TIL the hard way that a 10 mile day in the Tetons is not the same as a 10 mile day back home

Last August I tried to do the Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon loop in one push, about 20 miles. I'm used to rolling hills in Ohio, so I figured my usual pace would be fine. By mile 12 near Lake Solitude, the altitude and constant rock scrambling had me totally gassed, and I had to bail down a different trail to get out before dark. Anyone else have a route that looked easy on paper but kicked their butt?

2 comments

2 Comments

wyatt_green3d ago

Yeah, that loop is no joke. I made a similar mistake trying to go up Table Mountain in the spring. The map said it was a short hike, but I didn't account for the snowfield near the top. Spent two hours postholing through slush up to my thighs for what should have been a thirty minute stretch. My legs were cooked for days after that.

noahcampbell3d ago

My buddy and I got stuck in a surprise snowstorm on Mount Washington last May. We had to turn back a mile from the summit because the trail just vanished under fresh powder. Honestly, spring in the mountains is its own kind of beast.