A ranger in the Tetons told me my route planning was all wrong

I was set on doing the Teton Crest Trail last summer, had my permit and everything. At the trailhead, a park ranger looked over my plan and said, 'You're trying to do too much in one day... you'll miss the whole point.' He pointed out that my second day had me hiking 18 miles with a 3,000 foot climb, just to camp at a spot with no water. He was right, I was so focused on miles that I picked a bad site. I changed it right there, cut that day to 12 miles and picked a camp by a lake. It was slower, but I actually saw things instead of just grinding. That talk changed how I plan every trip now. How do you balance distance with good campsites on a long route?

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3 Comments

martinez.reese5mo ago

Sometimes you gotta push miles to make it work lol

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victorross5mo ago

Exactly... it's that extra effort when you're already tired that really builds something. Pushing through the last few miles when your brain says to quit is where the real progress happens.

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oliverbailey3mo ago

But did the ranger actually recommend a specific camp spot, or just tell you yours was bad? I'm curious if they gave you a solid alternative right there, or left you to figure it out yourself. For me, the rangers at Yellowstone were super specific, but others just say "try something else" which is less helpful.

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