I always thought the Teton Crest Trail was too crowded to be worth it, but a sunrise at Lake Solitude last month changed my mind.

I got to the lake at 5:30 AM after starting from Death Canyon at 3 AM, and having that whole view to myself for an hour made me realize the crowds are just a daytime thing you can easily avoid. Has anyone else found a way to beat the crowds on a famous route?

3 comments

3 Comments

williamm822mo ago

Started at 3 AM from Death Canyon? I mean, that's a serious night hike. I'd be so worried about tripping over something in the dark, or running into a moose.

angela6872mo agoTop Commenter

My headlamp died halfway up once and I basically felt my way along like a cartoon burglar. The moose are the real bosses out there though, I once apologized to a shrub I thought was one. You just accept that you're gonna look like a fool for most of the climb. It's all part of the fun, or at least that's what I tell myself after the fact.

drew_bennett242mo ago

Oh man, @williamm82, the dark is the easy part (you can't see how dumb you look). The real trick is not screaming when a pine cone drops on your head and you're sure it's a bear. My dignity is always the first thing I leave at the trailhead.