TR: Wind River Traverse II
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:38 pm
Wind River Mountains Traverse2012—Middle Section
7/23: Day 14 Resupply and Rest Day.
I bought a new Platypus water container and took the tent to the NOLS store and they crimped the tent zipper. I hoped this would last (alas, it did not). I bought perishables and counted out meals for 13 days only to find out at the end of the trip that I really packed 14 days food. Visiting and drinking beer while packing definitely distracted me! I was hesitant to go lighter on gear, fearing that the “normal” Wind River weather would kick in any day so carried the same level of warmth- which turned out again to be too much. I bought a new 11-oz bear spray can since I would be in areas more prone to grizzly bears. A decision that cost me dearly was to not take crampons. I balked at adding another pound and half for a one-time maybe use. Worried about my tent, I backed it up with the bivy sack. It would have been better to take crampons and leave the bivy, for the same weight. I stepped on the scale and the pack weighed 38 pounds. After calculating the cost of gas and time required of my friends if they transported me to the trailheads, I decided to try the commercial shuttle service in Pinedale, Wyo. and made an appointment.
7/24 Day 15 Big Sandy TH to Marms Lake. 7.1 miles/+1165 ft./3.5 hrs.
My friend is an early riser, like me, so at 5AM we had our cups of coffee and chatted while watching the weather channel, said byes as I left Lander at 6:20 AM. I met my driver at the Great Outdoor Shop in Pinedale at 8:40 and we both drove to Elkhart Park where I parked my car transferred gear to his van. On the way to Big Sandy I shot off my old expired bear spray canister out in the sagebrush for practice. We reached Big Sandy about 11:40 AM and I started down the trail at noon with a pack that was too heavy. I met several people as I trudged up the trail. I observed the fluffy clouds growing darker to the southwest, and boy did it rain earlier than I anticipated. At Dad’s lake a huge gray mass (rain) moved up the valley at an incredible speed. I waited under a tree for half an hour. A lull in the storm tricked me into thinking it was over and only minutes down the trail it poured, and continued to pour all the way as I walked to Marms Lake arriving at 3:30 and hunkered under a tree.
Marms Lake
By this time I was soaked. The storm ended as I set up my tent and soon put everything out to dry. I discovered that my Marmot Precip jacket was NOT waterproof, my pack was not waterproof and everything except what I had packed inside a heavy-duty garbage bag was wet. A large group of tents were set up across the trail from me. Soon a scout troupe came walking down the trail –they had taken a day hike and got soaked too, but the boys did not even seem to notice. Luckily the sun was out, the wind blew and everything dried before the sun set. In half a day I had already seen more people than I met on my entire 13-day first trip. With ten boy scouts bouncing around the shoreline, a bath was out of the question. The west side of the Wind Rivers is the “civilized” side of mellow park-like scenery and mountains in the distance. It is very beautiful and lush with vegetation. Wildflowers were outrageous. By dusk I was ready for bed.
7/25 Day 16 Marms Lake to East Fork Lake 10566. 7.1 miles/+1045 ft./5.5 hrs.
The heavy dew left my tent soaked when I got up at 5AM. As I brought gear outside the tent, it too immediately was soaked as I got a firsthand lesson about dew point! I packed everything up and left at 7AM and stopped an hour later had to spread everything out to dry. I should have slept in and let the sun dry my tent. I turned the corner dropping to the East Fork on the Fremont Trail and in front of me was a huge herd of domestic sheep and two sheepherders on horses. I was going up the river anyway so I left the trail early and crossed the creek away from the sheep. While putting shoes back on I noticed heavy breathing near my back. Startled I turned around and there he was; huge, pale blue eyes, silky white hair, a broad handsome face, smiling.
“Dog” on the East Fork
“DOG” was to become my number one problem. Dog’s paws were larger than my hand, firmly planted next to me, no attempt to jump up on me. Dog just sat there and smiled politely. I am not a dog person; more often dogs growl and bite me. Well, I had better pet this dog before he bites, I thought. Big Mistake!! From then on Dog stuck to me like glue. Up the drainage I walked, thinking Dog would eventually return to his owner. After a few hours I was getting concerned. I ignored Dog. The East Fork was beautiful, lush, filled with flowers and below the hulking rock walls of Mt. Geikie to Raid Peak. I followed a distinct use-trail that became faint as I ascended. Small fish swam in the stream, as well as Dog who swam in the stream to cool off. At about 10,200 feet I had to wade across the creek.
Lower East Fork River
Momentarily I thought Dog went home. I was hiding behind a bush; Dog came up smiling. Always polite and well behaved Dog never barked or begged and stayed several paces behind me. I tried a stern “go home”. Dog evidently did not speak English. I continued up the trail that stayed high above the string of lakes before slightly descending to Lake 10566, my destination.
Mt. Geikie
It was only 1PM – an early stop but not enough time to go over the pass and I was thankful to get the heavy pack off my back. I set up the tent and hung the food that did not fit into the bear canister from a rock. I knew Dog could get the food if he really wanted to but he never even tried. I dared not take a bath because I feared Dog would try to get into the tent. I again yelled, got angry, pointed down-valley, and poked him with my trekking poles. Dog hid in the bushes; I went inside the tent to rest. When I got out, there was Dog behind the tent. I now had a big problem. How in the world was I going to feed Dog? It was a moral dilemma. If I took Dog back to his owners, it would cost me two days and I was not even sure they would be there. My car was 80 miles north. The nearest trailhead was a two-day walk. What little extra food I could give Dog would not fill his belly. I had spent more on the car shuttle than I had ever on any backpack trip after planning this trip for months; should I abandon ship for a stray dog? The only answer I could come up with was that I would have to fish to feed Dog. One problem, the lake I was at had no fish. Dog was very sweet but obviously not fed. The poor thing was skin and bones. He cried softly when I cooked dinner. I did not give him a morsel hoping he would just go home. I felt like a jerk. At least Dog responded to “no” and was well behaved. I went to bed. It was a clear night and when I got up to pee I did not see Dog; I thought my problem was solved.
Raid Peak and wildflowers near camp
7/23: Day 14 Resupply and Rest Day.
I bought a new Platypus water container and took the tent to the NOLS store and they crimped the tent zipper. I hoped this would last (alas, it did not). I bought perishables and counted out meals for 13 days only to find out at the end of the trip that I really packed 14 days food. Visiting and drinking beer while packing definitely distracted me! I was hesitant to go lighter on gear, fearing that the “normal” Wind River weather would kick in any day so carried the same level of warmth- which turned out again to be too much. I bought a new 11-oz bear spray can since I would be in areas more prone to grizzly bears. A decision that cost me dearly was to not take crampons. I balked at adding another pound and half for a one-time maybe use. Worried about my tent, I backed it up with the bivy sack. It would have been better to take crampons and leave the bivy, for the same weight. I stepped on the scale and the pack weighed 38 pounds. After calculating the cost of gas and time required of my friends if they transported me to the trailheads, I decided to try the commercial shuttle service in Pinedale, Wyo. and made an appointment.
7/24 Day 15 Big Sandy TH to Marms Lake. 7.1 miles/+1165 ft./3.5 hrs.
My friend is an early riser, like me, so at 5AM we had our cups of coffee and chatted while watching the weather channel, said byes as I left Lander at 6:20 AM. I met my driver at the Great Outdoor Shop in Pinedale at 8:40 and we both drove to Elkhart Park where I parked my car transferred gear to his van. On the way to Big Sandy I shot off my old expired bear spray canister out in the sagebrush for practice. We reached Big Sandy about 11:40 AM and I started down the trail at noon with a pack that was too heavy. I met several people as I trudged up the trail. I observed the fluffy clouds growing darker to the southwest, and boy did it rain earlier than I anticipated. At Dad’s lake a huge gray mass (rain) moved up the valley at an incredible speed. I waited under a tree for half an hour. A lull in the storm tricked me into thinking it was over and only minutes down the trail it poured, and continued to pour all the way as I walked to Marms Lake arriving at 3:30 and hunkered under a tree.
Marms Lake
By this time I was soaked. The storm ended as I set up my tent and soon put everything out to dry. I discovered that my Marmot Precip jacket was NOT waterproof, my pack was not waterproof and everything except what I had packed inside a heavy-duty garbage bag was wet. A large group of tents were set up across the trail from me. Soon a scout troupe came walking down the trail –they had taken a day hike and got soaked too, but the boys did not even seem to notice. Luckily the sun was out, the wind blew and everything dried before the sun set. In half a day I had already seen more people than I met on my entire 13-day first trip. With ten boy scouts bouncing around the shoreline, a bath was out of the question. The west side of the Wind Rivers is the “civilized” side of mellow park-like scenery and mountains in the distance. It is very beautiful and lush with vegetation. Wildflowers were outrageous. By dusk I was ready for bed.
7/25 Day 16 Marms Lake to East Fork Lake 10566. 7.1 miles/+1045 ft./5.5 hrs.
The heavy dew left my tent soaked when I got up at 5AM. As I brought gear outside the tent, it too immediately was soaked as I got a firsthand lesson about dew point! I packed everything up and left at 7AM and stopped an hour later had to spread everything out to dry. I should have slept in and let the sun dry my tent. I turned the corner dropping to the East Fork on the Fremont Trail and in front of me was a huge herd of domestic sheep and two sheepherders on horses. I was going up the river anyway so I left the trail early and crossed the creek away from the sheep. While putting shoes back on I noticed heavy breathing near my back. Startled I turned around and there he was; huge, pale blue eyes, silky white hair, a broad handsome face, smiling.
“Dog” on the East Fork
“DOG” was to become my number one problem. Dog’s paws were larger than my hand, firmly planted next to me, no attempt to jump up on me. Dog just sat there and smiled politely. I am not a dog person; more often dogs growl and bite me. Well, I had better pet this dog before he bites, I thought. Big Mistake!! From then on Dog stuck to me like glue. Up the drainage I walked, thinking Dog would eventually return to his owner. After a few hours I was getting concerned. I ignored Dog. The East Fork was beautiful, lush, filled with flowers and below the hulking rock walls of Mt. Geikie to Raid Peak. I followed a distinct use-trail that became faint as I ascended. Small fish swam in the stream, as well as Dog who swam in the stream to cool off. At about 10,200 feet I had to wade across the creek.
Lower East Fork River
Momentarily I thought Dog went home. I was hiding behind a bush; Dog came up smiling. Always polite and well behaved Dog never barked or begged and stayed several paces behind me. I tried a stern “go home”. Dog evidently did not speak English. I continued up the trail that stayed high above the string of lakes before slightly descending to Lake 10566, my destination.
Mt. Geikie
It was only 1PM – an early stop but not enough time to go over the pass and I was thankful to get the heavy pack off my back. I set up the tent and hung the food that did not fit into the bear canister from a rock. I knew Dog could get the food if he really wanted to but he never even tried. I dared not take a bath because I feared Dog would try to get into the tent. I again yelled, got angry, pointed down-valley, and poked him with my trekking poles. Dog hid in the bushes; I went inside the tent to rest. When I got out, there was Dog behind the tent. I now had a big problem. How in the world was I going to feed Dog? It was a moral dilemma. If I took Dog back to his owners, it would cost me two days and I was not even sure they would be there. My car was 80 miles north. The nearest trailhead was a two-day walk. What little extra food I could give Dog would not fill his belly. I had spent more on the car shuttle than I had ever on any backpack trip after planning this trip for months; should I abandon ship for a stray dog? The only answer I could come up with was that I would have to fish to feed Dog. One problem, the lake I was at had no fish. Dog was very sweet but obviously not fed. The poor thing was skin and bones. He cried softly when I cooked dinner. I did not give him a morsel hoping he would just go home. I felt like a jerk. At least Dog responded to “no” and was well behaved. I went to bed. It was a clear night and when I got up to pee I did not see Dog; I thought my problem was solved.
Raid Peak and wildflowers near camp