Grand Teton, day 2

We decided that, with Willow Flats closed we'd complete the Hermitage Loop trail, as it was local and a good 9.5mile walk. We got down to the trailhead and met a couple who told us there was a bear with a carcass about 1/4 mile ahead on the trail, and showed us some video of it tearing into whatever it was eating. They were determined to see a Moose if they could so they headed off on the loop trail the other way. This gave us a dilemma, as we could either follow them and hope the bear had moved on 4 hours later, or report it. We chose to report it, and the trail was closed. So we needed plan B, which we decided was to head to Jenny Lake, get the boat across and try the trail from there.

A mother bear with two cubs was reported at Jenny Lodge that morning, but we didn't see them. The boat took eight minutes to get us across. The trail winds up, first to hidden falls, at about a third of a mile:

A full mile, and about 750ft up is Inspiration Point, a view that takes in Jenny Lake and landscape beyond.

Approaching Inspiration point there are a few switchbacks on a thin (looked thin to me!) path. Below, a few Aspens growing one of which a Red-naped Sapsucker had made its nest in:

We headed from Inspiration Point into the Canyon, the trail runs along the river to a fork 3.5 miles ahead. One fork takes you into backcountry, the other to a lake on a circular trail of 19 miles back to the boat. Today we decided to get to the fork and a little beyond to a Ranger station marked on the trail guide and then turn around and head back, roughly 10 miles with an elevation gain of over 1100ft.

Once in the canyon, the number of people around you drops notably. Some Yellow Warblers were about at the start of the trail:

Heading out of the first wooded area we spotted this chap, who looks like a cross between a ground squirrel and a chipmunk:















The whole time we'd been in Yellowstone and since arriving in the Grand Tetons we'd heard a song very much like an electronic flute, rising and descending, but the bird had always been distant, though its song carried. We'd caught up on the trail with some other hikers when one started singing just off the trail in a clump of dead trees. The Swainson's Thrush sang from his first perch and this stump for a good five minutes, uninterrupted:
















Right next to the trail this chap was munching his way through the foliage, I believe possibly a Yellow-bellied Marmot - though I have very limited reference material:

Another thrush made an appearance, this one a Hermit Thrush, Auduboni:

As we got further along the trail we noticed a lichen that was growing on and killing the lodgepole pines:

We made the trail fork and progressed on towards the marked Ranger cabin, which we couldn't locate, however we did come across a powerful if low height falls about 1/2 mile beyond the trail fork:

We headed back and met more and more groups of hikers heading out, even in the building heat of the early afternoon. About 3 miles back along the path a small crowd had gathered watching this Moose, trying to cool off in the river:

The way down proved quicker than the way up, by some distance. All along the path we'd seen Yellow-rumped Warblers, Chipping Sparrows and others. We are resolved to return and complete the loop to the lake and around the next peak, though only with at least 10 days acclimatisation.

Beyond Inspiration Point and heading back down to the boat the Red-naped Sapsucker was returning with more food for the nest:

The day proved to be the best walk we'd had, in either park, for distance covered, height climbed and general adaptation to the environment. Back at the cabins a Barn Swallow enjoyed the afternoon sun:

The walk up into the canyon was, for me, the best of our holiday, as we had adjusted to the air, the heat and were able to take in a lot of what we passed through, as well as mixing with other hikers and wildlife enthusiasts.