"We were at the Crystal Creek Trailhead, which is nearly an hour's drive from Jackson, Wyoming - a fairly obscure place to start a long trail run. Even though I spent hours meticulously planning this route, the lack of a basic trail sign left Luke Nelson, Steven Gnam, and me wandering in the misty morning light just trying to find a path into the Gros Ventre Wilderness."
"The Gros Ventre Wilderness (pronounced "gro vahnt") of Wyoming is an often overlooked, yet spectacular, wilderness area nestled between the can't-miss-it obvious beauty of Grand Teton National Park and the Wind River Range, not to mention it is also tucked nicely in the shadow of Yellowstone National Park as well. My friends and I affectionately joke that it should actually be called "The Gros Ventre Bear Vortex," as the landscape is prime grizzly bear habitat that is literally surrounded by other ideal grizzly bear habitats."
Three runners began at Crystal Creek Trailhead, nearly an hour from Jackson, Wyoming, but could not locate the trail through dense morning fog despite meticulous planning. The planned two-day loop through the Gros Ventre Wilderness served the purpose of solitude monitoring rather than speed or first-route claims. The Gros Ventre Wilderness sits between Grand Teton National Park and the Wind River Range and lies in the shadow of Yellowstone, offering spectacular yet often overlooked landscapes. The area is prime grizzly bear habitat and is unusually quiet from a people perspective. Since January 2025, Department of Government Efficiency budget and staffing cuts have reduced wilderness ranger presence, affecting management and patrols.
Read at iRunFar
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