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Day 73 - Grand Teton Paintbrush Canyon

I had my first bear encounter today. Returning down Paintbrush Canyon, I saw a blonde bear on all fours thirty feet ahead on the trail. He looked up at me and I looked up at him, both in stare.  I originally thought he was a grizzly due to his coloring but park literature said black bears can be blonde so the way to determine between them is a shoulder hump and claw size.  He quietly walked across the trail into the woods, a bit afraid of me. I stood tall and silent and stopped for a minute watching alertly as he continued deeper into the woods. I slowly walked forward along the trail past him and we went our separate ways. I had my bear spray attached to my pack and had practiced my hiking pole spear throwing technique earlier, but neither defensive move was required. I didn't take photos for obvious reasons but did see another bear while driving later in the day. 


On to the day. First stop was to the Mormon barns, early structures of early settlers and a popular vantage point for photographs. Next was Schwabacher Point, a boat landing on a river, also popular with photographers due to its reflective nature. 



Next stop was the hike up Paintbrish Canyon, a 2900 foot gain, brutal hike up to an alpine lake. I passed only five people while on this twelve mile hike upcanyon. I passed through a dense forest for the first few miles (site of bear encounter coming back) but then the views opened up. Another wow canyon. 


I passed a young hiker with an ice axe attached to his pack and he said he turned back at the switchbacks due to snow. I didn't know where the switchbacks were exactly so I pushed on. I came to a point where the runoff stream seemed to have washed away the trail and diverted up the near side of the hill, hoping my off-trail route would intersect the trail above. After a small climb, I reached a snow covered section. The snow was maybe a foot thick but was solid enough to hike on so I broke fresh trail up the canyon valley, crossing a stream near a fallen tree and then going up a wooded, snow free section. I eventually came to the trail and followed it over a fast flowing stream and then continued up a very steep but safe hill (an open flat section below the hill would catch me if I fell).  Feeling like I was almost at the lake, I hiked joyfully after this steep climb only to find myself below a four-times as high hill filled with boulders in the center and thick forests on the side. I considered my options: hiking up the boulders was way too dangerous but the forest march while long looked doable if somewhat dangerous. The snow was softening in the afternoon sun making a descent slippery and if this was the "switchbacks"  section then I still had a mile to go after climbing this hill according to the map. I didn't pack my crampons as the ranger incorrectly said the path was clear past the lake. So I turned around and headed back down canyon. Here's the final hill and the photo of my returning down. 



I passed two younger kids on the way down and gave them as much info on the route as I could, and they continued up to try their luck. I passed a nice couple on vacation and they turned around with me. Then I passed the bear. A full day of adventure. 

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