By Gary Cowell

For the Sunday Gazette-Mail

JACKSON, Wyo. -- National Geographic Adventure magazine called it the No. 1 trek in the country in its July 2007 issue. That would be the Teton Crest Trail in Grand Teton National Park.

After reading the article, my wife, Marilyn, thought we should give it a try. Now, we hadn't done any backpacking so we took a short trip to try it out, because this trip is not an easy trek. It works its way around the Teton Range for 39 miles, takes at least four nights and goes from about 6,000 feet to a high point of over 11,000 feet. However, if you're an avid backpacker and want to enjoy some of the best mountain scenery anywhere, it would be a trip of a lifetime.

We made the trip last year during Labor Day week, which would be about as late in the year that you would want to go because winter snows can come early in northern Wyoming. We started our hike Sunday afternoon with possible snow of up to 4 inches expected on Monday. But we figured we're here, so we thought let's see what happens.

At the beginning of our hike the weather was partly cloudy and temperatures in the 50, perfect for us. As we got further into the mountains, however, the skies became overcast and rain started as we found our first campsite. The rain finally stopped in the middle of the night, and the next day was overcast and cool. Little did we realize the "fun" was about to start.

As we finished setting up camp on the second night, the wind was picking up. By the time we finished dinner and cleaned up, the snow had started and we hit the tent as the storm hit. All night long a blizzard raged with the tent constantly shaking and shuddering and the snow piling up outside.

"This is not what I came out here to do," I told my wife, and I started thinking of possible escape routes out of the mountains. My wife wondered if we had 3 feet of snow in the morning whether they would rescue us.

Well, morning came with no wind, and when I tentatively checked outside I saw a rising sun with blue skies and only about an inch of snow on the ground. Greatly relieved, we packed up and started out to a day of the best weather of the hike and the best scenery on the route.

We were surrounded by amazing alpine scenery. Every turn bought a new photo experience. The afternoon brought us directly behind the three Teton peaks, a view rivaled by few sights found anywhere. As we set up our third campsite, I knew I had a once in a lifetime experience.

Our final full day in the backcountry (Wednesday) started out with light snow flurries, but the skies soon cleared and shortly after lunch we made it through Paintbrush Divide, the highest point on the route at 10,700 feet. We named that section "the trail from hell" because we gained more than 2,000 feet in about a mile and a half at high altitude.

Once over the pass we weren't quite in the clear. On the way down into the next canyon the trail cut through a very steep section of loose rock covered in snow and ice, which was a little tricky at times.

By Gary Cowell

For the Sunday Gazette-Mail

JACKSON, Wyo. -- National Geographic Adventure magazine called it the No. 1 trek in the country in its July 2007 issue. That would be the Teton Crest Trail in Grand Teton National Park.

After reading the article, my wife, Marilyn, thought we should give it a try. Now, we hadn't done any backpacking so we took a short trip to try it out, because this trip is not an easy trek. It works its way around the Teton Range for 39 miles, takes at least four nights and goes from about 6,000 feet to a high point of over 11,000 feet. However, if you're an avid backpacker and want to enjoy some of the best mountain scenery anywhere, it would be a trip of a lifetime.

We made the trip last year during Labor Day week, which would be about as late in the year that you would want to go because winter snows can come early in northern Wyoming. We started our hike Sunday afternoon with possible snow of up to 4 inches expected on Monday. But we figured we're here, so we thought let's see what happens.

At the beginning of our hike the weather was partly cloudy and temperatures in the 50, perfect for us. As we got further into the mountains, however, the skies became overcast and rain started as we found our first campsite. The rain finally stopped in the middle of the night, and the next day was overcast and cool. Little did we realize the "fun" was about to start.

As we finished setting up camp on the second night, the wind was picking up. By the time we finished dinner and cleaned up, the snow had started and we hit the tent as the storm hit. All night long a blizzard raged with the tent constantly shaking and shuddering and the snow piling up outside.

"This is not what I came out here to do," I told my wife, and I started thinking of possible escape routes out of the mountains. My wife wondered if we had 3 feet of snow in the morning whether they would rescue us.

Well, morning came with no wind, and when I tentatively checked outside I saw a rising sun with blue skies and only about an inch of snow on the ground. Greatly relieved, we packed up and started out to a day of the best weather of the hike and the best scenery on the route.

We were surrounded by amazing alpine scenery. Every turn bought a new photo experience. The afternoon brought us directly behind the three Teton peaks, a view rivaled by few sights found anywhere. As we set up our third campsite, I knew I had a once in a lifetime experience.

Our final full day in the backcountry (Wednesday) started out with light snow flurries, but the skies soon cleared and shortly after lunch we made it through Paintbrush Divide, the highest point on the route at 10,700 feet. We named that section "the trail from hell" because we gained more than 2,000 feet in about a mile and a half at high altitude.

Once over the pass we weren't quite in the clear. On the way down into the next canyon the trail cut through a very steep section of loose rock covered in snow and ice, which was a little tricky at times.

From this point we had one final canyon to hike out. We found a nice campsite for our final night with one last memorable event. In the middle of the night a moose thumped right by our tent. I held my breath and waited for him to pass into the distance.

Our final morning brought blue skies and mild temperatures for our hike out to the trailhead. We called a taxi to take us to the airport, where we rented a car for our last two days in the area.

If you hike in the mountains, expect anything -- especially concerning the weather. It could be sunny and pleasant or stormy with snow. Pack light, but pack for various weather conditions and rule out nothing.

Some advice concerning backcountry camping; spots can be reserved if you plan far enough in advance. The cutoff date is March 15, and they reserve one third of the spots. After that, it's first come, first served. The route is divided into eight or nine camping zones, and you have to register to stay in each one. We didn't know this until after the deadline. We were lucky. One of the zones had one spot left.

Our original plan was to spend our final day (Friday) observing wildlife, but we found it very sparse. In the wide, open sections of the park we expected to see herds of elk, pronghorn and possibly bison. We saw one pronghorn at a distance. If large mammals are what you want to experience, Yellowstone to the north is a better bet. So, tired of looking at sagebrush, we spent the day in Jackson.

One can spend a lot of time in Jackson. The town can get busy with crowds of tourists. If you give yourself time, there are plenty of shops to check out. Remember you're on vacation, so don't be in a rush, take your time.

The town is a little upscale. There are some trinket and T-shirt shops, but not as many as you might expect. There are a number of art galleries and high-end souvenir shops. Overall, there's pretty much something for everyone, and just browsing can be fun, too.

The rest of the town consists mainly of outfitters, lodging and restaurants. The only problem with the places to eat is which one to pick. There's everything from western to Thai. There are many "fancier" places if you prefer that type of décor, and they aren't all that expensive.

If you like Italian, Mountain High Pizza Pie has excellent pizza and pasta. If you'd like a taste of the Old West, there's the famous Million Dollar Saloon and Restaurant in the middle of town. We tried The Gun Barrel Restaurant west of town. We had buffalo strip steak and buffalo ribs and found both very good.

If you're an early eater, be aware that most restaurants don't open until 5:30 p.m. And if you like deli sandwiches, there's a great place. As you leave town going north toward the park, there is on the left a small shopping center. A store with a sign that only reads "Deli Grocery" has fantastic made-to-order deli sandwiches. It's not fancy, the eating area is in the grocery store, but the sandwiches are great.

There's a wide variety of lodging available between the park and Jackson. Staying in one of the lodges or resorts in the park puts you closer to the mountains, but you get less for a higher price. You can pay nearly $600 a night at the Jenny Lake Lodge. Staying in town will be cheaper and closer to other services. It's not hard to find a nice clean place with a full kitchen for less than $150 a night. Doing research should get a place suited to your needs.

My wife and I have traveled to several national parks in the West. Until this trip we only took day hikes into the mountains, but this adventure hooked us on backpacking in the mountains. Our next trip is planned for another four nights in Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks with a route that is supposed to be one of the best in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We can't wait.

Gary Cowell lives in Ravenswood. He may be e-mailed at gecow...@yahoo.com.