Moss and Gravel Lakes - Teton Wilderness - October 7, 2022

This would be my last backpacking trip of the year.  The sole purpose of this trip was to reach Moss Lake in the Teton Wilderness.  I've had plans to get to it in the past, but weather, or deep snow kept me from reaching it.  The weather window this past October was perfect this time though, with highs in the high fifties and low sixties, which I find to be perfect hiking weather, and the fall colors were tremendous throughout.

Our group reached Moss Lake along an old outfitter's trail along the ridge above Moss Creek.  This trail clearly hasn't been maintained in decades, but it is always fun to follow a new route for me that used to be used by the old timers.  Just to be different, we bushwhacked our way down Moss Creek on our way back to our campsite on Pacific Creek.

Moss Lake wasn't the only lake that we visited on this trip, for the day after the Moss Lake hike, we headed north to Gravel Lake for a twelve mile day.

Here are some images of our trip, with yellows thrown in for good measure. 


Day 1 - Pacific Creek Trailhead to basecamp



Arriving at the Pacific Creek Trailhead


The information sign at the trailhead


The wilderness boundary


Not long before we ran into bear track



Lots of yellows in this report


Looking down on Pacific Creek


A few reds too


Pacific Creek


Whetstone Creek


Nice stand of aspen


Heading to camp


Reaching the meadows along Pacific Creek


Another meadows shot



More fall yellows


My tent 


On Pacific Creek with the Tetons in the distance 


Day 2 - Day hike to Moss Lake


Whetstone Mountain to the west


In the mid-twenties at breakfast


Oatmeal time!


Early morning mule train heading up the Gravel Creek Trail


Cottonwoods and willows ablaze


Crossing over Pacific Creek to begin our hike, with Moss Creek and Pacific
Creek below and Whetstone Mountain to the northwest


An old cabin along the old trail


Typical condition of the old outfitter's trail


Making our way up the ridgeline, and starting to get some nice views


Pretty


Looking back down on the Pacific Creek Meadows, with Whetstone Mountain
and Bobcat Ridge in the distance, and the Tetons even further away


Bad sun angle, but looking south towards Gravel Mountain, and the Moss 
Creek drainage


Moss Lake should be just over the hill


Moss Lake ahead


View from the eastern shore of Moss Lake


View from the western shore of the lake


Beginning our descent down the Moss Creek drainage


Lots of downfall on this route





Moss Creek, at the bottom of the canyon


On Moss Creek


Looking down the drainage to the north, towards Pinyon Peak


Bear track along Moss Creek


Many chokepoints to negotiate at the bottom of the canyon


Another chokepoint on our way back to camp.

Day 3 - Day hike to Gravel Lake



We had a visitor pass through the day before when we were hiking to Moss Lake


Gravel Creek


Colors along Gravel Creek


Hiking north along Gravel Creek


You have to ford the creek five or six times on the way to the lake


View to the west towards Whetstone Mountain


Many unnamed ponds along this route


Another such pond


Beginning a little lollipop loop to the lake and back


Love seeing mules in the backcountry


Another pond along our way


I told you there would be a lot of yellows. 


Upper reaches of the Gravel Creek drainage


Arriving at Gravel Lake





Looking back on Gravel Lake as we return to camp


Different perspective on the ponds on our way back





Back on Gravel Creek


Gravel Mountain ahead


Day 4 - Basecamp back to the trailhead


Day four morning on Pacific Creek


Always good to be greeted by the Tetons in the morning


Making our way towards the end of the meadows along Pacific Creek


One last yellow shot


Whetstone Creek again


Back at the trailhead


The End.