Trails from the Tram: Granite Canyon
Yearning for adventure, yet desperate for sleep.
The past few weeks have been busy, the burn was starting to be felt and I could tell I was in need of a slow morning as I rounded out my Friday evening. Typically, a curse to an attempt at bigger objectives in the mountains - I fell asleep committed to rest, but knowing that time in nature & exercise was going to be the mental reset I really needed. I was adamant to not let my slow morning curse me.
No alarm clock… I knew the haunting thought of waffles for breakfast would eventually pull me out of bed. Indulging in a slow morning, my back porch in downtown Jackson provided solace as I sipped my coffee and ate an unnecessarily large breakfast. The craving for a novel adventure started to increase as the conversation of what to do began between my partner, Paige and I. The day was slipping away, but our interest in a longer trail run wasn’t.
There are a million options for trailrunning & hiking in Jackson Hole. Grand Teton National Park is heaven for trailrunners: big mountains, alpine lakes, multi-summit traverses - you name it. We fumbled through numerous ideas, and finally decided to work smarter, not harder to achieve what we were looking for on our adventure given our limited time.
We wanted time in the alpine, the opportunity to see wildlife, and to check out the incredible bloom of wildflowers we are having this year. With a 1:30pm start, getting up high isn’t the easiest thing to do if you plan on making it back for dinner. However, one of the coolest virtues of trailrunning in the Tetons is the incredible access to the mountains; specifically, the Tram at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort being the ultimate and the best option for our half day in the hills.
The Beauty of the Tram
The tram rises over 4,000ft above the valley floor, leading to the summit of Rendezvous Mountain. Nestled on the border of Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park, a start from the tram expedites your access into these wild areas. Whether you’re looking for a jumpstart on the Teton Crest Trail for your backpacking trip or looking to spend a day deep in the Tetons, beginning at the top of the tram means more time in the backcountry.
We set our sights on the Tram and planned our exit through Granite Canyon. A 12.5 mile jaunt, flowing mostly downhill and offering a perfect blend of everything we were looking for, as it circumnavigates Rendezvous Mountain, veering deep into Grand Teton National Park.
With a quick stop for lunch at Tin Can Cantina, we proceeded up the 1:30pm Tram and our adventure had begun. We walked down the Top of the World and let our muscles loosen up; we turned right on Rendezvous Mtn Trail and started to run the switchbacks into the basin on the backside of Rendezvous Mountain, leaving the tram high above us and at our backs. It wasn’t long until we hit a barricade of deep snow lingering in the shady trees of targhee woods. Navigating long patches of snow in trailrunners slowed our pace down greatly, but it wasn’t long until we were in the basin and moving again.
Only 1 mile into the run & at this point, you are not likely to see anyone on the trail and it begins to be a true wilderness experience… In the basin, the views are expansive. Cardiac Ridge towers above to the south, and Prospectors Peak and the the top of the Grand Teton is on full display directly to the north. We ran with the sounds of occasional chirps from the local pikas and marmots, seeing their little heads pop out of the talus as we cruised to the east, further into the national park.
We welcomed one of the few uphills on this route as we climbed up the north shoulder of Cardiac Ridge. Paige and I pushed ourselves to crank up the ~500 ft of elevation, knowing that it would be nearly all downhill from there.
The first four miles of this run are in the alpine. The trail veers in and out of treeline and across massive alpine meadows, doing a great job of navigating to different vantage points, with many mountains visible that can’t be seen from the valley floor. As we cruised further towards Granite Canyon, the wildflowers became more and more prevalent. Still early in the season, not all of the flora had bloomed in the higher reaches. But we eventually found a distinct line where Indian Paintbrushes, Columbines, and other flowers were abound. It was a beautiful addition to the sweeping Teton views.
A 4,000 ft descent over the course of 10 miles makes for a flowy run - we quickly covered miles, attempting to recover the lost time from the unplanned snowtravel. With the ease of the run, combined with a high elevation breeze, I found myself a bit chilly, so I put on my new Mammut Aenergy windbreaker and nailed my temperature control.
Just before we meandered below the treeline into Granite Canyon, we looked back up at Rendezvous Mountain. The tram is barely visible behind the Grand Teton Skywalk. We marveled at the mileage we had already covered.
As you enter Granite Canyon, the trail features a couple of bridges over the stream. Everytime I’m in Granite Canyon, I’m impressed by the work of our local trail crews.
The run gets a little more technical in the trees, we felt fast as we jumped over small boulders and snaked through the turns. The canyon lends itself to unique views, with towering cliff faces above and legendary ski lines visible around every corner. It’s hard not to stop and mindsurf… despite it being a beautiful summer day, the grass is always greener, I guess.
At this point in the run, it is important to note that this is an area where I highly recommend slowing it down. Once you are running parallel to the stream in Granite Canyon, the trail is set in a wildlife-dense area with thick brush. In past runs, I have seen multiple black bears on the trail in a single outing and every time has provided a close encounter with multiple moose. It is lush, beautiful, and a perfect habitat for large mammals. So, do as we did and slow it down; enjoy the bright blue water in the stream, the sweeping views, the endless wildflowers, and expect to have an incredible opportunity to see wildlife. Be sure to carry your bear spray on this one!
Our first moose of the day was quite a surprise. Distracted by a big patch of Columbines, we restarted down the trail only to find out there was a moose bedded down just another 30-40 feet ahead. Interestingly, this bull was missing an antler. After a few minutes of checking each other out, he let us pass safely.
It was another 20 minutes before the second moose was spotted. This time I remembered to get a photo. It was an awesome sighting, and we eventually slid by and kept moving. No bears this time, but we saw plenty of signs they were around.
We eventually made our way to the junction of Granite Canyon Trail and the Valley Trail. We stopped along the creek, took a dip, and drank some water. As I looked around, I noticed the health of this stream. Golden Stoneflies were hatching in great numbers and the water was as clear as it gets. This was a great final break before we continued back to JHMR. The last 2.5 miles are mostly flowing through a large aspen grove, we ran this at the perfect time as the wind began to blow and the trees started to quake.
We took the Valley Trail to the base of the Apres Vous lift, and we paralleled JH Bike Park trails, Sweet Timothy and Bronco. The smooth berms and flowing jumps had me mindriding, again. If my partner and I didn’t have dinner plans, I would have surely indulged in a multisport day.
We finished our quick 5 hour ramble in Grand Teton National Park, our route checked all of our boxes and we went home happy. I think this run is one of the best trail runs in Jackson Hole. It’s fun and flowy; the views are incredible and you get a little bit of everything. If you are looking for a great half day run without forfeiting a novel, wilderness experience - Tram out Granite Canyon is for you.
Note: your sightseeing pass to take the tram for this run includes access to The Deck & Off-Piste at the top of Bridger Gondola. It’s the most scenic spot to grab a drink in Jackson Hole and a perfect place to celebrate a great day in the national park.
Grab your Tram pass now and enjoy one of the best hikes and runs in the Tetons. We’ll see you out there!
