The trail up the South Teton Canyon Shelf in the Jedediah Smith Wilderness

Top: Another view up the South Teton Canyon from the Shelf, looking towards the Alaska Basin region at the top of the canyon. This one was taken after the storm swept through on the previous day. I'd venture from the tent for a few moments to snap a few shots through the clouds of mosquitoes, then dart back to my refuge in the trees.

And then dawn breaks! After the discomfort of the previous evening, I thought that perhaps I'd died and went to heaven. No bugs, cool temps, dry air and a beautiful dawn breaking over the crest of the Teton Range. The sunlit cliffs in the shot above are part of the Badland Peaks that border Darby Canyon, just south of the canyon I was in. I was headed out of Bug Hole and on my way to the Teton Crest trail when I turned for one last look at the Devils Stairs crest.