Teton Crest Trail: Spearhead Peak

Blissful Hiker finishes the Teton Crest Trail mostly all alone overcoming any lingering doubt that she loves backpacking and will keep doing into old age. In this episode:Blissful leaves her spectacular site on a granite slab in Alaska Basin and head up on Sheep's Steps to a wide plateau and towards Death Canyon Shelf, with a spectacular view, sadly obscured by smoke. She heeds advice to fill up on water before entering a dry area where she takes a side trip up Spearhead Peak, a scramble that offers views down three canyons. It's cross-country back to the trail down to Marion Lake, where a bear follows her down the ridge. Another scramble above the lake affords amazing views, including threatening gray thunderclouds. It's not far to another side trip to Moose Lake as the sky clears, but it's steeper than she expected and she develops tachycardia, managing it with rest, food, breathing, and a beta blocker. The final steep pass into Phillips Canyon takes her to one last stream and a long stretch with no campsites. So she sets in the trail and leaves early the next morning with one last side trip to Ski Lake and finally out to the road and a hitch to Wilson, ending the hike. MUSIC: Fuga y misterio by Astor Piazzolla as played by Alison Young, flute and Vicki Seldon, pianoSupport the Show.