Huckleberry Hot Springs.

 Last year we attempted this same hike and didn't quite make it to the springs. This year is a whole new year though, the year of getting it done apparently. We Entered the park from the Moran Entrance and Drove North past the lake and parked at Flagg Ranch. We started on the actual trail which is unnecessary as you can follow the snowmobile road for the same stretch and it is a bit easier. The trail crosses over the road and heads on towards the spring.  The first half of the trail its just one path through the woods and follows along Polecat Creek, then it takes a right hand fork off to the springs here a few trail variances pop up but they all lead to the same place. The spring is beautiful and a perfect spot to end the day. The trail maps say there is a loop but it hadn't been connected to the other half of the loop yet so we just headed back out the way we came in. Super fun Spectacular Easy hike about 2 miles total.

Up Signal Mountain Road 1-22-12

 In winter GTNP closes the main park road from the Taggart Lake Parking area to the Jackson Lake Parking lot, this road is occasionally groomed and makes for a nice easy winter hike. We started out on this hike a few weeks ago and missed the Signal Mountain Road turn off by a few hundred yards. This trip however was not quite like our last attempt in that the trail we broke was kept up by fellow trail users and by this time had been quite decently packed, and we made it to Signal Mountain Road in no time at all. We took the left turn and headed up the hill. This tail was packed decently but recent snowfall had topped the trail and gave us a few inches to push down. Still fairly easy trail and completely desolate. we Hiked up Signal Mountain Road about a mile and stopped for lunch on the left hand side of the trail. Looking down the hill we saw what looked like the main trail. Kevin with his extreme inability to stay on any trail took the the sled down to the peculiar opening and discovered it indeed was the main road. So he invited us to all join him, the kids ran down the hill and Kevin met me half way down and we sledded the rest of the way together. This short cut saved us about 1.5 miles of hiking, which after last weeks hike we were very happy to get. Total hike 2.5 miles.

The day started out cloudy, and grey.

Better Trail this time.

Up Signal Mountain Road 

Emma found a Snow Spider

Time for a rest

Down through there is the main road

Tree Hugger

Taggart Lake Loop

This hike was might be the most satisfying hike I have ever completed. As any followers of this blog my know we have set out on the Taggart Lake trail head many times, yet never once have we completed the loop. Well yesterday with as much will power and fight as we could muster we finished the loop.

We set out on the loop taking the typical approach going over the bridge and along the ranch, coming to the Bradly Lake trail junction. We considered taking the trail for a moment. However the trail was difficult to follow as it was just a cross country ski trail and we sank through the tracks. So we decided maybe we just stick to the loop this time. So we about-faced and headed back to the main trail.

Everyone has their own path.
Emma, Lulu, Mom, Jack, Kevin

We had turkey sandwiches, bananas, and Cheetos on the frozen lake before we started out to complete the second portion of the loop. To get to the lake is about a mile and half, the beaver creek portion of the loop is about two and a half miles. This side also has many many back country trails shooting off of it. I know that at times we were on back country trails and times we were on the main trail, still others we had to veer off one trail and bush whack it to a different tail. That being said the beaver creek portion of this loop is strenuous for hiking, especially if you meander off on one of the back country tails created by someone with skis or snowshoes.  Kevin and I had to spend a good portion of the return trek on our hands and knees to avoid sinking waist deep with every step, the upside? We brought the sled, so every downhill portion of the hike someone got a free ride to the bottom.
All in all it took us 4 hours of hiking time to finish the four mile loop. Next week anything but Taggart Lake.

Lets go sledding

Race to the top

Lets go Hiking

Bradly Lake detour

Digging to Outer Space

Our Tracks

Craters of the Moon

As it happens, every now and again, Kevin gets the Road Trip bug. The burning desire to get out of the Hole and into some new adventures. So this past Saturday on a whim we loaded the kids in the truck and headed out for the third closest National Park, Craters of the Moon. This is our 3rd time to this park but our very first in winter. The first trip Kevin and I took for our anniversary a few years ago, the second was with the kids during the summertime.

This trip was magnificent, the loop was closed for the season and is typically turned into a well groomed snowshoeing and cross country ski trail. This years lack of snow however just left the road with a slight dusting.

We didn't get out of Jackson until lunch time, so we arrived at Craters of the Moon about 3 in the afternoon. After a quick stop at the visitor center to get the kids patches for their hoodies and ask about some trails we set out. The ranger at first suggested that we do a short mile hike, after a bit of coaxing and convincing that we were capable of more, he told us that hiking to Devil's Orchard, completing the loop, and walking back would be just about four miles. We had our route and set out for it.

As I mentioned before, the loop road is closed for the season, so we left the truck at the visitor center, ducked under the gate and walked along the snow covered road. This was probably the easiest four mile snow hike we have ever completed. After all, we walked along a slightly snow-covered road, no difficulty in that. It was about a mile and a half to the trail head for Devil's Orchard.

Devil's Orchard is a nice and easy half-mile loop trail that is full of informational boards telling all the woes of Craters of the Moon,  the boards are a bit depressing and have an air of condemnation to them. Not very informative about the parks scenery, formation, or even its bountiful and unique foliage, just very arbitrary in its lessons of human impact. No caves can be found along this path, but it is a great trail for overlooking the beauty of the park. It just so happened that there was a full moon, and it just so happened we set out for our hike late enough to see it rise and the sun set, granting us our very first evening hike ever.

Devil's Orchard Trail (the funky limbs are called witches broom)

Full Moon Rising

Detour

First one to the top wins!

Full moon at Craters of the Moon!

Sun Set

6pm @ Craters of the Moon.