• Signal Mountain

    Signal Mountain

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    While you can drive to the overlook on Signal Mountain in Grand Teton National Park, the quiet hike up rewards you with a pleasant grade, ponds, wonderful forests, open meadows, and a few bonus vantages. It took a little bit to figure out where the trailhead actually was for Signal Mountain. We started out by…

  • Scalplock Lookout 2017

    Scalplock Lookout 2017

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    Finding high points in Glacier National Park in early spring (especially with a high snow pack like 2017!) can be difficult. Scalplock Lookout is one of the great options to do this. It has a south facing slope and doesn’t get too high, so snow melts out earlier. Longing for a day in Glacier, we…

  • Hermitage Point with Heron Pond and Swan Lake

    Hermitage Point with Heron Pond and Swan Lake

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    Hiking out to Hermitage Point in Grand Teton National Park takes you past Heron Pond and Swan Lake which makes for a wonderful, varied trip to bodies of water on a level trail. You can go to each one or visit all three for a big loop with great birding. We found the trailhead of…

  • Hello Yosemite!

    Hello Yosemite!

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    After a long drive down to California, I finally made it to Yosemite National Park. I arrived in Yosemite Valley mid-morning on Saturday which was poor planning on my part. This place is crazy! (Both in scenery and the amount of people.) Anyway, I’m starting to get my bearing. Looking forward to exploring this amazing…

  • Memorial Day – 2017

    Memorial Day – 2017

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    My grandfather fought in World War II like so many of what is known as the “Greatest Generation”. When he came back, he resumed his life like so many others. He was a husband, my mom’s father, and a pharmacist. My family is not a “military family” in the least, but I was raised with great…

  • Lakeshore Trail

    Lakeshore Trail

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    The Lakeshore Trail in Grand Teton National Park forms a figure-eight shape as it works its way out onto a peninsula that forms Colter Bay’s north shore. This hike gives some wonderful views of Jackson Lake and the Tetons, but spends a large portion of its time in the peninsula’s woods. The waters were perfectly calm…

  • String Lake, Leigh Lake, Bearpaw Lake, & Trapper Lake

    String Lake, Leigh Lake, Bearpaw Lake, & Trapper Lake

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    The chain of lakes at the base of the Tetons beginning with String Lake, then progressing through Leigh Lake and Bearpaw Lake, all the way to Trapper Lakes in Grand Teton National Park is a wonderful level walk with loads of variations for all sorts of hikers. Each lake is unique and can make for…

  • Amphitheater Lake & Garnet Canyon

    Amphitheater Lake & Garnet Canyon

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    The trail from the Lupine Meadows Trailhead in Grand Teton National Park forks to two wonderful alpine destinations. The north fork heads to a pair of beautiful alpine lakes tucked beneath the rugged, rocky summits, Amphitheater Lake and Surprise Lake, while the south fork wraps around and up into Garnet Canyon. This canyon is a…

  • Grand View Point

    Grand View Point

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    by

    Jake Bramante

    Grand View Point in Grand Teton National Park offers wonderful, high views of the Tetons, Jackson Lake, and Two Ocean Lake. The trail is short and steep. Cool mornings give more comfortable hiking and better lighting, while afternoon hiking is hotter, but illuminates Two Ocean Lake wonderfully. On a hot afternoon, we drove the dirt…