Backpacker Magazine – June 2008

Trip Finder: Ridgewalks

From the West Coast to the Rocky Mountains to New England, we've got nine epic ridgewalks just for you.

by: Drea Knufkin

Tags:
• Weekends
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• Wyoming
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• Washington
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• New Hampshire
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• Adventures
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• Maine
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• California
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• Alaska
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• Montana
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• Colorado
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• Grand Teton
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West Coast | Rocky Mountains | New England

ROCKY MOUNTAINS

2 DAYS
Grand Teton National Park, WY
Get a lifetime of airy views on this Teton Crest Trail 20-miler. Take the Teton Village gondola to pick up the TCT at the top of 10,927-foot Rendezvous Mountain. Cross meadows for eight miles to the rocky Marion Lake camp. Next day, go five miles to Death Canyon Shelf and views of 13,770-foot Grand Teton. Finish by dropping 3,000 feet in six miles to Death Canyon trailhead. (For more Tetons treks, turn to page 83.) nps.gov/grte

3 DAYS
Flathead National Forest, MT
This 20-mile out-and-back on the Whitefish Divide is one of Montana's least traveled alpine trails. Why? Steep climbs and a mostly unmarked trail divert crowds to easier terrain. From Whale Creek Road, 19 miles northwest of Polebridge, a panoramic, loose 10-mile ridge hike traverses the spines of Nasukoin, Link, and Lake Mountains. You'll hover just shy of 7,000 feet. Turn around at the 5,600-foot Red Meadow Pass. Pack bear spray. fs.fed.us/r1/flathead

4 DAYS
Rio Grande National Forest, CO
Get big rewards for little effort on this rolling 30-miler at elevations above 10,000 feet. From 30-Mile Campground, west of Creede, go 4.5 miles on the Weminuche Trail to the CDT. It's 6.5 miles to 13,821-foot Rio Grande Pyramid's grassy campsite. Day two: an easy four miles to Main Ute Lake. Camp, then U-turn to Weminuche Pass on days three and four. fs.fed.us/r2/riogrande

West Coast | Rocky Mountains | New England

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