I went for a quick out-and-back hike this weekend along the Alaska Basin Trail near Alta, WY, USA. Accessible by Teton Canyon trailhead, Alaska Basin trail is about 9 miles long and ends in Alaska Basin, approximately 9500' altitude. Alaska Basin is near the backside of the Teton mountains and the views are amazing.
I was unable to hike the whole thing because the snow is still melting after a heavy winter and cold spring. That's ok though, since I needed to take it easy as my right knee is still recovering from overuse the week previously.
I hiked four miles in and camped overnight, then hiked out in the morning. The first three miles are very gentle rise through Teton Canyon with gorgeous meadows, forest, Teton Creek, and views. Right now there are a ton of waterfalls, which is amazing! At mile 3 is the trail break for Devils Staircase, which was clear of snow by now, that rises to Teton Shelf. I continued on the left fork to stay on Alaska Basin trail and hiked another mile, which is rockier and steeper. There is an excellent campsite above Teton Creek right around mile 4 and an elevation of about 7800'. Patches of snow are still around and the trail is wet, but things should be excellent in the next few weeks.
It's so early in the season there that the greenery is just getting started, lots of tender shoots and leaves and no flowers yet. It felt like the Pacific Northwest in terms of temperature and humidity, which was a really nice different experience as the summers are hot and dry. Oh, and I saw black bear, deer, and moose tracks in the mud. Thankfully I did not encounter any of them.
