The Teton Crest Trail (TCT) is a forty-five-mile-long backcountry trail that passes through the high country of Grand Teton National Park. The TCT is one of the most picturesque sections of trail within the National Park Service and Backpacker Magazine claims it as “one of the best hikes ever,” with “mesmerizing and constant views of jagged peaks.”
One of the highlights of the trail, Hurricane Pass, lies on the TCT between Alaska Basin and the south fork of Cascade Canyon in GTNP. It sits at an elevation of 10,400 feet and provides striking views of major Teton peaks, Schoolroom Glacier, and panoramas of Idaho and Wyoming. This section of trail was built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and has persisted largely untouched for the last eighty years.
During the spring of 2016, the Hurricane Pass area experienced significant damage from rain and snowmelt runoff, resulting in safety issues for hikers. For decades, the park trails program has only had the ability to get to this isolated location for a day or two each season due to the required travel distance and the alpine weather conditions that exist outside of the summer months. The Foundation is pleased to provide the necessary support to allow for this critical work.
In partnership with Grand Teton, the Foundation is currently supporting work to repair this area along with other deteriorated sections. The project is an in-depth restoration, requiring a technically-skilled trail crew, and addresses the safety concerns around the washout and surrounding trails. Future Foundation-funded work will take place at other areas along the TCT, such as Paintbrush Divide, once the Hurricane Pass project is complete.
