Wind River Range BIG Cutthroat on Dry Flies
Posted: Mon May 29, 2017 9:41 pm
Wind river range Sept 1 - 11 2016 Days 1- 5
Nothing in fishing excites me as much as sight fishing mountain lakes with dry flies and the for the last 3 summers the Wind river range has been my go to place. This trip was planned as a 10 day shuttle trip from Meadow Lake TH to Boulder lake TH on the west side of the Winds out of PInedale WY. Ultimately our goal was to cross the continental divide cross country over Fall Creek Pass into the drainage of the Middle Fork of Bull Lake Creek at the Golden Lakes and then follow the creek drainage down to Sassafras Lake , Marked Tree lake (now entering the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR) to Alpine Lake where I hoped the Big Ones resided! We would also be with in striking distance of the fabled home of the Big Golden trout - mysteriously known as Flying Monkey Lake. With luck we could find them all!
At this time I would like to credit Wandering Daisy's fantastic book for both getting us into this off trail adventure, but more importantly for getting us out!
Our route took us into the Bridger Wilderness via the Timico Lake trail. Arriving mid afternoon after meeting with friends at the Wind River Brewing Company for lunch, we began the hike under threatening skies with thunder and lightening and smatterings of rain. Kind of par for the course for Wyoming even in late summer and we hiked until dusk - not the usual plan but the short days of Sept caught us.
Dawn brought clear skies and wind - the wind would be our constant companion for the next week plus! On to TImico lake thru forest and golden meadow grasses. A good trail led us this beautiful lake but the trail ended here. Day 3 - My first Wind river Cross country experience and it was really a matter of rocks and grasses and Wind (at our backs - for now) By mid morning we had crossed the divide, had seen Angel Pass (just N of Fall Creek Pass) and began our descent ultimately to Alpine Lake on the WRIR. Down the boulder field to Dennis Lake then connecting with the Hay Pass trail and overlooking the Golden Lakes. A more remote and awe inspiring mountain lake valley is hard for me to imagine! The trail switchbacked down to the Golden Lake but here we left the established trail and followed use trails east thru the forest to camp where we could look down the valley of the Middle fork Bull Lake Creek all the way to Alpine Lake. This is where the trail really ends and elk paths become your way of least resistance. Day 4 Morning began with a group meeting - we were leaving the trail heading into the unknown in to the wilderness. Did we want to turn back? Unanimously we chose to push forward! And soon bogged down in forest, rock piles. dead fall and boggy meadows and willow swamps. It took half a day to reach the inlet to Marked Tree Lake. I was not opposed to camping - the lake was purported to have nice cutts and it did , but I wll always remember it for this rainbow... and the puddle that formed in our tent that night and when I cut my foot ... Day 5 We are moving slowly. Contigency days ie fishing days are being used up and this day took the cake. The Alpine Fire of 2012 devastated about 50 K acres of land and forest and we were now headed into it. Now we crawled. To round Marked tree lake we chose to climb over a prominent point 600 odd feet high . Upon cresting the ridge we were met with the fires scars of deadfall and charcoal and grass. Except for a short section of green forest at the outlet of Marked tree lake we worked our way down the creek valley toward Alpine Lake in our personal Mordor. At least we were not lost. 5 hours and we covered 2 miles but we made it to the lake and found the prime campsite unburned and we were the only people on the face of the earth... More to come...
Nothing in fishing excites me as much as sight fishing mountain lakes with dry flies and the for the last 3 summers the Wind river range has been my go to place. This trip was planned as a 10 day shuttle trip from Meadow Lake TH to Boulder lake TH on the west side of the Winds out of PInedale WY. Ultimately our goal was to cross the continental divide cross country over Fall Creek Pass into the drainage of the Middle Fork of Bull Lake Creek at the Golden Lakes and then follow the creek drainage down to Sassafras Lake , Marked Tree lake (now entering the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR) to Alpine Lake where I hoped the Big Ones resided! We would also be with in striking distance of the fabled home of the Big Golden trout - mysteriously known as Flying Monkey Lake. With luck we could find them all!
At this time I would like to credit Wandering Daisy's fantastic book for both getting us into this off trail adventure, but more importantly for getting us out!
Our route took us into the Bridger Wilderness via the Timico Lake trail. Arriving mid afternoon after meeting with friends at the Wind River Brewing Company for lunch, we began the hike under threatening skies with thunder and lightening and smatterings of rain. Kind of par for the course for Wyoming even in late summer and we hiked until dusk - not the usual plan but the short days of Sept caught us.
Dawn brought clear skies and wind - the wind would be our constant companion for the next week plus! On to TImico lake thru forest and golden meadow grasses. A good trail led us this beautiful lake but the trail ended here. Day 3 - My first Wind river Cross country experience and it was really a matter of rocks and grasses and Wind (at our backs - for now) By mid morning we had crossed the divide, had seen Angel Pass (just N of Fall Creek Pass) and began our descent ultimately to Alpine Lake on the WRIR. Down the boulder field to Dennis Lake then connecting with the Hay Pass trail and overlooking the Golden Lakes. A more remote and awe inspiring mountain lake valley is hard for me to imagine! The trail switchbacked down to the Golden Lake but here we left the established trail and followed use trails east thru the forest to camp where we could look down the valley of the Middle fork Bull Lake Creek all the way to Alpine Lake. This is where the trail really ends and elk paths become your way of least resistance. Day 4 Morning began with a group meeting - we were leaving the trail heading into the unknown in to the wilderness. Did we want to turn back? Unanimously we chose to push forward! And soon bogged down in forest, rock piles. dead fall and boggy meadows and willow swamps. It took half a day to reach the inlet to Marked Tree Lake. I was not opposed to camping - the lake was purported to have nice cutts and it did , but I wll always remember it for this rainbow... and the puddle that formed in our tent that night and when I cut my foot ... Day 5 We are moving slowly. Contigency days ie fishing days are being used up and this day took the cake. The Alpine Fire of 2012 devastated about 50 K acres of land and forest and we were now headed into it. Now we crawled. To round Marked tree lake we chose to climb over a prominent point 600 odd feet high . Upon cresting the ridge we were met with the fires scars of deadfall and charcoal and grass. Except for a short section of green forest at the outlet of Marked tree lake we worked our way down the creek valley toward Alpine Lake in our personal Mordor. At least we were not lost. 5 hours and we covered 2 miles but we made it to the lake and found the prime campsite unburned and we were the only people on the face of the earth... More to come...