Good video. I’ve backpacked that canyon a few times. That lower campsite zone is awesome. Especially the last one. Last time I was up there I got blasted by a late afternoon storm in the Upper Paintbrush zone. Have you ever gone down to the Grizzly Lake or over to Leigh Canyon? New sub. 👍Cool Chanel.
Thanks! I haven't gone over to Leigh Canyon yet, but every time I pass that view of the Grizzly Lakes I'm very tempted 😅 And glad you made it out safe! That can be a scary place to be in a storm.
Love your videos, straight forward, and informative. I am headed that way, hoping for permits to do Paintbrush, venture into the Alaska basin, then backtrack down Cascade, taking my time, and having that take three nights. Then hoping to snag a permit to Surprise Lake for a night. Not sure if I could do two nights there or abouts, but looking forward to the lakes and Disappointment Peak. I am in the area, arriving 09-12-23 and leaving 09-24-23. 10 solid days. Not sure if I should just continue after those two hikes, to stay in Teton, or do something in Wind River, something in the Sawtooth, or up in Yellowstone. If you have any advice, I'd be interested. Your knowledge of the area, gauging from your videos, seems extensive.
Thanks for all the kind words and happy to help out as best as I can! This time of year you shouldn't have much trouble getting any permits in Grand Teton National Park. You should expect some chillier nights though - it's not uncommon for it to get below freezing from time to time throughout September, though we haven't hit that quite yet. You probably won't need two nights at Surprise Lake though. Even from Disappointment Peak it's a pretty easy straight shot down. Beyond that, you could easily fill up those extra days in the Tetons doing things like Death Canyon, Granite Canyon, etc. However if you haven't seen much of the area, it'd be really good to check out another location or two. Though the Sawtooths are stunning, it'd also be a pretty lengthy drive to get there from the Tetons - roughly 5 hours or so depending on where in the Sawtooths you were heading. Yellowstone provides some pretty great alternatives in the southern area, though you won't get the immense mountain views. But you will get a very thorough feel of legit wilderness. Some easily accessible options would be Heart Lake or Shoshone Lake, where you could venture farther into the backcountry from either location. If you wanted more mountains, the northern part of Yellowstone is great for that, particularly the northwestern area in the Gallatin Mountains. In the opposite direction you could definitely do something in the Wind River Mountains. You're looking at roughly 3 hours or so from the Tetons depending on where in there you wanted to go, but the most popular hotspots there would be Cirque of the Towers, the Titcomb Basin, and the Green River Lakes. The benefit to that is you don't need a permit and the mountain scenery is absolutely beautiful. Hopefully that helps get you going in the right direction, but definitely feel free to ask if you still need any other questions answered!
@@FreeRoamingHiker everything you say, rings true. Your video on Avalanche Divide trail, with its overlook of The Wall, tempts me to include that while I am out there. What an amazing video. I really want to nail down my camping zones, factoring in mileage between each etc. I am looking at the Paintbrush/Cascade loop, imagining it with a spur trail, if you will, basically The Teton Crest; your photos of that simply blows me away. I am thinking of doing both the South Fork and Alaskan Basin zones for camping, and your video of the Avalanche Divide trail makes it clear that, while I am in that area, I need to do the trail to the divide there, by the Wall. I need to better fix in my mind the mileage between each point, and where to exactly plan and set up camp. Your videos are further exciting my imagination within the beautiful park. I'm not sure that my research on the Granite area hikes excite me as much as the ones I've discussed. With 10 full days, I am considering hitting Yellowstone and perhaps fly fishing, although I don't want to take on too much and spread myself to thin. Not sure I want to buy that equipment out there, and figure out with my poor eyes, how to put string through the tiny hole of the fly etc. Fishing in meadows etc would be so different that hiking amongst the towering walls of the Tetons, for sure,. just not sure it's too much for me to figure out. I could do some driving tour stuff in Yellowstone, after doing a week of backcountry Teton. Basically, I have a good foundation, idea wise, about what to do, and will just have to surrender to the moment once I am there. Thanks so much, not only for your videos, but for the tremendous feedback. I have enjoyed and been inspired by many RUclips creators, but what I needed was you straight forward approach, to giving me the information I needed. Thanks again, what you have created has value. Truly.
Thanks again for your advice and videos. I dealt with altitude sickness and traveled with a back that was 'out', but one foot in front of the other was the remedy. I camped at Upper Paintbrush, South Fork, Alaska basin, and south fork again, before exiting at my String lake starting point. I saw numerous bear, with one being an epic interaction, watching a bear and cub get separated, and having the bear cub bark, causing the two to run toward each other in quite a spectacular way. In Paintbrush, I also saw a fox catch and eat what appeared to be a chipmunk. Climbing the divides while dealing w the altitude (I live in Florida) was a challenge that made me dig deep. After this 5 day hike, I did a 3 day hike in the Death Canyon area, with elk souding off all around, moose sightings etc. What a special place. Met great people on the hikes. Met all expectations. Learned a lot. Became a better person. Ready for more. @@FreeRoamingHiker
@@michaelferguson5544 I completely understand that remedy - I've used it many times! And it sounds like such an incredible trip - such rare and exciting encounters in just a span of a several days! I wish I had run into back there. Really glad it all worked and that you had such a great time out there. And a big thanks for letting me know how it went!
Thanks for putting this one together. Looking to do the Teton Crest Trail, which would go down Paintbrush Canyon, but I could make it a little shorter and go down Cascade Canyon Trail. In your opinion, which of those two canyons are a better viewing experience? Thanks!
That's a great question! While I do think Cascade is a bit more scenic than Paintbrush, that would also eliminate the North Fork of Cascade Canyon, which is absolutely stunning. You could camp in North Fork your last night and head out Cascade, or you could go out Paintbrush and then day-hike Cascade, which is pretty easy, especially compared to the Teton Crest Trail. Part of the magnificence of that last stretch is the Paintbrush Divide, which is what really makes it worth it. Of course it's also a grueling ascent from the Cascade Forks, so you have Cascade Canyon as an escape route if you're not up for it for whatever reason. So in a nutshell, I'd give Paintbrush a go if only for the divide, and day-hike Cascade. If the trail's beating you up more than you expected, head out Cascade. Hope that helps and feel free to ask anything else!
Whether or not you can do it in a day depends on your physical abilities as well as whether or not you're adjusting to high altitude. If you're coming from sea level and only here for a few days, it'd definitely be a challenge. But if you're more or less acclimated to higher elevations and in pretty decent shape, then you can definitely make it happen in a day. On top of that, mid-September is typically perfect hiking weather. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions!
Excellent video thank you and can’t wait to go!
My pleasure and hope you have a great time out there!
Fantastic work my friend, this place is actually spectacular. Such a unique and and colorful landscapes!
Thank you! It definitely is.
Incredible job 👍! Your video was so well-crafted and thought-provoking, keep up the amazing work.
Thank you! That's really kind of you to say and means a lot!
Good video. I’ve backpacked that canyon a few times. That lower campsite zone is awesome. Especially the last one. Last time I was up there I got blasted by a late afternoon storm in the Upper Paintbrush zone. Have you ever gone down to the Grizzly Lake or over to Leigh Canyon? New sub. 👍Cool Chanel.
Thanks! I haven't gone over to Leigh Canyon yet, but every time I pass that view of the Grizzly Lakes I'm very tempted 😅 And glad you made it out safe! That can be a scary place to be in a storm.
@@FreeRoamingHiker Yeah. I’m tempted as well. Very remote canyon though. 🤔. I’ll probably never do it.
Yeah, definitely a higher probability of running into a grizz or two back there.
Love your videos, straight forward, and informative. I am headed that way, hoping for permits to do Paintbrush, venture into the Alaska basin, then backtrack down Cascade, taking my time, and having that take three nights. Then hoping to snag a permit to Surprise Lake for a night. Not sure if I could do two nights there or abouts, but looking forward to the lakes and Disappointment Peak. I am in the area, arriving 09-12-23 and leaving 09-24-23. 10 solid days. Not sure if I should just continue after those two hikes, to stay in Teton, or do something in Wind River, something in the Sawtooth, or up in Yellowstone. If you have any advice, I'd be interested. Your knowledge of the area, gauging from your videos, seems extensive.
Thanks for all the kind words and happy to help out as best as I can! This time of year you shouldn't have much trouble getting any permits in Grand Teton National Park. You should expect some chillier nights though - it's not uncommon for it to get below freezing from time to time throughout September, though we haven't hit that quite yet. You probably won't need two nights at Surprise Lake though. Even from Disappointment Peak it's a pretty easy straight shot down. Beyond that, you could easily fill up those extra days in the Tetons doing things like Death Canyon, Granite Canyon, etc. However if you haven't seen much of the area, it'd be really good to check out another location or two. Though the Sawtooths are stunning, it'd also be a pretty lengthy drive to get there from the Tetons - roughly 5 hours or so depending on where in the Sawtooths you were heading. Yellowstone provides some pretty great alternatives in the southern area, though you won't get the immense mountain views. But you will get a very thorough feel of legit wilderness. Some easily accessible options would be Heart Lake or Shoshone Lake, where you could venture farther into the backcountry from either location. If you wanted more mountains, the northern part of Yellowstone is great for that, particularly the northwestern area in the Gallatin Mountains. In the opposite direction you could definitely do something in the Wind River Mountains. You're looking at roughly 3 hours or so from the Tetons depending on where in there you wanted to go, but the most popular hotspots there would be Cirque of the Towers, the Titcomb Basin, and the Green River Lakes. The benefit to that is you don't need a permit and the mountain scenery is absolutely beautiful. Hopefully that helps get you going in the right direction, but definitely feel free to ask if you still need any other questions answered!
@@FreeRoamingHiker everything you say, rings true. Your video on Avalanche Divide trail, with its overlook of The Wall, tempts me to include that while I am out there. What an amazing video. I really want to nail down my camping zones, factoring in mileage between each etc. I am looking at the Paintbrush/Cascade loop, imagining it with a spur trail, if you will, basically The Teton Crest; your photos of that simply blows me away. I am thinking of doing both the South Fork and Alaskan Basin zones for camping, and your video of the Avalanche Divide trail makes it clear that, while I am in that area, I need to do the trail to the divide there, by the Wall. I need to better fix in my mind the mileage between each point, and where to exactly plan and set up camp. Your videos are further exciting my imagination within the beautiful park. I'm not sure that my research on the Granite area hikes excite me as much as the ones I've discussed. With 10 full days, I am considering hitting Yellowstone and perhaps fly fishing, although I don't want to take on too much and spread myself to thin. Not sure I want to buy that equipment out there, and figure out with my poor eyes, how to put string through the tiny hole of the fly etc. Fishing in meadows etc would be so different that hiking amongst the towering walls of the Tetons, for sure,. just not sure it's too much for me to figure out. I could do some driving tour stuff in Yellowstone, after doing a week of backcountry Teton. Basically, I have a good foundation, idea wise, about what to do, and will just have to surrender to the moment once I am there. Thanks so much, not only for your videos, but for the tremendous feedback. I have enjoyed and been inspired by many RUclips creators, but what I needed was you straight forward approach, to giving me the information I needed. Thanks again, what you have created has value. Truly.
Thanks again for your advice and videos. I dealt with altitude sickness and traveled with a back that was 'out', but one foot in front of the other was the remedy. I camped at Upper Paintbrush, South Fork, Alaska basin, and south fork again, before exiting at my String lake starting point. I saw numerous bear, with one being an epic interaction, watching a bear and cub get separated, and having the bear cub bark, causing the two to run toward each other in quite a spectacular way. In Paintbrush, I also saw a fox catch and eat what appeared to be a chipmunk. Climbing the divides while dealing w the altitude (I live in Florida) was a challenge that made me dig deep. After this 5 day hike, I did a 3 day hike in the Death Canyon area, with elk souding off all around, moose sightings etc. What a special place. Met great people on the hikes. Met all expectations. Learned a lot. Became a better person. Ready for more. @@FreeRoamingHiker
@@michaelferguson5544 I completely understand that remedy - I've used it many times! And it sounds like such an incredible trip - such rare and exciting encounters in just a span of a several days! I wish I had run into back there. Really glad it all worked and that you had such a great time out there. And a big thanks for letting me know how it went!
Thanks for putting this one together. Looking to do the Teton Crest Trail, which would go down Paintbrush Canyon, but I could make it a little shorter and go down Cascade Canyon Trail. In your opinion, which of those two canyons are a better viewing experience? Thanks!
That's a great question! While I do think Cascade is a bit more scenic than Paintbrush, that would also eliminate the North Fork of Cascade Canyon, which is absolutely stunning. You could camp in North Fork your last night and head out Cascade, or you could go out Paintbrush and then day-hike Cascade, which is pretty easy, especially compared to the Teton Crest Trail. Part of the magnificence of that last stretch is the Paintbrush Divide, which is what really makes it worth it. Of course it's also a grueling ascent from the Cascade Forks, so you have Cascade Canyon as an escape route if you're not up for it for whatever reason.
So in a nutshell, I'd give Paintbrush a go if only for the divide, and day-hike Cascade. If the trail's beating you up more than you expected, head out Cascade. Hope that helps and feel free to ask anything else!
@@FreeRoamingHiker Thank you for the quick response as that helps.
My pleasure!
Think this is doable in a day? And what are conditions like typically in mid September?
Whether or not you can do it in a day depends on your physical abilities as well as whether or not you're adjusting to high altitude. If you're coming from sea level and only here for a few days, it'd definitely be a challenge. But if you're more or less acclimated to higher elevations and in pretty decent shape, then you can definitely make it happen in a day. On top of that, mid-September is typically perfect hiking weather. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions!