Table Rock

It had been over ten years since I last hiked Table Rock.  The last time was the year before Todd and I got married.  Emily Thuernagle and I went up to girls camp, stayed the night and hiked with Jake and all the girls.  It was due time I did it again.  And Todd had never done it!  We backpacked in to Alaska Basin about four years ago and saw the Tetons from the Wall, but when we moved from Idaho there was a pit in my stomach knowing he never got to hike Table Rock.


We were doing it!  Bears or no bears, we were hiking!

Trent was originally assigned one of the cans of bear spray, as he spent a summer as a "Bear Educator" in Island Park, but he claimed his recent LASIK and less-than-perfect vision made Brad and Jared better candidates.  So be it.  We spent the drive up to the trail head learning that there are many reasons bears may attack, including no reason at all, and there are many signs bears give when they are about to attack, including no signs at all. 

When we saw this posted at the trail head we became a little more concerned with snow and a little less concerned with bears.

The Beginning:

The Warning:

After the very strenuous face, and through the meadows (where Trent informed us of perfect bear territory, even "bear honeymoon" territory), and arriving at the first of the snow, we could spot the tops of the Tetons.

 Then, the destination, Table Rock...or Table Mountain.  Whatever.

Finally to the top of the snow...and the bottom of the rocks.

We made it! Of course we did, but that is hard work. 4,100 feet in three hours.



Rich, Brad, Trent, Morgan, Todd, Valerie, Jared, Adri



 A beautiful view, and what we thought was our final destination until another hiker asked if we were going all the way.  Huh?  We didn't know there was anywhere else to go. 


He highly recommended that we climb down the other side of Table Mountain and cross the snow to "Inspiration Point".  He assured us that it would be well worth our time. 

Okey Dokey. Inspiration Point. 


It was a better view, and those of you who have been to Table Rock probably think the view can't get much better.  It can.  Inspiration point provides a view of the Tetons from top to bottom.  Right down to the river that runs through the bottom of the canyon.

Apparently Brad and Todd found it the most inspiring.

Hiking back from Inspiration Point.  Toward Table Rock.

Hiking down the face was pretty hard.  My shins have bruises to prove it.  Steep.  Very steep.  Now I know why everyone always takes Huckleberry.

Soaking in the creek.

                                                  Huckleberry shakes and ice cream in Driggs.

 I have to mention that I gave Jared and Adri a hard time.  I told Jared that if Adri couldn't make it, he would be responsible for hiking back down with her.  Needless to say, Adri was the first one up and the first one down.  Maybe she was out to prove me wrong?  Impressive.

I am so glad we did it, and that all my brothers and Morgan came.  I miss the mountains.  A lot.  This should almost carry me through until next year.