Len's Seven Backcountry Adventures in 2020

Len Backus

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Just posted today, 3-19-21

MARCH (2020) - GRAND CANYON - BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL

Around March 1, Robb & Brenda Wiley plus kids joined me for a 2 night, 3 day trip down to the Bright Angel Campground for the night. Our second night was part way back up, staying at Indian Garden Campground. We hiked down to Plateau Point overlooking the Colorado River before heading back up to the trailhead.

What an amazing family they are!

Robb and Brenda are the owners of Non-Typical Outfitters in Wyoming. We have worked with them with great results since around 2014. There is another LRH Group Hunt for elk scheduled for 2021.

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JUNE - GRAND TETONS - DAY HIKES WITH OLLIE

My grandson and I spent a week together in the Tetons and Yellowstone in mid-June. The Gros Ventres car campground in the park was our base of operations. We used my new Big Agnes 4 person tent.

We spent one very full day driving through the lower loop of Yellowstone.

One other day we went on a raft trip on the Snake River through the Tetons.

We did several very nice day hikes.

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Notice the grizzly bear photo below. We got very close to it for this picture.

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JULY IN TETONS

The second half of July is my favorite time in the Tetons. The flowers are near their prime and the upper passes are usually safe of snow by then.

On this solo trip I did a 12 mile day hike to the top of Table Mountain, involving 4,000 feet of vertical. Then the next day, a separate day hike to Delta Lake at 9,000 feet.

And I backpacked a 35 mile, two night, three day variation of the Teton Crest Trail. I started by going up Death Canyon. Notice the image of me and my e-bike. This is a pedal-assist bike. I left it at trail's end locked to a post. This left me with a 15 mile bike ride to regain my car. But of course when I do this, I always stop on my bike halfway back to the car and have a meal at Dornan's on their deck overlooking the Tetons.

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AUGUST IN TETONS

On this trip I did a 18 mile day hike loop of the Paintbrush Divide and Cascade Canyon. This involves 4,000 feet of vertical. I started well before dawn so I could reach the upper, prettier stuff in early am.

On another day, Robb and his younger daughter joined me on a day hike up to Surprise and Amphitheater Lakes.

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SEPTEMBER - 4 PASS LOOP IN MAROON BELLS MOUNTAINS, CO

A friend of Andy and me came over to my house to discuss lightweight equipment for his upcoming trip with his girlfriend and I lent him one of my 1.6 # backpacks. In talking about the trail they had in mind I realized though I hadn't heard that name for it, it was a route that was on my to-do list.

They headed out a few days later and had a wonderful time over Labor Day. I decided to duplicate their route a couple weeks later around September 17. Meanwhile had been a record setting snowfall for such an early date. Not knowing how much snow may remain, I carried a heavier 3-1/2 season tent and some extra clothes. It turned out any snow remaining was scarce and temps were pleasant.

This was a 30 mile loop up and down over 4 passes each about 12,500 feet high. Base starting elevation was around 9,500 feet if I recall correctly.

I started out day one at 4 PM and stopped around 4 miles down the trail just before dark at 6 PM to set up camp.

I went over two passes the second day, camped a second night and after climbing two passes on day three, ended my 30 mile hike around 6 pm after a total elapsed time of 50 hours.

I kind of rushed it and may go back during the better flower season this summer and hoping for no forest fires that wrecked the blue skies much of the time.

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It is located between Aspen and Crested Butte. I chose the trailhead closest to Crested Butte.

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OCTOBER - KETTLE MORAINE STATE FOREST - WISCONSIN

Lately much of my home area hiking and trail conditioning is done within the northern unit of this forest, about 45 minutes from my home. There is a wonderful hilly trail system that includes one wooden observation tower with 100 steps - I counted them. Imagine how helpful that tower can be with a full pack on.

A small portion of Wisconsin's 1,000 mile long Ice Age Trail runs right through this forest unit. I decided that after hiking individual sections of this hilly 32 mile portion of the Ice Age Trail, that I would next backpack it.

In mid October I drove to one end of it and chained my e-bike to a tree just past the parking lot. Then drove up to the north end and parked the car to start my route.

There are 5 campsites to choose from spread out along the 32 mile route. Each of them offers a shelter to sleep under on a bench or of course a tent pad.

I hiked 18 miles on day one to Shelter #3. I had planned to pitch my tent but thought it would be interesting to try the shelter this one time instead. Pretty nice.

On day two I hiked the remaining 14 miles to the end where my bike was safely awaiting me. Then I rode my bike about 34 miles back to my car.

I was very sore at the end of this adventure.


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NOVEMBER - GRAND CANYON EARLY SNOWFALL WONDERLAND

I had known the snow was coming and was very excited for the photo opportunities ahead. The afternoon that I arrived I set up base camp in a "dispersed camping" area just 7 miles by bicycle on a blacktop path to the South Rim. I biked to the rim and scouted while the sun was still present.

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I was up very early to prepare for snowy photo scenes.


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I had planned to do some day hikes down into the canyon. But the photo ops in the "snow zone" upper elevations were so engrossing, I never got very deep into the canyon on this trip.

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NOVEMBER - GRAND CANYON EARLY SNOWFALL WONDERLAND

I had known the snow was coming and was very excited for the photo opportunities ahead. The afternoon that I arrived I set up base camp in a "dispersed camping" area just 7 miles by bicycle on a blacktop path to the South Rim. I biked to the rim and scouted while the sun was still present.

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I was up very early to prepare for snowy photo scenes.


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I had planned to do some day hikes down into the canyon. But the photo ops in the "snow zone" upper elevations were so engrossing, I never got very deep into the canyon on this trip.

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You are in your Happy Place when you are immersed in nature.
 
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