HughHarris

A hike in the Grand Tetons is well… Grand! Cascade Canyon was spectacular.

We traveled yesterday to the Coulter Bay camp grounds in the Grand Tetons about 40 miles north of Jackson Hole and are staying in a tent cabin. It’s got logs on 2 sides and a canvas tent on the other 2 sides and the roof. Better than being on the ground.

The mountains here are like we have never seen before. Colter Bay is on Jackson lake at the lake is right at the foot of the Tetons. The lake is at about 6000 ft and the mountains on the west side of the lake go straight up to 12,000 ft plus. The views are truly breathtaking.

We hiked today around another Lake called String Lake and climbed up into Cascade Canyon for about 9 mile hike out and back. The canyon had a snow melt river coming through it with 5000 ft cliffs on either side going straight up. Snow melt and springs were feeding the river up and down the canyon providing breath taking views and vistas.

July 10, 2013 Posted by hughharrisfca | Education, Exercise | Leave a comment

The Climb up Mt. Washburn

Friday 6/5 we headed up the Mt. Washburn trail for the 2.5 mile hike that climbed 1500 ft to the top at 10,234 ft. Spectacular views of the Grand Canyon of YS and YS Lake. Storms threatened all around but be we made it up and back without getting to wet. Cold & windy though. The fire tower & station had bathrooms and an observation deck. Washburn is named after Gen. Washburn who was the leader of one of the early expedition to YS that eventually led to the area being designated the first National Park.

July 7, 2013 Posted by hughharrisfca | Education, Exercise | Leave a comment

Backpacking the backcountry of Yellowstone- a night at 4E1

We made our way out for a 5.6 mile hike and an overnight stay in the backcountry at camp site 4E1 which is situated at the base of Mt. Washburn. Our trail took us out The Glacier Boulder trail to the Seven Mile Hole trail and the the Washburn Mtn trail. A relatively flat hike as we paralleled the North Rim of the YS Grand Canyon. We crossed several creeks along the way and saw numerous meadows with wild flowers in full bloom. Once we entered the Washburn trail we began seeing the Mtn peek and the fire tower atop one of the highest peeks in YS. We crossed a very large meadow just before finding the camp site. The minute we sat our bags down we knew we were in trouble.

It was 530 & we were ready to get out from under our bags & enjoy a cool night by the fire & seeing the stars come out & then the attack…Mosquitos the size of yellow jackets. We had bug spray because we knew we might have some bugs but this storm of vermits we had never seen and they were resistant to any big spray.

We built a fire and we seemed to fight them for awhile but the only solace was in the tent. After a quick sponge bath in the nearby spring it was a dark for the tent & the fight to keep them out.

The next morning they were worse. The decision was to head back due to bugs & bears. Sights had been recorded at the camp headquarters of bears on Mt. Washburn. We thought about shooting some of the Mosquitos, dressing them out & grilling them over the open fire but we decided to rad back to the camp grounds & a less invested area.

On to Old Faithful tomorrow.

July 4, 2013 Posted by hughharrisfca | Education, Exercise | Leave a comment

Great hike along the South Rim of the Yellowstone Grand Canyon

Yesterday we went to the Upper & Lower Falls of the YS Grand Canyon. The color of the YS River is so striking of a green hue as it contrasts to the sides of the canyon with their white, tans, reds of auburn, black stone that it doesn’t look real. From Artists Point it seems that you are viewing some computer generated image as the water tumbles over the falls & heads toward your vantage point.

We then took the Lilly Pad Lake route and on to Clear Lake past some sulphur smelling thermals and strange moon like terrain & then instantly into a calm grass Kaiden meadow with a large bill bison using the trail as his own private lunch room. Grazing while we tried to distract him & move him away from his lunch sight. Finally after about 20 min of failed attempts to encourage him to graze elsewhere and we got the clue and circled around him through the meadow & back on to the trail.

We can back to the trailhead to find a major traffic jam of on lookers of large elk grazing next to the parking lot. The park ranger was about to fine some folks because they were way to close. I got a shot of him as we walked by.

Today we are on to a much more critical hunt – a new blowup mattress that doesn’t leek. Maybe some geysers later.

July 1, 2013 Posted by hughharrisfca | Education, Exercise | Leave a comment

We made it! Backpacking To Cosby Knob & Davenport Gap Up on The AT.

The FCA men: KC Jorgenson, Michael Brooks, Andy Webb, Sam Deloach, Adrian Young, Paden Ritchie, Ghislain Vander Elst, Dave Deloach, Chad Webb, Jimmy Webb (75 yr old Dad & Granddad), & Hugh Harris made the trek up to the Appalachian Trail and the two shelters over this past weekend.

We spent Friday night at at Fox Fire Campground in Hartford, TN just up the road from the trail head and enjoyed the storm that blew through the area but missed out on all of the real bad weather. Just some rain and high wind.

We started our hike at Big Creek Camp Ground in the GSNP and headed up Big Creek trail to the Lower Gap trail that took us up to the AT  and the Cosby Knob shelter . Quite the climb. Warm sunny day and lots of sweating.

Great fire in the shelter by the FCA guys and we spent th evening with some AT “through hikers” on their way to Maine and the “ridge runner” Bill who overseas the AT. The next morning we awoke to a light dusting of snow and drop in temperature. We packed up and headed East on the AT toward Mt. Cammerer Fire Tower. It was snowing steadily the entire section of the AT and the wind was very strong. Temps continued to drop to the point that everyone’s Camel Back water systems were frozen solid along with ice in our Nalgene bottles.

When we arrived at the fire tower the clouds broke just enough to see the mountains to the East and I40. We made it to Davenport Gap shelter by 1:00 pm to find a much less used, dusty, dark hovel but much appreciated none the less for its fireplace and roof. We were joined that night by 2 different groups so we had a total of 16 in the shelter. The FCA guys did an outstanding job of chopping firewood and building a roaring fire that lasted throughout the night. Great job guys!

The next morning we packed up and headed down the mountain spurred on by the thoughts and smells of fresh rolls and steaks at the nearest Texas Roadhouse for lunch as is our custom. I must say this group of 2 seniors and 4 freshmen represented FCA well. Us older guys did all we could to keep up with them. Well done gentlemen, well done! Can’t wait til next year.

March 8, 2012 Posted by hughharrisfca | Education, Exercise | Leave a comment