One more hike before we head over to Tetons National Park. It is a bright beautiful morning as we make the drive to Coal Creek trailhead just this side of Teton Pass. Wispy clouds race across the mountain tops carried by high altitude winds. We are off on a 3 to 3 ½ mile each way hike back the creek canyon to the cross roads with the Teton Crest trail. It will take us through nearly 2000 feet elevation change and bring us to, we hope, nice views of the mountains. The first third of the trail runs along the burbling creek first through pine woods then into thick willow and brush. We sing to the bears now and again just to be sure they know we are coming. Next, we climb along a wooded trail up the canyon wall. The grade seems to last forever. Once we pass 8000 ft. elevation, we puff a little harder and rest a little more but the walk through the trees is lovely and opens onto a lush meadow with a small creek twisting its way through it. It is a perfect place for a break and a snack while we decide if we think the anticipated view at the end is worth the energy. Ok, looks like only another ¼ mile, we are doing it. Better keep moving though. Those occasional wispy clouds of this morning are starting to collect up and hint of rain. We marshal through the final steep stretch and pop up over the divide. 
Clouds shroud the top-most peak of Grand Teton but the view is worth the climb. We relax and lunch watching the clouds advance and rise on the mountain tops until it seems wise to head back. Clouds are thickening. We keep a good pace on our return (down-hill always helps with that) and in one check behind us see the very place we had been standing completely shrouded in dark grey clouds. Good timing. We keep moving and make it back to the truck wet with sweat but ahead of the rain.
We had hoped to see moose
or maybe bear but no such luck. Pika scurried on the scree piles near the top of the hike. We heard but did not see marmots. Kent spotted a different little rodent fellow – might be a prairie dog, at 8,000 ft?