a permit, so that night will be out of the park boundaries. What other nights were you planning on?
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Post by papathedoc on Jul 24, 2019 14:11:25 GMT -8
Right now I have marion Lake for the first night and Holly lake for the last night. I was thinking to spend the first night outside the boundary, then Death Canyon shelf, then South Fork Cascade, and the final night at Holly Lake. Then walk to the Jenny Lake Lodge where hopefully we can get a cab or uber, or something.
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zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,879
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Post by zeke on Jul 25, 2019 7:38:23 GMT -8
So, One night outside the park, coming in from Coal Creek, then Marion Lake, Death Canyon Shelf, South Fork, and ending at Holly. I think you will find the day between marion and Death Canyon Shelf to be a short one. 6 miles, max. If you wish to hike further that day, the good news is that no permits are required for Alaska basin, and it is at the far end of the Shelf. North Fork would be a logical camp if you do use Alaska Basin, but that would need to be decided when you picked up your permit. How many others are choosing SF may also determine what is available to you.
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Post by absarokanaut on Jul 27, 2019 7:11:15 GMT -8
If you were here now odds are coal creek meadows would have the most stunning wildflowers you may have ever seen. Hiking Mt. Taylor is AWESOME if you can fit it in.
It's been a long time but I've done Phillips Pass several times, in my experience best wildlife on the "Complete" Crest. Moose Meaddows is nice but bugs could be an issue, just don't know yet. If you get the Southfork, camp as high as you can, skeeters are holding on in places for now but we might get some weather in the coming days to put some of them down. Not camping in Alaska Basin is IMO a crying shame.
All that said have an awesome time. Was 37* at my place just south of town yesterday morning. Overcast today and 56* right now. Hopefully we're gonna get dumped out but might be trivial.
Have a great time, may the trail rise to meet you.
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Post by Chuck the Mauler on Jul 27, 2019 7:52:25 GMT -8
I've seen wolves at Moose Lake (close to Marion Lake) when I started a trip at Coal Creek. Marion is nice.....but not "all that". Plenty of camping outside the park and in other areas along the crest that aren't deemed "campzones". If you know where they are, you'll have zero problem with a permit!
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Post by hikerjer on Aug 29, 2019 20:08:25 GMT -8
Mind mentioning where these campsites are? I’m heading for the Teton Crest next week and have been informed they don’t take reservations after Labor Day. It would be nice to have some options for camping outside the park while hiking the Crest just in case.
Thank you.
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Post by absarokanaut on Aug 31, 2019 8:58:29 GMT -8
Jer,
Walk up permit should be pretty good for you. One great site just out the park boundary is near Marion Lake...but of course backstabber magazine publicized it a couple of years ago. There are other sites right near the boundary a google search should let you in on.
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Post by papathedoc on Sept 19, 2019 6:00:20 GMT -8
Well I wanted to give an update our trip. Thank you all for your responses. The trek was amazing. We ended up going on Coal Creek Trailhead to access the TCT. We were able to rework our itinerary the day before. Ended up staying at Middle Fork Granite Canyon, Death Canyon Shelf, North Fork Cascade, and Lower Paintbrush. The last campsite was actually supposed to be Upper Paintbrush but the campsites are not designated there and by the end of the camping zone we did not see an unoccupied campsite so we ended up hiking to lower Paintbrush and grabbing the first one we saw. There was no way we were going to hike back up to find a site. BTW the descent between the 2 campsites is steep and longer than it looks! As for the Coal Creek Trail as an access point, it was beautiful but difficult. We got to the trailhead at about 830am after a $75 taxi ride. We started out on the marked trail and almost immediately had to cross the creek. Had to backtrack to find an appropriate place to cross. When we crossed we met up with another trail. It turns out that there is a bridge at the trailhead and a trail that goes up the west side of the creek. Definitely save yourself a headache and take the bridge! If you take this route to the TCT you will have plenty of fording opportunities. We had a difficult time on this trail. We had heavy packs since this was the first day. We were not acclimated well and there are actually two passes/divides that you have to ascend to get to the TCT. The first is the unnamed crest between Coal and Mesquite Creeks and the other that gets you into the park. As you descend down to Moose Meadows following the mesquite Creek you lose all the altitude you had gained. So there is a second 1500 ft ascent to get into the park. FYI there is a small sign that indicates the TCT next to a boulder during the ascent. The fork is easy to miss; the trail is not clear. We misinterpreted the sign and went another 1/2 mile toward Moose Lake. That was demoralizing! Did not think I was going to make it up that second ascent!  In the upper right corner you can see the footbridge. Take it.  Coal Creek Meadows.  Descent into Moose Meadows.  Be prepared to do this multiple times. Very cold! Would definitely do Phillips Pass the next time. However we definitely avoided "crowds"! The next morning we woke up to this:  |
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Post by absarokanaut on Sept 21, 2019 10:43:06 GMT -8
Sweet!
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