Epic mountain run in the Tetons!

We had an epic plan on Saturday morning, after a week of fun workouts and working all day we figured we could spend most of one day playing!

There was a loop that we thought we might be able to make up Teton Canyon, it looked to be about 16 miles, and it was calling us!

There were a two known potential problems with said loop. First, we had to bike 7 miles up a dirt road to get to the trailhead, not something that's uber appealing before and after a 16 mile run. Second, although we had three maps that showed a trail connecting the loop one map at the bike shop didn't show the connector.

We figured we would give it a try and if we weren't what we figured was half way time-wise at 2:30 then we would just turn around and come back.

It turned out to be a brilliantly executed plan with really only one hiccup, I forgot the bike locks... A little sketchy to leave two bikes for several hours not locked to anything BUT I broke out a couple binding devices: inner tube, rubber band and zip tie, and connected the bikes in as many random and annoying ways as possible so that if someone wanted to steal them I hoped they would just decide it was just too much trouble. We simply were NOT going to give up on this adventure!

The first 3ish miles were fast and fairly flat, we'd already run them on Wednesday so we knew what was coming. The we started up the Devil's Stairs to the shelf on which we would run a large chunk of of the loop. My knee has been doing amazing but it didn't feel good going up Devils Stairs and we were a little worried we wouldn't make it around the loop. However, at the top, when I wasn't going steep up anymore, it was fine and we started to move again.

Rachel and I agree that this was one of the top three runs we have ever done and it was stunning! We ran for about 3 miles along the shelf, beside snow fields and the whole time with the peaks of the Tetons, including the Grand, so close we could almost touch them!

We made the top of the long shelf right at 2:30 and although we were only 7 miles into the run, with an anticipated 9 to go, we figured it was about half way time-wise, since it was basically downhill all the way back. We were stoked!!!

Rachel stoked at half way!

Snow Algae

Across the top! Can you see Sierra, Nathan, Kyle and Yara on the top of the Grand?

Here I am!

The run down started amazing and fun and then we found a whole new set of uphill, not a ton but another mile, which was kinda annoying until it opened out on a beautiful alpine meadow. So magical to run through it!

Stoked to be headed down!

Then the downhill started in earnest and the next 5 miles were tough. We were both a little tired with legs that were no longer as responsive as we would like and the flies and horseflies were tough! There was no real complaining though because the scenery still couldn't be beat and whenever I got a little tired I would just look up!

Finally we hit where we started the loop and only had 3 miles to go! Yay! This section was the nicest running of the trip and we would have flown down it earlier but now we were kinda at the hobble stage. Still beautiful!

We stopped about a 1/2 mile from the trailhead to sit in the cold river and then fervently hoped our bikes would still be there since we were exhausted, thirsty and hungry and just wanted to go home! Luckily the bikes were there and we road the 7 miles to the house where we had a lovely lunch, shower and nap (Christi)/work (Rachel)

Here is the Sport Tracker of our trip minus the bike back to the house: http://www.sports-tracker.com/#/workout/boggsarosa/3ktjlrit2ajjibuc

It was a magical adventure in a truly mystical place!