Backpacking in Grizzly Country ...and Tales of Close Encounters

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3 Days of Backpacking, Hiking and Camping in Idaho's Teton Valley.

For this late spring adventure, I decided to do my first backpacking trip in Grizzly Bear Country. My chosen area was a corner of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest with the goal of solo camping on the banks of Upper Palisades lake, a remote alpine lake in southern Idaho situated at an elevation of 6,700 feet.

Located just 25 miles southwest of Wyoming's famed Grand Teton National Park, this corner of Idaho offers some extra solitude, less red-tape, spectacular mountain views and plenty of wildlife, including a variety of waterfowl, moose, and yes - Grizzly Bears. With this in mind, I picked up a fresh can of bear spray, packed my ultralight backpack, and hit the trail for 3 days of adventure.

For sleep and shelter I packed in my trusty trekking pole tent, a three-season inflatable sleeping pad, and a 30 degree sleeping bag for the expected lows going down to just above freezing or so. While there was still plenty of snow pack at the elevations just above the lake, I decided to take my chances with some lightweight trail runners instead of boots.

Along the way I'll tell you some tales of various grizzly bear encounters I've had in Tetons, the recent Teton bear attack that another gentleman was thankfully able to survive relatively unscathed, and some fun facts about moose and beavers too. So grab your pack, let's go!

Blog Post for this Trip
https://www.sintax77.com/backpacking-in-grizzly-country-and-tales-of-close-encounters

Trailhead Used:

Palisades Creek Trailhead
Irwin, Idaho 83428
43°23'53.5"N 111°12'44.8"W

Season / Time of Year:
Late Spring - Last week of May

Trails Used Day 1:

Lower Palisades Creek Trail
Upper Lake Trail
Setup Camp along Upper Palisades Lake

Day 1 Total Mileage: 8 miles
Day 1 Gross Elevation Gain: 1,682'
Day 1 Gross Descent 594'

Trails Used Day 2:

Upper Lake Trail
Vacation Canyon Trail (out and back)
Upper Lake Bench Trail (horse trail)
Return to Camp along Upper Palisades Lake

Day 2 Total Mileage: 5 miles
Day 2 Gross Elevation Gain: 949'
Day 2 Gross Descent 949'

Trails Used Day 3:

Upper Lake Trail
Lower Palisades Lake Trail
Return to the Upper Palisades Trailhead

Day 3 Total Mileage: 7 miles
Day 3 Gross Elevation Gain: 534'
Day 3 Gross Descent 1,617'

Trip Grand Total Mileage: 20 Miles
Trip Grand Total Gross Elevation Gain: 3,165'

FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of my links.

Notable Backpacking Gear Used on this Trip:

Outdoor Vitals Fortius 1p Trekking Pole Tent https://alnk.to/610cgil
OV Shadowlight Ultralight Backpack https://alnk.to/cb2IAZJ
OV Satu Adventure Pants https://alnk.to/610cgjm
OV Nebo Windbreaker Jacket https://alnk.to/8tONZK4
OV Nova Pro Jacket https://alnk.to/eZGQi7Y
RevolutionRace Campfire Shirt https://amzn.to/3y0wSTc
Klymit Static V Sleeping Pad https://amzn.to/4dqbK8R
Toaks 750ml Titanium Pot https://amzn.to/2GR7AJX
Titanium Long Handled Spork https://amzn.to/3ANWmAK
Nitecore NU25 Headlamp https://amzn.to/2YVsp0A
Peak Refuel Backpacking Meals https://amzn.to/3Qkp02i
Spot X Satellite Messenger https://amzn.to/3adSjBr
La Sportiva Wildcat Trail Running Shoes https://amzn.to/3hyKrMi
Katadyn BeFree Water Filter https://amzn.to/2WcjfYZ

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Grizzly Country
13:37 Thoughts on Raingear for Backpacking
25:24 Story - Grizzly Bear Cubs in Teton National Park
34:06 Beaver Dam Activity
40:44 Campsite Search at Upper Palisades Lake
52:53 Story - Approached by a young grizzly bear
58:27 Hanging a bear bag & Finding Moose Rubs
01:15:41 Day 2 and Details of the Recent Tetons Bear Attack
01:24:34 Finding an Awesome Campsite to Filter Water at
01:32:03 Story - Rex Gets way to Close to a Grizzly Bear with Cub
01:43:30 A Decision to Move Camp?
01:53:22 Day 3 - Breaking Camp
01:56:54 The Aftermath of Rex's Grizzly Bear Standoff

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