Alaska Basin

A backpacker hiking the Teton Crest Trail in Grand Teton National Park.

Walking Familiar Ground: Reliving Old Memories and Making New Ones on the Teton Crest Trail

By Michael Lanza

The moose cow and her calf block the trail, staring back at us with expressions that I swear look like confusion over what to do. So the feeling is mutual. They were coming down, we were going up, and now none of us are moving. With steep, rocky, wooded terrain on either side, we backpack-carrying humans aren’t interested in an off-trail detour. The moose don’t seem enthusiastic about that option at the moment, either.

We appear to be at a standoff.

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