Last winter when I was playing basketball with friends someone mentioned there was a really cool hike in Idaho I needed to do. It is called Table Rock. I put it on my list of things to do and finally had a weekend to make it happen. Luckily for me Amber is always good for an adventure even on short notice. We loaded up the car when I got off Friday and headed to Driggs Idaho.
We camped at a campground really close to the trailhead, which was nice. Since we were car camping I brought my air mattress. I was sure that meant I would sleep great. Here is my problem, I never sleep well in bear country. It just makes me so nervous. We were not only in bear country but grizzly country and that is scary. Especially with a dog. Don't worry Moki slept like a champion. I was the only one worried about BEARS! So lame.
It was pretty chilly in the morning. We were about to leave to hike. The campground was really quite nice.
The hike was a 14 mile out and back hike. We were not sure what to expect as far as terrain. It is funny because you read the reviews online and depending on the peron they range from an easy hike to the hardest thing you have ever done in your life:)
Amber had to run back to the car to get her hiking poles. While I waited I took a selfie.
The beginning of the hike was steep for a little ways but then it flattened out and it was a very pleasant uphill stroll for a lot of the hike. The views were great as well as the weather.
We saw a Moose in one of the meadows on the way up.
It is interesting to hike in fall. The grass is all dead and ugly but the leaves changing are gorgeous. We could tell that this hike would be amazing when the flowers are in bloom.
For the majority of the hike you can't see the Tetons so we were not quite sure where we were headed. They finally started to poke out from behind the mountain for the last two miles. The little round top in the background of the picture is where we were headed.
We got to the saddle and then hiked along this bowl until the final push for the summit.
Moki carried all her own stuff which was great for me. She started the day off not feeling well. She was very sluggish and not her usual exploring self. Luckily that wore off and by the end she was back to her crazy self.
The push to the summit was very steep. The hike overall was not very strenuous, in my opinion, but the last 400 yards were killer. Luckily you are rewarded with the most amazing views.
The view of the Tetons were so beautiful!!!! It made all the effort worth it. It was also freezing on top. I think partly because we had been hiking uphill for 3 and 1/2 hours so we were sweaty but it was also so windy. We stayed bundled up while we were up there.
We ate some snacks and then headed back. Amber and I were both worried about the steepness of the first little bit. It is a lot easier going up something steep compared to coming down it. I ended up slipping and falling twice within a two minute period. Both times I just lost my footing in loose gravel and landed hard on my right hip. I was not a happy camper. It hurt. Luckily adrenaline kicks in and you are fine. I hiked back to the car without and problems but I knew it was going to be sore.
We hiked back to the car pretty fast. The way back was really easy after the initial steep section. We rested to get some calories in us at one point. Moki decided to rest too.
My hike was fueled by Skittles!!!! I always have some kind of sugar for fuel on hikes. A lot of the time I don't feel like real food when I am hiking so it is always good to have sugar handy for quick energy.
Despite my fall I loved this hike. It was so fun to do something new. It got us out of the nasty smoke in Utah county from all the fires. It is always fun to have an adventure over the weekend!
I think Moki fell asleep in the back before we left the parking lot.
On the way back to Provo we stopped in Rexburg at Pizza Pie Cafe. It was delicious. I was starving. I felt like white trash but I saved all of mine and Amber's crust to give to Moki. A little ghetto....yes. But Moki was soooooooo happy.
I have had to take it easy for a couple of weeks since I fell. I knew my hip would be sore but on Sunday after sitting in church my back was killing. It hurt so much I couldn't bend over or move very much. I was not sure what happened during the fall to cause this but I also had three good size bruises on my right side of my back just above my tailbone. I think I may have just bruised it. I have been very sore. I couldn't bike to work and hiking was out of the question for a couple of days. Every day it started to feel better and I got my range of motion back. It was not fun. My hip is still bruised and tender to the touch but other than that I think I am pretty much back to normal now, cross my fingers.
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