Huckleberry Mountain, Wyoming
Jan 11, 2021 12:27:34 GMT -8
panatomicx, GaliWalker, and 4 more like this
Post by absarokanaut on Jan 11, 2021 12:27:34 GMT -8
I am bored and in quarantine; so I thought I might share a summit hike not far out of Grand Teton National Park just inside the more than 585,000 acre Teton Wilderness of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. At 9,615' Huckleberry Mountain is a just under 11 1/2 mi roundtrip hike with just a bit over 2,600' total vertical rise.
It starts from the Sheffield Creek Trailhead just off and East of the highway near Flagg Ranch in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway between your two area National Parks. That trailhead and the hike can be hard to reach by vehicle when the creek you have to drive through is at dangerous levels. If you do not have a vehicle appropriate for the back roads around here you can find parking nearby on the West side of Sheffield Creek but keep in mind there is no bridge of any kind across Sheffield Creek so please be certain you know the dangers of real time conditions crossing the creek on foot or driving through it in your vehicle. The vehicle crossing is over concrete corduroy and by most standards fairly easy with lower stream levels. It is less than 5 minutes walking from the corduroy crossing to the trailhead.
Huckleberry can be a hot hike, often going through historic burn areas. Water is also limited on the hike so know what you're getting into. That exposure can of course also be problematic with inclement weather. Keep your eyes on the skies and do your best to not become a statistic. Like most forays above the krumholz you should get an early start. I have been turned back by snow and the creek levels in July but have also summited in mid June. The creek can be flowing too fast well into July but of course we have our earlier Springs some years. Unless things have changed in more recent years you can spend the night sleeping in the historic Fire Lookout, the only one remaining on the Northern Half of the 3,400,000 acre Bridger-Teton National Forest. Bring your own bedding for the floor and whatever else you might need. Close the door and shutters when going to sleep. It is of course first come first served so please respect other parties on the remote chance you might have to. There is timber to tent in nearby but again be aware of the weather. I've done it more times as a dayhike, enjoying a meal afterwards at Flagg Ranch before either driving home or camping/boondocking on Grassy Lake Road.
With a good amount of standing dead timber wind events can happen any time so please don't tempt the widowmakers. This is dense Grizzly habitat so have your spray properly holstered and in the incredibly rare event it becomes necessary know how to deploy it. Remember it is not a 100% guarantee, particularly with a sow with cubs, so raise your voice in slow, even tones when you have short sight distance. I do not carry a gun but have used my airhorns quite effectively a couple dozen times or so. I have done this hike alone several times but I'm big, fat, and ugly. Hiking alone is never recommended in greater Yellowstone so be trail smart. If you decide to camp at Sheffield Creek Campground or on the Grassy Lake Road I'll make the common sense recommendation that you not use a tent or pop-up trailer that you have ever even just boiled water in let alone prepared or cooked anything in. Know that at times a hard sided vehicle only camping order/restriciton can be put in place at any time and make those decisions for you. Please exercise all rational mitigation protocols but as always remember the most dangerous part of the hike will almost certainly be the drive to the trailhead. So educate yourself and then "relax" and have what will likely be a seminal experience.
Rebecca Woods did an excellent job detailing this hike in her book "Jackson Hole Hikes." I think it might still be available on Amazon but no new copies at area stores as far as I know. I've had good luck at times finding used copies here at Headwall Sports and The Booktrader.
There are some hikes I will only detail in private. If you are a far more popular person than I am please don't geotag, hashtag, or whatever else you might do that could promote destructive attention to this hike like what has happened with other places like Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park. Believe it or not but I've seen some say the backlash against geotagging is racist. For me its not "selfish," just a protective reverence for special places.
I will add some photos of this hike soon. If you decide to make this hike I hope you truly enjoy it as I have. Wildflowers can be stunning and since this hike isn't in the park you can pick all the flowers aside from Indian Paintbrush, our State Flower. You can also have fires when permitted and with the massive fire impacts you will go through you'll be reminded to be more than just careful. Please exercise some restraint and beyond a few flowers please "take only photographs and leave only footprints." May each step of this hike be with the most pleasant of purpose and each vista truly inspiring. May the trail rise to meet your feet, not not your forehead,
John
It starts from the Sheffield Creek Trailhead just off and East of the highway near Flagg Ranch in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway between your two area National Parks. That trailhead and the hike can be hard to reach by vehicle when the creek you have to drive through is at dangerous levels. If you do not have a vehicle appropriate for the back roads around here you can find parking nearby on the West side of Sheffield Creek but keep in mind there is no bridge of any kind across Sheffield Creek so please be certain you know the dangers of real time conditions crossing the creek on foot or driving through it in your vehicle. The vehicle crossing is over concrete corduroy and by most standards fairly easy with lower stream levels. It is less than 5 minutes walking from the corduroy crossing to the trailhead.
Huckleberry can be a hot hike, often going through historic burn areas. Water is also limited on the hike so know what you're getting into. That exposure can of course also be problematic with inclement weather. Keep your eyes on the skies and do your best to not become a statistic. Like most forays above the krumholz you should get an early start. I have been turned back by snow and the creek levels in July but have also summited in mid June. The creek can be flowing too fast well into July but of course we have our earlier Springs some years. Unless things have changed in more recent years you can spend the night sleeping in the historic Fire Lookout, the only one remaining on the Northern Half of the 3,400,000 acre Bridger-Teton National Forest. Bring your own bedding for the floor and whatever else you might need. Close the door and shutters when going to sleep. It is of course first come first served so please respect other parties on the remote chance you might have to. There is timber to tent in nearby but again be aware of the weather. I've done it more times as a dayhike, enjoying a meal afterwards at Flagg Ranch before either driving home or camping/boondocking on Grassy Lake Road.
With a good amount of standing dead timber wind events can happen any time so please don't tempt the widowmakers. This is dense Grizzly habitat so have your spray properly holstered and in the incredibly rare event it becomes necessary know how to deploy it. Remember it is not a 100% guarantee, particularly with a sow with cubs, so raise your voice in slow, even tones when you have short sight distance. I do not carry a gun but have used my airhorns quite effectively a couple dozen times or so. I have done this hike alone several times but I'm big, fat, and ugly. Hiking alone is never recommended in greater Yellowstone so be trail smart. If you decide to camp at Sheffield Creek Campground or on the Grassy Lake Road I'll make the common sense recommendation that you not use a tent or pop-up trailer that you have ever even just boiled water in let alone prepared or cooked anything in. Know that at times a hard sided vehicle only camping order/restriciton can be put in place at any time and make those decisions for you. Please exercise all rational mitigation protocols but as always remember the most dangerous part of the hike will almost certainly be the drive to the trailhead. So educate yourself and then "relax" and have what will likely be a seminal experience.
Rebecca Woods did an excellent job detailing this hike in her book "Jackson Hole Hikes." I think it might still be available on Amazon but no new copies at area stores as far as I know. I've had good luck at times finding used copies here at Headwall Sports and The Booktrader.
There are some hikes I will only detail in private. If you are a far more popular person than I am please don't geotag, hashtag, or whatever else you might do that could promote destructive attention to this hike like what has happened with other places like Delta Lake in Grand Teton National Park. Believe it or not but I've seen some say the backlash against geotagging is racist. For me its not "selfish," just a protective reverence for special places.
I will add some photos of this hike soon. If you decide to make this hike I hope you truly enjoy it as I have. Wildflowers can be stunning and since this hike isn't in the park you can pick all the flowers aside from Indian Paintbrush, our State Flower. You can also have fires when permitted and with the massive fire impacts you will go through you'll be reminded to be more than just careful. Please exercise some restraint and beyond a few flowers please "take only photographs and leave only footprints." May each step of this hike be with the most pleasant of purpose and each vista truly inspiring. May the trail rise to meet your feet, not not your forehead,
John
