Jedediah Smith Wilderness, Caribou Targhee National Forest, ID/WY

Dates

Aug 16th - Aug 22nd 2009

Service Project

Trail maintenance in the Alaska Basin

Free Days

Dayhiking to gorgeous views, swimming, fishing, relaxing

Accommodations

Backpack camping

Trip Rating

Strenuous : 7-mile backpack, moving rocks, repairing tread, installing water bars. Pack animal supported.

Leaders

Carter Bland

Equipment

The Jedediah Smith Wilderness is part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and home to a variety of wildlife including black and grizzly bear, big horn sheep, wolverine, moose and elk. The wilderness lies on both sides of the Idaho/Wyoming state line. The Jedediah Smith Wilderness includes most of the west slope of the famous Teton Range. The classic view of the Tetons is from the east -- from Jackson Hole -- where the peaks rise 5000 to 7500 feet with no intervening foothills. The west slope of the Tetons is quite different; range rises gradually, with valleys and ridges. The wilderness is not very deep, but it is long -- almost the entire length of the west slope of the Teton Range.

Our trip is in the incredible Alaska Basin just below the towering Tetons. We’ll backpack 7 miles and set up our basecamp for the week. Most of our food, group equipment and tools will be carried in by horsepacker. We’ll work on trails in the basin, and on our off day we can hike the Teton Crest Trail, swim in the basin lakes, fish or just bask in the solitude of the wilderness.