Table Mountain - 8.14.2011
From Driggs, Idaho... drive east on Ski Hill Road for several miles... and look for a sign to the Teton Canyon Campground... the main trail gains 4100 feet in 7 miles... while the direct route gains the elevation in 4.5 miles.
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The sign for the Teton Canyon Campground... a 4 mile drive to the campground.
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Just beyond the Teton Canyon Campground you will find the North Teton Trailhead... the official starting point for Table Mountain... but only start here if you want to use the official trail.
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We continued driving another eighth of a mile to the South Teton Trailhead... looking for the unofficial trail to Table Mtn.
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This is the South Teton Trailhead... and you won't see any mention of Table Mountain.
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The restroom at the South Teton Trailhead... and you will notice the unsigned trail on the left... this is the unofficial trail to Table Mountain.
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After hiking about 30 yards you will see this sign for the 'Face Trail'... if you don't see this sign, you are on the wrong trail.
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Denali Girl on the Face Trail... it is steeper than it looks here.
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The higher you get on the Face Trail the more the views open up.
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Denali Girl (left) on the Face Trail... looking up Alaska Basin into the Grand Teton National Park.
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Face Trail goes through a grove of Aspen trees.
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Almost above the trees now... looking down Teton Canyon to Idaho.
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The trees are thining out the higher we get.
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Above the trees now.
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Looking at peaks in the southern part of the park.
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Table Mountain is a very fitting name.
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Nearing Table Mountain... looking back down Teton Canyon to Idaho.
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Nearing the Table Mountain summit block.
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The path to the summit leads between the rocks in the center of the photo.
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On the summit now and watching others make their way up... looking west into Idaho.
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From the Table Mountain summit (11,106') we got this spectacular view of Mt. Owen (left), The Grand, Middle Teton and South Teton.
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Looking NE from Table Mountain... Cascade Canyon is on the right... leading down to Jenny Lake (not in photo).
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Looking west from the Table Mountain summit.
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Denali Girl coming up to the Table Mountain summit.
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Denali Girl and ragman on the Table Mountain summit.
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I decided to go around the south side of Table Mountain to see if I could get closer to The Grand.
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On the east side of Table Mountain now... getting closer to The Grand.
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Looking back at Table Mountain.
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Mt. Owen, The Grand, Middle Teton and South Teton from east of Table Mountain.
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On our return we decided to take the official trail back to the trailhead... the trail switchbacks down into the North Fork Teton Creek drainage.
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Getting ready to drop into the North Fork Teton Creek drainage... Table Mountain in the center of the photo.
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The switchbacks leading down into the North Fork Teton Creek drainage.
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Mid-August and still plenty of snow.
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Down by the North Fork Teton Creek now... and looking back up at Table Mountain.
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We got to take our boots off a couple of times on the way back to the trailhead... only a couple of miles left to get back.
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