Alaska Basin Trail

Last updated
Alaska Basin Trail

Static Peak Divide Trail A.jpg

Looking south near Static Peak Divide
Length 7.5 mi (12.1 km)
Location Teton Range
Trailheads Death Canyon Trail
Teton Crest Trail
Use Hiking/Pack animals
Elevation
Elevation change Approximate gain of 3,000 ft (910 m)
Highest point Static Peak Divide, 10,800 ft (3,300 m)
Lowest point Death Canyon Trail junction, 7,800 ft (2,400 m)
Hiking details
Trail difficulty Strenuous
Season Summer to Fall
Sights Teton Range
Hazards Severe weather
Grizzly bears

The Alaska Basin Trail is a 7.5 mi (12.1 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park and Bridger-Teton National Forest in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at a junction on the Death Canyon Trail near the Death Canyon Barn and climbs steeply to Static Peak Divide. [1] From the divide, the trail soon splits with a western branch descending into Alaska Basin and the eastern trail (also known as the Alaska Basin Shelf Trail) continuing north to junction with the Teton Crest Trail. [2] There are no camping zones on the trail within Grand Teton National Park, however in National Forest lands within Alaska Basin, camping is permitted anywhere more than 200 ft (61 m) away from lakes, though no open fires are allowed. [3] The Alaska Basin Trail is oftentimes used by climbers attempting to make ascents of Buck Mountain and Veiled Peak. [4]

Grand Teton National Park United States National Park in northwestern Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park is an American national park in northwestern Wyoming. At approximately 310,000 acres, the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long (64 km) Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. Grand Teton National Park is only 10 miles (16 km) south of Yellowstone National Park, to which it is connected by the National Park Service-managed John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. Along with surrounding national forests, these three protected areas constitute the almost 18,000,000-acre (7,300,000 ha) Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, one of the world's largest intact mid-latitude temperate ecosystems.

Bridger-Teton National Forest

Bridger-Teton National Forest is located in western Wyoming, United States. The forest consists of 3.4 million acres (14,000 km2), making it the third largest National Forest outside Alaska. The forest stretches from Yellowstone National Park, along the eastern boundary of Grand Teton National Park and from there rides along the western slope of the Continental Divide to the southern end of the Wind River Range. The forest also extends southward encompassing the Salt River Range and Wyoming Range mountains near the Idaho border.

U.S. state constituent political entity of the United States

In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are currently 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory and shares its sovereignty with the federal government. Due to this shared sovereignty, Americans are citizens both of the federal republic and of the state in which they reside. State citizenship and residency are flexible, and no government approval is required to move between states, except for persons restricted by certain types of court orders. Four states use the term commonwealth rather than state in their full official names.

Looking north from Static Peak Divide. Alaska basin is to the left and Grand Teton is in the background at upper right. Static Peak Divide Trail B.jpg
Looking north from Static Peak Divide. Alaska basin is to the left and Grand Teton is in the background at upper right.

Coordinates: 43°42′15″N110°51′50″W / 43.7040946°N 110.8638259°W / 43.7040946; -110.8638259 [5]

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.

See also

List of hiking trails in Grand Teton National Park

Related Research Articles

Teton Crest Trail

The Teton Crest Trail is a 40-mile (64 km) long hiking trail in the U.S. state of Wyoming that extends from Phillips Pass, on the border of Bridger Teton and Caribou-Targhee National Forests, to String Lake in Grand Teton National Park. Backpacker Magazine calls the Trail one of the "Best Hikes Ever," with "mesmerizing and constant views of jagged peaks."

Static Peak Divide

Static Peak Divide is a pedestrian mountain pass located in the Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The pass is situated at 10,800 ft (3,300 m) above sea level and is the high point along the Alaska Basin Trail which is accessed from Death Canyon. The Static Peak Divide is the highest altitude mountain pass along any maintained trail in Grand Teton National Park and is just west of Static Peak.

The Berry Creek Trail is a 12-mile (19 km) long hiking trail in the far northern region of Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at the National Park Service patrol cabin north of Wilcox Point on Jackson Lake and extends to Jackass Pass at the border between the park and Caribou-Targhee National Forest. Located in the remote northern backcountry of Grand Teton National Park, the trail is not connected to maintained trails in the southern part of the park and must be accessed from the Glade Creek trailhead in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. From Glade Creek, it is a 7.5 mi (12.1 km) hike to the Berry Creek Trail and then another 6.7 mi (10.8 km) to Jackass Pass. The Berry Creek Trail provides the easiest access to Survey Peak. The trail requires numerous stream crossings which can be dangerous during spring melt.

The Owl Creek Trail is a 7.3-mile (11.7 km) long hiking trail in the far northern region of Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at a junction on the Berry Creek Trail and traverses west then south to Moose Basin Divide where it meets the Webb Canyon Trail. Located in the remote northern backcountry of Grand Teton National Park, the trail is not connected to maintained trails in the southern part of the park and must be accessed from the Glade Creek trailhead in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. From Glade Creek, it is a 7.5 mi (12.1 km) hike to the Berry Creek Trail and then another 4 mi (6.4 km) to the trail junction. The Owl Creek Trail follows Owl Creek west then south and passes south of Forellen Peak. The trail requires numerous stream crossings which can be dangerous during spring melt.

The Webb Canyon Trail is a 9.9-mile (15.9 km) long hiking trail in the far northern region of Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins near the National Park Service backcountry patrol cabin near Wilcox Point on Jackson Lake. Located in the remote northern backcountry of Grand Teton National Park, the trail is not connected to maintained trails in the southern part of the park and must be accessed from the Glade Creek trailhead in the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway. From Glade Creek, it is a 7.5 mi (12.1 km) hike to the patrol cabin and the beginning of the Webb Canyon Trail. The trail follows Moose Creek west and after several miles, is flanked by both Owl Peak and Elk Mountain to the north and several unnamed peaks nearing 11,000 ft (3,400 m) to the south. At Moose Basin Divide the trail meets the Owl Creek Trail.

Death Canyon Trail

The Death Canyon Trail is a 10.5 mi (16.9 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins west of the White Grass Ranger Station Historic District and ends at Fox Creek Pass where it intercepts the Teton Crest Trail. The trail follows the length of Death Canyon. To get to the trail, the Valley Trail must be accessed at the White Grass Grass Ranger Station then by trending westward just to the north of Phelps Lake. Near Phelps Lake Overlook, the Death Canyon Trail heads west and is flanked by Albright Peak to the north and Prospectors Mountain to the south. After over 2 mi (3.2 km), the canyon widens and is intercepted by the Alaska Basin Trail. The Death Canyon Trail continues west then southwest, climbing steadily to Fox Creek Pass. The camping zone in the canyon extends from just west of the Alaska Basin Trail junction to .5 mi (0.80 km) below Fox Creek Pass and is available by permit.

The Granite Canyon Trail is a 8.2 mi (13.2 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at the Granite Canyon trailhead on the Moose-Wilson Road, about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Teton Village and ends at the junction with the Teton Crest Trail near Marion Lake. The trail follows the length of Granite Canyon. Just over a mile before the junction with the Teton Crest Trail, the Open Canyon Trail intercepts this trail from the north. An alternative route is to take the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski lift to the top of Rendezvous Mountain and descend 3 mi (4.8 km) down the Rendezvous Mountain Trail to junction with the Granite Canyon Trail, a distance of 12 mi (19 km) and mostly downhill. There are three different camping zones in the canyon which are available by permit.

The Granite Canyon Trail is a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Most often used to descend from the top of Rendezvous Mountain after riding the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski lift to the top of the peak, the trail descends 4.8 mi (7.7 km) to junction with the Granite Canyon Trail adjacent to the Upper Granite Canyon Patrol Cabin.

The Open Canyon Trail is a 8.3 mi (13.4 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at a junction with the Valley Trail and is most easily accessed with a 3 mi (4.8 km) hike on the Valley Trail from the trailhead near the White Grass Ranger Station Historic District. From there the trail heads west from Phelps Lake to Mount Hunt Divide and then descends into Granite Canyon. The trail traverses the entire length of Open Canyon. Indian Lake and Coyote Lake as well as Mount Hunt can also be reached from the trail but each require off trail navigation to access. There are two different camping zones in the canyon which are available by permit.

Amphitheater Lake Trail

The Amphitheater Lake Trail is a 5-mile (8.0 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trailhead is at the Lupine Meadows parking area and climbs steeply more than 3,000 feet (910 m) in just over 5 miles (8.0 km) to Amphitheater Lake. At the 2-mile (3.2 km) point, the trail forks and the Garnet Canyon Trail heads south and then west into Garnet Canyon. Shortly before arriving at Amphitheater Lake, hikers pass Surprise Lake where there is a backcountry camping site available if one obtains a free permit. Amphitheater Lake is southwest of Disappointment Peak.

Garnet Canyon Trail

The Garnet Canyon Trail is a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trailhead is at the Lupine Meadows parking area and climbs steeply more than 2,500 feet (760 m) in just under 5 miles (8.0 km) into Garnet Canyon. At the 2-mile (3.2 km) point, the trail forks from the Amphitheater Lake Trail and heads south and then west into Garnet Canyon. Garnet Canyon is the most popular approach route for climbers attempting to summit not only Grand Teton but also Middle Teton, South Teton, Teepe Pillar and Disappointment Peak. Though the trail becomes unmaintained once it enters boulder fields at approximately the 9,500-foot (2,900 m) elevation point, climbers continue on to other destinations such as the Lower Saddle, a high altitude mountain pass situated between Middle and Grand Teton. The altitude gain from the Lupine Meadows trailhead to the Lower Saddle is nearly 5,000 feet (1,500 m).

Paintbrush Canyon Trail

The Paintbrush Canyon Trail is a 9.1-mile (14.6 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Access to the Paintbrush Canyon Trail is from the String Lake trailhead. From there the trail follows the west shore of String Lake and is also known as the String Lake Trail. The Paintbrush Canyon Trail then enters Paintbrush Canyon and becomes steeper and then splits with one trail heading to Holly Lake and the other heading south then west. The trails merge west of Holly Lake and it is a steady altitude gain the last 3.9 miles (6.3 km) to Paintbrush Divide. The east approach to Paintbrush Divide is steep and may require the use of an ice axe through July. There are two camping zones within Paintbrush Canyon and one designated campsite at Holly Lake which are available with a permit. There is a popular loop trail which includes the Paintbrush Canyon Trail, Lake Solitude Trail and Cascade Canyon Trail which spans a distance of 19 mi (31 km) and has a total elevation gain of 4,900 ft (1,500 m).

String Lake Trail

The String Lake Trail is a 3.7-mile (6.0 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail circles String Lake and is also used to access the Paintbrush Canyon Trail and the Leigh Lake Trail. The String Lake trailhead is off the one-way road from North Jenny Lake Junction.

The Taggart Lake Trail is a 3-mile (4.8 km) long round-trip hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail is accessed from the Taggart Lake trailhead and provides access to Taggart Lake, with views of the lake and the Teton Range. At Taggart Lake, the trail intercepts the Valley Trail which heads north towards Bradley Lake or south to Death Canyon. Using the Valley Trail and the Bradley Lake Trail, a loop hike starting from the Taggart Lake Trailhead is 5.9 mi (9.5 km) long.

Alaska Basin

Alaska Basin is a subalpine basin on the west slopes of the Teton Range, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Located on the western border of Grand Teton National Park, Alaska Basin is within the Jedediah Smith Wilderness of Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The drainage for the basin is to the northwest along Teton Creek through Teton Canyon. Access into the basin is by trail only and the basin is bisected by the Teton Crest Trail which connects Mount Meek Pass to the south with Hurricane Pass to the north. The Alaska Basin Trail also enters Alaska Basin and connects with the Teton Crest Trail near Sunset Lake. Alaska Basin can also be accessed from the west by starting at the Teton Canyon campground. From there the hike to the summit of Table Mountain is 12 miles (19 km) roundtrip with a total elevation gain of 4,150 feet (1,260 m).

The Cascade Canyon Trail is a 13.6-mile (21.9 km) round-trip long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trailhead is at the South Jenny Lake parking area and follows the Jenny Lake Trail around the south shore of Jenny Lake to the Forks of Cascade Canyon. The trail passes near Hidden Falls after almost 3 miles (4.8 km) then goes west into the heart of Cascade Canyon, flanked by Teewinot Mountain and Mount Owen to the south and The Jaw and Rock of Ages to the north. At the Forks of Cascade Canyon, the trail splits with the Lake Solitude Trail heading to Lake Solitude and Paintbrush Divide, while the South Fork Cascade Canyon Trail leads to Hurricane Pass. There are no camping areas along the trail though not far from the Forks, camping zones exist to the north and south. At South Jenny Lake, a boat shuttle operates during the summer which shortens the hike by 4 miles (6.4 km).

Lake Solitude Trail

The Lake Solitude Trail is a 4.8-mile (7.7 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at the Forks of Cascade Canyon and follows Cascade Creek up through North Cascade Canyon to Lake Solitude. Beyond Lake Solitude, the trail becomes steep and climbs to Paintbrush Divide where it ends at the Paintbrush Canyon Trail. The only way to access the trail is by way of either the Paintbrush Canyon or Cascade Canyon Trails. Except at and above Lake Solitude, backcountry camping is allowed with a permit along the trail. At South Jenny Lake, a boat shuttle operates during the summer which shortens the hike by 4 miles (6.4 km). The Lake Solitude Trail is part of a popular 19-mile (31 km) long loop hike which runs through both Cascade and Paintbrush Canyons.

South Fork Cascade Canyon Trail

The South Fork Cascade Canyon Trail is a 5.6-mile (9.0 km) long hiking trail in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The trail begins at the Forks of Cascade Canyon and extends to Hurricane Pass. A short connector trail just before Hurricane Pass leads to Schoolroom Glacier. From the Forks of Cascade Canyon and most of the way through South Cascade Canyon, backcountry camping is allowed with a permit. The South Fork Cascade Canyon Trail is also part of the Teton Crest Trail its entire length and to the south beyond Hurricane Pass lies Alaska Basin.

Death Canyon Shelf is a narrow plateau located in Grand Teton National Park in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The plateau extends from Fox Creek Pass to Mount Meek Pass, a distance of almost 4 miles (6.4 km). The Death Canyon Shelf parallels much of Death Canyon to the east and has cliffs rising several hundred feet to the west for most of the shelf's length. Camping is permitted on Death Canyon Shelf with a permit. The shelf is traversed by the Teton Crest Trail for its entire length, but it is deep in the backcountry, requiring a 10-mile (16 km) hike from the Death Canyon trailhead to access.

References

  1. "Death Canyon Trailhead" (pdf). National Park Service. Retrieved 2012-05-19.
  2. Grand Teton, WY (Map). Topoquest (USGS Quads). Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  3. "Backcountry Camping" (pdf). National Park Service. October 2006. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
  4. Ortenburger, Leigh N.; Reynold G. Jackson (Nov 1, 1996). A climber's guide to the Teton Range. Mountaineers Books. p. 76. ISBN   0-89886-480-1.
  5. "Alaska Basin Trail". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey . Retrieved 2012-03-03.