TABLE MOUNTAIN
(11,106 ft.)July 31, 2006
By Tim Briese
My wife Teresa and I were invited by our good friends Lon and Bev to spend a few days with them at their vacation cabin in Driggs, Idaho, and we eagerly accepted. Driggs is a sleepy little resort town just west of Jackson Wyoming, near the Targhee Ski Resort. It is located on the west side of the spectacular Grand Tetons. Lon and Bev live less than an hour away in Newdale, Idaho, and had built the cabin a couple of years before to use for family getaways and as a rental property for vacationers.
Teresa and I drove out from Colorado on a fine Sunday in late July, and after eating dinner in Jackson, drove a short distance over Teton Pass to Driggs to meet our friends at their cabin that evening. The Acabin@ turned out to be a relatively palatial two-story resort home with four bedrooms and three baths, complete with a modern kitchen, laundry, and hot tub. It was very tastefully decorated with a knotty wood and log interior, and was set in an aspen grove on an acre of land. If you would ever like to rent some wonderful accommodations while on a trip to this part of the country, especially for a large party, check out a description of the property at http://www.vrbo.com/73892
We did not know for sure what activities they had in mind for us over the next few days, but when Lon proposed that we climb Table Mountain the next day, we quickly agreed. The 13 mile roundtrip climb involves a scenic hike up a valley to an incredible vantage point at the summit. It is said to be the most popular hike on the west side of the Tetons.
We rose early the next morning, and after eating breakfast at the cabin, drove a few miles northeast from Driggs to the Teton Creek Trailhead. Interestingly, we crossed over the state line from Idaho to Wyoming on this short drive. The elevation at the trailhead was a little over 7000 feet. At 7:05 we hit the trail and climbed steeply up into the woods above the trailhead. Soon the trail leveled out and we began a pleasant hike up a scenic valley along North Teton Creek. We passed through incredibly lush flowery meadows and groves of aspen and pine. The morning started off clear and sunny, and the early sunlight shone grandly upon the sparkling landscape. The trail crossed the creek three times, with the first two crossings requiring a bit of fancy footwork on rocks, while the third was an easy crossing on a half-sawn log.
After three and a half miles the trail curved to the right and climbed into a beautiful upper basin. We then ascended a steep slope up a flowery drainage through a rocky area toward the west. We climbed long switchbacks to gain the crest of a ridge at about 10,000 feet elevation. A nice view of Table Mountain, as well as the pointed summit of the Grand Teton beyond a ridge to the southeast, appeared at this point. We followed the curving ridge around to the southeast toward the summit of Table Mountain. This was an interesting area, with sharp cliffs and the basin we had hiked up far below on the left, and a broad, gentle slope that eased away to the right. The trail was almost flat for over a half mile, then we gradually climbed through the last of the trees as we approached timberline. I noted that timberline, at just over 10,000 feet, was considerably lower than in Colorado due to the more northerly latitude here.
After leaving the last of the trees we hiked up a long and gentle slope across talus and tundra toward the summit, which loomed a half mile ahead. Clouds had moved in and were darkening now, adding a sense of urgency to the climb. A rather chilly breeze induced us to put on our jackets, too. About this time Bev noticed with dismay that she had lost her camera, having left it at our last stop in the trees below! We resolved to make a diligent search for it on the way back. We saw several other climbers on the trail now, both going to and returning from the summit.
The trail was an excellent one, mostly gentle and easy all the way to the final summit slopes. The final 300 feet of climbing to the summit became a little tedious, though, with a steep ascent up a scree and dirt slope and a minor scramble through a cliff band.
We stepped on top of the flat summit ridge and walked a few yards southeast to the highest point, arriving there at 11:45. What an incredible view of the Grand Tetons we were treated to from this vantage point! The Grand Teton itself, the highest peak of them all, stood most impressively directly across a deep valley to the east, its summit about two miles away. This view is the reward that makes this climb so popular. We sat down on large flat rocks and ate our lunch while enjoying the magnificent scenery. A father and his two young sons were also on the summit a short distance away. The flat ridge on the summit could accommodate a large number of visitors if need be, and probably does on some days. We were surprised to turn and see a badger eyeing us from a few feet away. He apparently had a home in the rocks nearby so we were careful not to threaten him, given his species= reputation for nastiness.
The clouds were lowering and threatened rain, so we did not tarry long on the summit and took our leave after half an hour. I mistakenly led us down off the summit ridge on a route that was a bit more exposed and loose than the way we had come up, but we very shortly got back on the right route and descended without incident. Bev borrowed my trekking poles to go down on the steep scree and found the going much easier than it might have been without them. It took only a few minutes to reach the easy trail below the scree. Several other climbers were still on their way up, including an older man who must have been at least 70 years old. It appeared that clouds might soon engulf the Tetons, hiding the spectacular views for these late arrivers.
When we returned to the trees on the ridge we looked carefully for the area where Bev left her camera, and then fanned out and mounted a search for it. After a few minutes the lost item was retrieved and we continued on our way. Bev was grateful to find it but disappointed that she had not been able to take any summit photos, so we promised to send a CD of our pictures.
A sprinkling rain soon began to fall from the sky and continued during most of our way down. We never heard a single clap of thunder, though. We began singing songs as we marched along in the rain. We sang every song we could think of, as much of each one as our memories would allow, sometimes a verse of two, or sometimes just the first line or a few words. Teresa and Lon turned out to be our song leaders, pouring forth an impressive array of tunes.
At 4 p.m. we tramped back down to the trailhead and headed to the cabin for the evening, after hiking13 miles and climbing 4100 feet of elevation gain today. The hot tub, a fine dinner, and comfortable beds were greatly appreciated that night. This was a great hike I would highly recommend, offering a pleasant saunter up a beautiful valley to a remarkable summit with breathtaking views.
