A Sunday Treat: September 2009

The Rexburg 16th Ward went on a hike to Table Rock this past Saturday. For those of you not familiar with our part of Idaho, it's a very popular hike. It's located right next to a scout camp so many scouts hike it every year. But so do a lot of other people. Someone in our ward said it is listed among the top 20 hikes in America to take. Table Rock is on top of a mountain that is right next to the Grand Teton Mountains and is on the very edge of Grand Teton National Park. Our two youngest kids were too young to make it so Darren said I could go and take Kevin. When I found out it was a 15 mile hike I decided not to take Kevin until I had tried it first. Now I wish I would have because three of the boys a few months older than him did it with no problem. But I will definitely do it again so he can come. And anyone else that wants to go can come, too. Don't let the length scare you. It took us pretty much all day with lots of rest breaks. It's 7.74 miles to the top with an increase in elevation from about 5000 feet to 11000 feet. It took us 5 hours to get to the top and four hours to get down due to someone twisting their ankle. Here are my pictures to prove I was there:

Me by one of the four creek crossings. The trail was very pretty with creeks, lots of trees, wild flowers, etc. Some of the people in our group saw a moose but it was gone when I got there.

Table Rock from far away. It is the round looking mountain on the right. The other two mountains sticking up in the background are part of the Tetons.

I was trying to show all the ant like people walking on the ridge here but they don't really show up.

Another view from far away.

Here it is a little closer...

And closer...

until it's really close. But the last bit was the very hardest. It doesn't look that hard in the picture but it is very steep and has a lot of loose rocks. I wish I would have taken a picture of the huge pile of big rocks you have to cross right before you get to this spot.