Wind Rivers 2022 (7/14/22 to 8/26/22)
Trip 4: Green River Lake CCW Loop (8/15-23, 2022)
66.7 miles, 9 days
The original plan was one I would not do solo and included the high remote bench between the Green River and the Continental Divide, focusing on fishing Bear Basin and exploration and photographing headwaters of Tourist Creek including Scott Lake. Many options to loop back to Green River Lakes were possible. My friend had to cancel last minute so I scaled down the route with a new focus on fishing although I did not go through “hot” fishing areas. I was kind of obsessed with getting more out of my $130 fishing license! After only three fish to this point, the additional 23 fish brought it down to $5 per fish. After getting caught in the severe storm last trip, I was a bit gun shy of more difficult routes since the monsoonal weather pattern was not ending yet. I had many options and would make decisions as the trip progressed. Some of the planned miles were new to me and much I had not been on for many years.
Note: I used the In-Reach to record times, thus MDT.
Day 1, 8/15. Trailhead to Porcupine Creek at 9050
8.5 miles, 5.5 hours (fording the creek twice), 1545 elevation gain
I left the Fremont Lake Campground about 7:45 after a rainy night. The car camping tent was soaked so I threw it in the car. I stopped at the Forest Service office in Pinedale and I hung the wet tent on open car doors, ran into the office to change into my hiking clothes in the bathroom and pick up a copy of the Bridger Forest fish directory.
It took only 2 hours to drive to the trailhead, a speedy rate thanks to recent road grading that smoothed out washboards. All the drive I was debating if I would go clockwise or counter clockwise. At 10:30 I started down the Highline/CDT with the idea of a clockwise loop. A side-trip to Slide Lake the first night would somewhat compensate for deleting the most spectacular part of the loop. I turned off the Highline Trail, walked a mile up to cross Clear Creek. The bridge I used in the past was washed out and the water swift and high. At 11:30, disappointed, I turned back to the CDT, crossed Clear Creek on the big bridge and then a large bridge across the Green River. I took a short cross-trail to intersect the Porcupine Trail, one of the few I had never been on.
I now was back on the counter-clockwise loop, with four more miles than if I had simply taken the Lakeside Trail from the trailhead. Switching to the opposite loop was mostly a coin-toss in my head. The advantage of this was that I should have good weather while on the high-altitude New Fork Plateau where I wanted to stay two days; the disadvantage was the brutal, steep, thousand-foot gain right of the bat.
It WAS a brutal ascent! I met two bare-chested fellows who were descending. It was humid and hot and sweat was running down their skin. The look they gave me was full of pity; they knew what I yet had to ascend. I wore head-net when resting but thankfully did not need it while walking. At the top of the ascent, I waded across Porcupine Creek. There was a nice campsite and meadow at the Twin Lakes trail junction. Twin and Shirley Lakes, 2 miles and 1150 feet higher were supposed to have cutthroat trout. I was tempted but the logistics were awkward; it was too much for me to do on the first day and would set me back a day if I did it the next.
I continued up the trail. Porcupine Creek meandered mainly in thick forest with the occasional large lush meadow. Shortly I had to wade across again. At 9,000 feet the valley became essentially flat with trees to the left and the creek flowing through a large meadow to the right, occasionally braiding. I met a couple who were also going down the trail. Most backpackers seemed to choose to go down Porcupine Creek. The trail then bumped up against the creek where there was a large established campsite.
Wisely I stopped at 4:30 (next day I found out there were no campsites for several miles). The sites under the thicket of trees were creepy and dark. First I strolled over to the creek, bathed off all my sweat and gathered water. Walking back to my pack I found a bear spray can that someone had left and put it back up by the trail. Unwisely I set up out of the trees on the edge of the meadow. As cheery as the site was in the evening, by morning it soaked my tent with dew.
Day 2, 8/16. Porcupine Creek at 9050 to pond above Kenny Lake
9.2 miles, 7.9 hours, 3000 elevation gain
I left at 7:30 and on the way to Porcupine Pass I waded across creeks twice. After my dunking last trip on an easy rock-hop I preferred simply wading which also justified carrying the Crocks. Porcupine Creek was more timbered than I expected and views to the impressive surrounding cliffs were limited until up onto a bench just below the pass.
From this bench I could head east, off-trail to Kenny Lake and get some great views of the back side of Squaretop Mountain. I left that for another day and continued on the trail, up the switchbacks on an exceedingly steep slope, relieved to top out on the gentle plateau at 11:30. I ate lunch admiring the view. It took a little over an hour to drop 1500 feet down Dodge Creek to the New Fork Trail. There is little flat ground along the trail but looked like nice camping if you went down along the creek. I turned up the New Fork Trail and took a break at one of the many switchbacks. A couple came down the trail and we chatted a while. It was very hot and I took off one layer. Clouds were building so the next two hours was a race with the incoming storm. I did not make it all the way to Kenny Lake, but bolted into the first sheltered campsite at a small pond just above Kenny Lake. I quickly set up in the rain and threw the pack inside the tent. It was the typical 30-45 minute storm.
I walked down to Kenny Lake and fished when the storm subsided. A group was camped at the other end of the lake and a few folks were out wandering on the shore. Kenny Lake was a fine lake for fishing even if the fish were only 10-inch brook trout- perfect pot size. They literally jumped at my fly! Well, evidently previous fishing failures were not due to my inept casting or ratty old fly. I caught five fish and quickly set them in the little pond next to my campsite as another round of showers started. I was tired of tent time so sat out this storm under trees. Thinking the storm was over I went to the pond to clean the fish and got rained on anyway. During the next brief break, those nasty mosquitoes sprouted out of nowhere when I started cooking dinner. Again, I ate supper walking in circles. It cleared up for nice sunset views of Kenny Lake.
Day 3, 8/17. Kenny Lake to Hidden Lake
4.4 miles, 6.1 hours including fishing, 1060 elevation gain
This turned out to be a delightful day. It was humid and I had to pack up a wet tent, which seemed to be unavoidable. I left at 8AM, before the sun hit my site. The trail to New Fork Pass is well maintained, first dropping to a lush grassy valley with several shallow lakes. I saw fish rising on one of them. It is then a moderate climb back up to New Fork Pass, a location ideal for great evening photos of sunset on the Divide and Gannett Peak. Being morning the light illuminated the less spectacular terrain to the west. I left the trail and took a break at a small pond I had camped at years ago. The group camped at Kenny Lake walked below, not noticing me.
The off-trail route to Hidden Lakes is over easy terrain but micro-navigation is tricky. Having done this before, I recognized the key locations where one has to change directions to reach the flat high meadow (really a swamp) north of Hidden Lakes. I ate lunch on top of the small “pass” with a fine view of my destination. I dropped to the lowest and largest of several Hidden Lakes. There were several good options for camping and it took me half an hour to check them all out. I set up on a nice grassy spot above a little bay close to the south end early afternoon.
The afternoon was occupied with fishing and day-hiking. Frustratingly, I got my leader totally tangled and took nearly half an hour fixing that mess before I could get started. I then caught a nice fish right below camp, cleaned it, put it in my pot, and set it under water with a rock on top. I dropped down to the next lake which is one of the Thompson Lakes, completely circled it fishing with no luck. After a break from fishing exploring many little nooks and crannies, I walked over to the bay on the north shoreline of Hidden Lake and caught three bigger fish. All were brook trout. I had a great fish dinner!
Throughout the day the sky was full of huge puffy cumulous clouds that enhanced photos. The terrain is mostly a flat granite plateau with small hills and several pure blue lakes surrounded by lush grass, the upper set referred to as Hidden Lakes and the lower as Thompson Lakes. It is not spectacular scenery but very “pastoral”, until one reaches the edges. At the western and northwestern edges, cliffs plunge 2000 feet in Palmer and New Fork Canyons. Kenny Lake where I was day before could be considered the northern part of the New Fork Plateau which also ends at cliffs plunging down to the Green River. To the south the plateau somewhat continues with many more high lakes, including No Name Lakes and Cutthroat Lakes, eventually plunging into Pine Creek Canyon and Fremont Canyon.
TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
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Wandering Daisy
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TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
Day 4, 8/18. Day hike New Fork Plateau and fish Thompson Lakes
5.3 miles, 4.5 hours plus several hours fishing, 775 elevation gain
I had never spent a layover day to fully explore this high plateau full of lakes, granite slabs and interspersed lush vegetation. I left camp at 8:45 and walked over granitic slabs to the 2000-foot cliffs of Palmer Canyon taking photos at two viewpoints. Then down the valley containing two smaller lakes above the northwest arm of the large lake where I camped. I then cut over to the next valley and ascended to Hidden Lake 11130 before dropping back to camp by 2:15.
After a break, I dropped to the lower Thompson Lake (Lyns Lake) and caught four 6-7 inch fish. I could hardly keep them off my fly. Back at camp I caught one more small fish. I cleaned them and put them in the pot under water. Then I walked to the upper Thompson Lake, out onto a rocky peninsula where fishing was amazing- every cast a fish! And fairly big fat ones at that. Weather was so delightful that I took a bath and lay out on the smooth rock in a light breeze with no mosquitoes. I threw my line out in the lake simply because it is easier to reel it in from the water and one more fish jumped onto the fly. I now had 10 fish, four over the daily limit. After such a dismal early season of fishing this did not bother my conscious a bit; I ate them all. Regretfully, I did not take photos of all these fish, perhaps to leave no incriminating evidence.
Day 5, 8/19. Hidden Lakes to Cutthroat Lake
5.7 miles, 5.4 plus fishing, 800 elevation gain
I packed up and left a bit before 8AM deciding to skip Lake 11192 (Ruthies Lake). Terrain is tricky forced me towards that lake anyway. Realizing this mistake, I backtracked a bit and traversed over to the correct valley east of Lyns Lake. The small saddle that leads to the smaller unnamed lake (1050 feet) with an island still had a bit of snow. After traversing above the south shore of the small lake I turned southeast to the two lakes at the head of Palmer Canyon. These lakes are referred to as “Palmer Canyon Lake #1. Cliffs prevented continuing so I turned back to the valley north and rounded a corner to reach the southeast end of these lakes. I spotted a fish! I did not try to catch it, instead dropping down to No Name Lake 10620. A somewhat swampy use-trail went around the west end to the well-maintained Double Top Mountain Trail. I decided to camp at the large main Cutthroat Lake which was over a ridge from a series of smaller of the Cutthroat Lakes. I spent half an hour checking out campsites, even going over the ridge to look down on the string of smaller lakes. I set up about half-way down the northeast shoreline.
I caught one fish within the first ten minutes. The afternoon storms were brewing. I fished and retreated back to camp during rain squalls the rest of the afternoon, hauling my meager one fish along the way. I had a few more bites but no fish. I cleaned the smallish cutthroat trout and ate it. At 2:30 rain became heavy, so I spent most of the remaining afternoon in the tent and had an early fishless dinner between storms. The fish gods were punishing me for exceeding my legal limit the previous day. Other than two guys and a dog that passed on the trail in the distance, I saw no other people.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
Here is a photo of Lyns Lake from 2009.
Day 6, 8/20. Cutthroat Lake to Pass Lake
6.2 miles, 4.6 hours, 770 elevation gain
I was up at 7:30 with the goal to get to the western Saurkraut Lake which I had visited in 2016 while exploring the Bridger Lakes, but did not fish. Optimistically, I wanted to fish both Saurkraut Lakes and perhaps even drop over into Bridger Lakes
I made good time on the trail to the outlet of the lower No Name Lake and observed a few fish rising. You would have thought I was walking in Ireland for all the lush green grass. The trail drops to Summit Lake through many small ponds and swamps. Mosquitoes were not that bad given the environment. At the trail junction at Summit Lake I discovered the maps I had with me had a one-mile gap leaving out Summit Lake. I stupidly thought the trail was on the east side of the lake so I left the trail, crossed the inlet, and found no traill! There was a faint fisherman’s trail so I walked to the outlet, crossed and was quite confused. The continuing trail went what I thought was the wrong direction. I went up, hesitated, went back, hesitated and went up the trail farther to a junction with a signpost but no sign.
Fortunately a CDT hiker was coming towards the junction. We laughed because he had just had a similar experience; intending to do the alternate CDT over Knapsack Pass, he missed the trail junction because the sign did not say “Knapsack Pass”. Eventually you get to Knapsack Pass, but first the trail goes over Vista Pass and Cube Rock Pass to Peak Lake. Knapsack Pass is two miles off-trail to the east. I told him his mistake may be a blessing as a storm was forecast and Knapsack Pass is no place to be in lightning.
The CDT fellow went down the trail. Not wanting to be a pest and follow I started a few minutes later. We met again up near Pass Lake. There are numerous trails, all looking just as well maintained, no signs, and he was trying to figure out which was the CDT. I showed him which trail he needed and I took the other to Pass Lake. At the north side I took a fisherman’s trail to the south side and dropped my pack. I scouted a bit of the trail down to Saurkraut Lakes. I had forgotten that it was a 500-foot drop! Clouds were building and I doubted I could get down there and set up before rain. I found a wonderful little campsite about 100 feet up on the hillside above Pass Lake and set up. It even had a view. After a quick bath, the storm drove me into the tent. After some lightning and thunder, rain came in short squalls between dry moments when I fished Pass Lake. There never was a rise and never a bite. No fish again. The gap just south of Pass Lake is called Gunsight Pass. To confuse matters, there is another Gunsight Pass on the CDT north of Green River Lakes.
Back at camp abundant small gray birds were flying about, diving, swarming, landing in tree branches, then crowding together again making a whole lot of noise. I am not sure they were doing this because of me or some other ritual. I had observed this years ago a few miles from here.
I tossed many options back and forth regarding where to go next. The plan was to loop past Elbow Lake, fish a bit, on to Peak Lake and fish Stonehammer Lake then over Cube Rock and Vista Passes to drop to Three Forks Park. This was too ambitious for the weather pattern and the lakes had golden which were hard to catch. I decided to fish Saurkraut Lake which had brook trout, then simply backtrack to Summit Lake, perhaps fish there, and stay on the Highline/CDT trail.
Day 7, 8/21. Fish Saurkraut Lake and move to Three Forks Park
8.7 miles, 6.3 hours, 635 elevation gain, (3000 loss)
It rained hard nearly all night. When I got out of the tent, two deer poked heads around a tree, not in the least afraid. They munched vegetation a while then wandered off.
The day-hike to Saurkraut Lake was a disaster. By the time I got there I was soaked. The “trail” was grown over in the soggy meadows where thigh high vegetation was dripping. The lake was shallow and shoreline timbered and choked with vegetation. I cast off a few locations near a few campsites on the two west peninsulas. I bushwhacked to the north shore and caught my fly in a tree. Pulling it down the leader snapped at a small knot, leaving me with a 4-foot long leader as well as losing a new fly. The hike back up to camp was arduous.
Here are a few photos from 2016; the first is a view of the west side (the side I fished) of Lower Saurkraut Lake taken from across the lake. The second is from the west side looking up towards my camp on Gunsight Pass. The photos show the great weather in 2016 and why I wanted to go back to this lake.
I left at 10AM and went back to Summit Lake. Fish were rising; I should have stopped. But I have never been keen to catch fish while hiking. It is a big bother to get out fishing and cook gear. I am going to have to learn to adapt to morning fishing. I thought I could camp at the next lake down and simply come back to Summit Lake to fish in the afternoon. The next lake down was a shallow lake in a mosquito-filled swamp.
I got back on the trail. It was gorgeous, switch-backing down 700 feet in about two and a half miles through healthy mature forests and wildflower filled meadows with Trail Creek gurgling to the left. At the Vista Pass junction there were several CDT hikers. Another 300 feet drop in a bit less than a mile and I was at Trail Creek Park at the New Fork Pass trail junction where there were several more CDT south-bound hikers. I hit the south-to-north CDT bubble.
The young gal I sat down with to eat lunch at 1:30 was overly optimistic and generally clueless regarding forecasted weather and Knapsack Col, the alternative she wanted to take. She said it was “only” 12 miles to Titcomb Basin. Clouds were already building. It was 3200 feet elevation gain to the pass, steep loose sand, scree and snow on the other side leading to exposed, windy Titcomb Basin. Next day they would walk out to Elkhart to resupply. They barely had two days of food. I said given conditions, I would not do it because it would be quite unsafe. Her friends were the ones up at the Vista Pass junction. I hope that by the time she got there, the weather would be iffy enough for the group to change plans. And by the time they got to Peak Lake, they surely would be in rain and could bail out via Shannon Pass, back to the Highline/CDT.
As I dropped down to Three Forks Park, weather got worse. I remembered camping at the north end of this very large scenic meadow in the past. As I walked down the trail the damage of the 2020 blow-down was evident. It would be very hard to get to any location in Three Forks Park. I kept looking. Soon I was too far down the trail having missed the north end. I went back about quarter mile and found a game trail blocked by a fallen log. At 3PM I took the short trail to an established campsite that looked like it had not been used in a while. It had a lot of composted horse droppings and was dark and creepy but I could walk out to the edge of Three Forks Park for a wonderful view. This time I stuck to the creepy dark site under the trees remembering how soaked I was on Porcupine Creek camping out in the open.
I set up at and gathered water, bathed and washed a few items. The river was more than my arm’s reach below the bank. Paths through the waist high grass lead to an area where I could reach the water. I scooped water for camp while on my belly. Then I sat on the edge, feet dangling and poured water over myself with my cook pot and washed my shirt.
The river was light turquoise green and loaded with glacial silt. I wandered around taking photos for a while. It was mostly overcast so the photos are not great. Tourist Creek, where I would have come down had I stuck to the original plan was right in front of me and the sight of it gave me a bit of regret. At dinnertime there were a few pesky mosquitoes but not bad. I was now at 8300 feet elevation. It was peaceful and quiet.
Day 6, 8/20. Cutthroat Lake to Pass Lake
6.2 miles, 4.6 hours, 770 elevation gain
I was up at 7:30 with the goal to get to the western Saurkraut Lake which I had visited in 2016 while exploring the Bridger Lakes, but did not fish. Optimistically, I wanted to fish both Saurkraut Lakes and perhaps even drop over into Bridger Lakes
I made good time on the trail to the outlet of the lower No Name Lake and observed a few fish rising. You would have thought I was walking in Ireland for all the lush green grass. The trail drops to Summit Lake through many small ponds and swamps. Mosquitoes were not that bad given the environment. At the trail junction at Summit Lake I discovered the maps I had with me had a one-mile gap leaving out Summit Lake. I stupidly thought the trail was on the east side of the lake so I left the trail, crossed the inlet, and found no traill! There was a faint fisherman’s trail so I walked to the outlet, crossed and was quite confused. The continuing trail went what I thought was the wrong direction. I went up, hesitated, went back, hesitated and went up the trail farther to a junction with a signpost but no sign.
Fortunately a CDT hiker was coming towards the junction. We laughed because he had just had a similar experience; intending to do the alternate CDT over Knapsack Pass, he missed the trail junction because the sign did not say “Knapsack Pass”. Eventually you get to Knapsack Pass, but first the trail goes over Vista Pass and Cube Rock Pass to Peak Lake. Knapsack Pass is two miles off-trail to the east. I told him his mistake may be a blessing as a storm was forecast and Knapsack Pass is no place to be in lightning.
The CDT fellow went down the trail. Not wanting to be a pest and follow I started a few minutes later. We met again up near Pass Lake. There are numerous trails, all looking just as well maintained, no signs, and he was trying to figure out which was the CDT. I showed him which trail he needed and I took the other to Pass Lake. At the north side I took a fisherman’s trail to the south side and dropped my pack. I scouted a bit of the trail down to Saurkraut Lakes. I had forgotten that it was a 500-foot drop! Clouds were building and I doubted I could get down there and set up before rain. I found a wonderful little campsite about 100 feet up on the hillside above Pass Lake and set up. It even had a view. After a quick bath, the storm drove me into the tent. After some lightning and thunder, rain came in short squalls between dry moments when I fished Pass Lake. There never was a rise and never a bite. No fish again. The gap just south of Pass Lake is called Gunsight Pass. To confuse matters, there is another Gunsight Pass on the CDT north of Green River Lakes.
Back at camp abundant small gray birds were flying about, diving, swarming, landing in tree branches, then crowding together again making a whole lot of noise. I am not sure they were doing this because of me or some other ritual. I had observed this years ago a few miles from here.
I tossed many options back and forth regarding where to go next. The plan was to loop past Elbow Lake, fish a bit, on to Peak Lake and fish Stonehammer Lake then over Cube Rock and Vista Passes to drop to Three Forks Park. This was too ambitious for the weather pattern and the lakes had golden which were hard to catch. I decided to fish Saurkraut Lake which had brook trout, then simply backtrack to Summit Lake, perhaps fish there, and stay on the Highline/CDT trail.
Day 7, 8/21. Fish Saurkraut Lake and move to Three Forks Park
8.7 miles, 6.3 hours, 635 elevation gain, (3000 loss)
It rained hard nearly all night. When I got out of the tent, two deer poked heads around a tree, not in the least afraid. They munched vegetation a while then wandered off.
The day-hike to Saurkraut Lake was a disaster. By the time I got there I was soaked. The “trail” was grown over in the soggy meadows where thigh high vegetation was dripping. The lake was shallow and shoreline timbered and choked with vegetation. I cast off a few locations near a few campsites on the two west peninsulas. I bushwhacked to the north shore and caught my fly in a tree. Pulling it down the leader snapped at a small knot, leaving me with a 4-foot long leader as well as losing a new fly. The hike back up to camp was arduous.
Here are a few photos from 2016; the first is a view of the west side (the side I fished) of Lower Saurkraut Lake taken from across the lake. The second is from the west side looking up towards my camp on Gunsight Pass. The photos show the great weather in 2016 and why I wanted to go back to this lake.
I left at 10AM and went back to Summit Lake. Fish were rising; I should have stopped. But I have never been keen to catch fish while hiking. It is a big bother to get out fishing and cook gear. I am going to have to learn to adapt to morning fishing. I thought I could camp at the next lake down and simply come back to Summit Lake to fish in the afternoon. The next lake down was a shallow lake in a mosquito-filled swamp.
I got back on the trail. It was gorgeous, switch-backing down 700 feet in about two and a half miles through healthy mature forests and wildflower filled meadows with Trail Creek gurgling to the left. At the Vista Pass junction there were several CDT hikers. Another 300 feet drop in a bit less than a mile and I was at Trail Creek Park at the New Fork Pass trail junction where there were several more CDT south-bound hikers. I hit the south-to-north CDT bubble.
The young gal I sat down with to eat lunch at 1:30 was overly optimistic and generally clueless regarding forecasted weather and Knapsack Col, the alternative she wanted to take. She said it was “only” 12 miles to Titcomb Basin. Clouds were already building. It was 3200 feet elevation gain to the pass, steep loose sand, scree and snow on the other side leading to exposed, windy Titcomb Basin. Next day they would walk out to Elkhart to resupply. They barely had two days of food. I said given conditions, I would not do it because it would be quite unsafe. Her friends were the ones up at the Vista Pass junction. I hope that by the time she got there, the weather would be iffy enough for the group to change plans. And by the time they got to Peak Lake, they surely would be in rain and could bail out via Shannon Pass, back to the Highline/CDT.
As I dropped down to Three Forks Park, weather got worse. I remembered camping at the north end of this very large scenic meadow in the past. As I walked down the trail the damage of the 2020 blow-down was evident. It would be very hard to get to any location in Three Forks Park. I kept looking. Soon I was too far down the trail having missed the north end. I went back about quarter mile and found a game trail blocked by a fallen log. At 3PM I took the short trail to an established campsite that looked like it had not been used in a while. It had a lot of composted horse droppings and was dark and creepy but I could walk out to the edge of Three Forks Park for a wonderful view. This time I stuck to the creepy dark site under the trees remembering how soaked I was on Porcupine Creek camping out in the open.
I set up at and gathered water, bathed and washed a few items. The river was more than my arm’s reach below the bank. Paths through the waist high grass lead to an area where I could reach the water. I scooped water for camp while on my belly. Then I sat on the edge, feet dangling and poured water over myself with my cook pot and washed my shirt.
The river was light turquoise green and loaded with glacial silt. I wandered around taking photos for a while. It was mostly overcast so the photos are not great. Tourist Creek, where I would have come down had I stuck to the original plan was right in front of me and the sight of it gave me a bit of regret. At dinnertime there were a few pesky mosquitoes but not bad. I was now at 8300 feet elevation. It was peaceful and quiet.
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Last edited by Wandering Daisy on Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:24 pm, edited 6 times in total.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
Color photo of the Green River at as it flowed out of Three Forks Park showing the color caused by glacial silt.
Day 8, 8/22. Three Forks Park to Slide Lake
12.4 miles, 8.1 hours, 2050 elevation gain
I had enough food for a second try to reach Slide Lake. With my lighter pack I could spend more time finding an easier crossing of Clear Creek, upstream of the confluence with Slide Creek. I would just see how it went and how I felt when I got there. Minimally I could camp on beautiful Clear Creek.
When I awoke, Three Forks Park was shrouded in thick fog and soaked with condensation. Under the trees, my tent was mostly dry. By the time I left at 8:15 the fog was gone. I chugged down the trail to the Beaver Park Footbridge where one side rail was caved in. The Green River roared underneath. Horses were not allowed on the bridge but had to ford the river farther down. I have always waded across the many branches of Elbow and Pixley Creeks; this time there were many logs thrown across the braided stream confluence. I did not have to take off my shoes.
Another 2 miles down I ate lunch where there was a wonderful view of Squaretop Mountain. Lighting was not good for photos of Squaretop but excellent for the cliffs downstream. Several people passed by. Up the hill were several nice campsites. This was a place I should come back to and camp. The vegetation was much drier as I went farther downstream. The trail went around Upper Green River Lake, 1.2 miles long, still full of glacial silt. I am not sure if it even has fish. The trail ascends above the lake with cliffs of sedimentary rock to the right. Green Lake proper does have fish.
I crossed the bridge over Clear Creek at 12:15 and turned up the Clear Creek Trail. I again looked at the crossing at the washed out bridge and farther upstream where horses crossed. They still looked difficult. I walked farther up the trail to just above the confluence with Slide Creek and left the trail, slopping through a swampy meadow to Clear Creek. I had to walk down a bit before I found a good crossing. It was easy. I hung an orange stuff sack in the high willows to mark the location so I could find it on my return. It took more slogging through lumpy grass, avoiding wet spots and stepping over numerous small rivulets before I reached the main trail where it crossed Slide Creek. I was already on the east side. The recently maintained trail was very distinct as it switch-backed up the steep hill. There was some new deadfall, most with detours. I had to be careful to return to the main trail. Slide Creek is aptly named as it slid down the dip slope of sedimentary rock far below the trail.
After an 850-foot ascent I reached Slide Creek Meadow where an older day-hiker was coming back. He said the continuing trail was “brutal”. Clouds were building and I was more worried about beating the rain! I was out of water so stopped at the spring where the creek bubbles back up after going underground. After 480 feet more gain, and detouring around or climbing over maybe 20 log jams I reached Slide Lake at about 4PM just as rain started to fall. I set up quickly in the first campsite I could find, near the outlet. I did not like any campsites because of all the dead and fallen trees. The rain began to fall just before I finished. I quickly gathered some water and retreated inside the tent.
After about an hour the rain stopped. I noticed a fellow down the shoreline where I planned to fish. He had a nice campsite, safely under sturdy live trees. There were several more sites nearby. I did not want to crowd him so stayed at my less desirable site. I caught a nice 12-inch brook trout nearly next to his tent. I went back to my site after about 20 more minutes of fishing during which I caught nothing. My fish had a huge belly and when I cleaned it, eggs burst out. Once cleaned my fat fish looked mighty skinny! It still was delicious! I took a quick bath after dinner and went down to the lake for some photos, but lighting was not great. Thankfully it was not a windy night, and I did not get crushed by a falling tree.
Day 9, 8/23. Slide Lake to Green River Lake TH
6.3 miles, 3.7 hours, 305 elevation gain, (1750 loss)
I fished in the morning. There were abundant rises but most out of my casting reach. I got a few bites,but caught nothing. I walked all the way down to east shore until stopped by a cliff. Lighting was perfect for photos of the opposite side which had the sedimentary rock cliffs.
I packed up and headed back down. Shortly it began to rain. Two trail runners came up the trail as I was putting on my rain jacket. They did not even have rain jackets and kept going uphill. By the time I crossed the swampy meadow back to my orange stuff sack marking the crossing the rain became a steady drizzle. I kept on my Crocks until I reached the trail and could put on my shoes in the shelter of a tree.
I met a few people going in towards black skies as I was going out towards blue skies. It rained nearly all the way back to my car which I reached about noon as the sun started peeking out of the clouds. I hung the wet gear on the open doors and ate lunch. I drove over to the campground and found several available sites and set up in a large one with both open sunshine and a place to set my 3-person tent under tree cover. Then I drove to the entry kiosk, paid $6 for the site and filled the BearVault, two Platypus collapsible 2-L bottles and many 1 liter water bottles with water from the faucet. Back at camp, I hauled the water into a secluded spot behind the camp bear box and bathed with soap, washed my hair and laundered a few items of clothing. That felt great! Then it was time for a cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and a second beer! Life was good.
8/24 Fish Green River and drive to Fremont Lake Campground
I fished the Green River a mile or so downstream catching a nice fish (rainbow?) and took it back to the campground and cooked it. Then decided to pack up and try to find a dispersed campsite along the Green River. Trailers were located on most of the sites accessible with a 2wd. I stopped by the Whiskey Flat campground and was disappointed that they had raised their fees. I decided to drive back to Pinedale and again get a site at Fremont Lake. I filled up with $4/gallon gas and drove to the campground and found a site on the upper level below the road surrounded by trees. It began to rain soon after I arrived. A few strong wind gusts knocked enough cones out of the trees that I sat it out in my car. I did not do much more than organize the gear for the trip home.
8/26-8/28 Drive Home
It rained fairly hard off and on all night with continuing squalls in the morning. I was awakened by loud “plops” of tree debris knocked on my tent by chattering squirrels.
Murphy’s Law of wet tents; once you take down the fly rain will start again. Sigh. I drove to the boat dock to dump garbage which was closed off and full of emergency vehicles. Evidently someone drown August 24th and they were doing a body recovery. They have yet to recover the body. Fremont Lake is big and deep. In town I stopped at the Forest Service office to report trail conditions and learned the bridge across Clear Creek on the trail to Slide Lake washed out in 2017.
Vowing not to drive I-80, I took a back-road route to SLC, most of the miles new to me. I drove west out of town and then down Hwy 189 hoping to fish Fontenelle Reservoir. Lush fields of hay lined the road down to Big Piney. Massive road work was being done with lots of detours. I never saw turn offs for public fishing access. I turned onto Hwy 89 at Kemmerer and entered Utah.
My cigarette lighter recharger in the car had broken. I stopped in a small town in Utah when I saw a “library” on a corner, with church, courthouse and another public building on the other corners. The sign said “open”. I walked into a totally empty old school gymnasium repurposed to a community center and library with several doors with “do not enter” signs. I opened the door to a tiny library with a cute kid's section and two old computer monitors. There was one electrical plug between the only two shelves with adult books. I plugged in my phone it recharged while I thumbed through a farming magazine. I left, a bit bewildered, wondering if I should leave a note.
I then turned onto very scenic Hwy 39 and camped on Monte Cristo pass at 9000 feet. All the Cache National Forest campgrounds were reserved or full. I pulled off on a bumpy dirt road with dispersed camping and drove to the end, setting up on a less than ideal site. Most of a handful of sites were occupied by trailers. A fellow in the site next to me was testing out his car camping gear, lounging in a hammock but sleeping in his car. After this test-run he was headed for Oregon. When I talked to him, he warned me that a moose just ran down the road towards my tent. I never saw it. I retired to the tent at dusk hearing a lot of “baa..baa..baa” and commotion. Sheep were grazing nearby.
When I awoke in the morning about 50 sheep were wandering around my tent. I shooed off as many as I could then quickly packed up and drove back to the paved road, cooking breakfast on a paved pull out. While I ate breakfast, unbeknownst to me, the road was blocked off above and below me for hundreds of sheep to be herded down. I enjoyed watching the Border Collies and Great Pyrenees work. Two fellows walked the road with long sticks and two horsemen road the adjacent slopes. The road was covered with sheep sh.. After about half an hour wait, I was able to continue my drive down to Huntsville and then through the amazing Ogden Canyon.
The drive down I-15 was nerve-wracking and I took the wrong exit and ended up at the SLC Airport. At least I knew the way from the Airport to my friend’s house! I stayed two nights and we had a wonderful visit. The drive from SLC on I-80 was surprisingly light in traffic on the Sunday before Labor Day weekend. I even got a short break before the big heat wave hit.
Day 8, 8/22. Three Forks Park to Slide Lake
12.4 miles, 8.1 hours, 2050 elevation gain
I had enough food for a second try to reach Slide Lake. With my lighter pack I could spend more time finding an easier crossing of Clear Creek, upstream of the confluence with Slide Creek. I would just see how it went and how I felt when I got there. Minimally I could camp on beautiful Clear Creek.
When I awoke, Three Forks Park was shrouded in thick fog and soaked with condensation. Under the trees, my tent was mostly dry. By the time I left at 8:15 the fog was gone. I chugged down the trail to the Beaver Park Footbridge where one side rail was caved in. The Green River roared underneath. Horses were not allowed on the bridge but had to ford the river farther down. I have always waded across the many branches of Elbow and Pixley Creeks; this time there were many logs thrown across the braided stream confluence. I did not have to take off my shoes.
Another 2 miles down I ate lunch where there was a wonderful view of Squaretop Mountain. Lighting was not good for photos of Squaretop but excellent for the cliffs downstream. Several people passed by. Up the hill were several nice campsites. This was a place I should come back to and camp. The vegetation was much drier as I went farther downstream. The trail went around Upper Green River Lake, 1.2 miles long, still full of glacial silt. I am not sure if it even has fish. The trail ascends above the lake with cliffs of sedimentary rock to the right. Green Lake proper does have fish.
I crossed the bridge over Clear Creek at 12:15 and turned up the Clear Creek Trail. I again looked at the crossing at the washed out bridge and farther upstream where horses crossed. They still looked difficult. I walked farther up the trail to just above the confluence with Slide Creek and left the trail, slopping through a swampy meadow to Clear Creek. I had to walk down a bit before I found a good crossing. It was easy. I hung an orange stuff sack in the high willows to mark the location so I could find it on my return. It took more slogging through lumpy grass, avoiding wet spots and stepping over numerous small rivulets before I reached the main trail where it crossed Slide Creek. I was already on the east side. The recently maintained trail was very distinct as it switch-backed up the steep hill. There was some new deadfall, most with detours. I had to be careful to return to the main trail. Slide Creek is aptly named as it slid down the dip slope of sedimentary rock far below the trail.
After an 850-foot ascent I reached Slide Creek Meadow where an older day-hiker was coming back. He said the continuing trail was “brutal”. Clouds were building and I was more worried about beating the rain! I was out of water so stopped at the spring where the creek bubbles back up after going underground. After 480 feet more gain, and detouring around or climbing over maybe 20 log jams I reached Slide Lake at about 4PM just as rain started to fall. I set up quickly in the first campsite I could find, near the outlet. I did not like any campsites because of all the dead and fallen trees. The rain began to fall just before I finished. I quickly gathered some water and retreated inside the tent.
After about an hour the rain stopped. I noticed a fellow down the shoreline where I planned to fish. He had a nice campsite, safely under sturdy live trees. There were several more sites nearby. I did not want to crowd him so stayed at my less desirable site. I caught a nice 12-inch brook trout nearly next to his tent. I went back to my site after about 20 more minutes of fishing during which I caught nothing. My fish had a huge belly and when I cleaned it, eggs burst out. Once cleaned my fat fish looked mighty skinny! It still was delicious! I took a quick bath after dinner and went down to the lake for some photos, but lighting was not great. Thankfully it was not a windy night, and I did not get crushed by a falling tree.
Day 9, 8/23. Slide Lake to Green River Lake TH
6.3 miles, 3.7 hours, 305 elevation gain, (1750 loss)
I fished in the morning. There were abundant rises but most out of my casting reach. I got a few bites,but caught nothing. I walked all the way down to east shore until stopped by a cliff. Lighting was perfect for photos of the opposite side which had the sedimentary rock cliffs.
I packed up and headed back down. Shortly it began to rain. Two trail runners came up the trail as I was putting on my rain jacket. They did not even have rain jackets and kept going uphill. By the time I crossed the swampy meadow back to my orange stuff sack marking the crossing the rain became a steady drizzle. I kept on my Crocks until I reached the trail and could put on my shoes in the shelter of a tree.
I met a few people going in towards black skies as I was going out towards blue skies. It rained nearly all the way back to my car which I reached about noon as the sun started peeking out of the clouds. I hung the wet gear on the open doors and ate lunch. I drove over to the campground and found several available sites and set up in a large one with both open sunshine and a place to set my 3-person tent under tree cover. Then I drove to the entry kiosk, paid $6 for the site and filled the BearVault, two Platypus collapsible 2-L bottles and many 1 liter water bottles with water from the faucet. Back at camp, I hauled the water into a secluded spot behind the camp bear box and bathed with soap, washed my hair and laundered a few items of clothing. That felt great! Then it was time for a cold Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and a second beer! Life was good.
8/24 Fish Green River and drive to Fremont Lake Campground
I fished the Green River a mile or so downstream catching a nice fish (rainbow?) and took it back to the campground and cooked it. Then decided to pack up and try to find a dispersed campsite along the Green River. Trailers were located on most of the sites accessible with a 2wd. I stopped by the Whiskey Flat campground and was disappointed that they had raised their fees. I decided to drive back to Pinedale and again get a site at Fremont Lake. I filled up with $4/gallon gas and drove to the campground and found a site on the upper level below the road surrounded by trees. It began to rain soon after I arrived. A few strong wind gusts knocked enough cones out of the trees that I sat it out in my car. I did not do much more than organize the gear for the trip home.
8/26-8/28 Drive Home
It rained fairly hard off and on all night with continuing squalls in the morning. I was awakened by loud “plops” of tree debris knocked on my tent by chattering squirrels.
Murphy’s Law of wet tents; once you take down the fly rain will start again. Sigh. I drove to the boat dock to dump garbage which was closed off and full of emergency vehicles. Evidently someone drown August 24th and they were doing a body recovery. They have yet to recover the body. Fremont Lake is big and deep. In town I stopped at the Forest Service office to report trail conditions and learned the bridge across Clear Creek on the trail to Slide Lake washed out in 2017.
Vowing not to drive I-80, I took a back-road route to SLC, most of the miles new to me. I drove west out of town and then down Hwy 189 hoping to fish Fontenelle Reservoir. Lush fields of hay lined the road down to Big Piney. Massive road work was being done with lots of detours. I never saw turn offs for public fishing access. I turned onto Hwy 89 at Kemmerer and entered Utah.
My cigarette lighter recharger in the car had broken. I stopped in a small town in Utah when I saw a “library” on a corner, with church, courthouse and another public building on the other corners. The sign said “open”. I walked into a totally empty old school gymnasium repurposed to a community center and library with several doors with “do not enter” signs. I opened the door to a tiny library with a cute kid's section and two old computer monitors. There was one electrical plug between the only two shelves with adult books. I plugged in my phone it recharged while I thumbed through a farming magazine. I left, a bit bewildered, wondering if I should leave a note.
I then turned onto very scenic Hwy 39 and camped on Monte Cristo pass at 9000 feet. All the Cache National Forest campgrounds were reserved or full. I pulled off on a bumpy dirt road with dispersed camping and drove to the end, setting up on a less than ideal site. Most of a handful of sites were occupied by trailers. A fellow in the site next to me was testing out his car camping gear, lounging in a hammock but sleeping in his car. After this test-run he was headed for Oregon. When I talked to him, he warned me that a moose just ran down the road towards my tent. I never saw it. I retired to the tent at dusk hearing a lot of “baa..baa..baa” and commotion. Sheep were grazing nearby.
When I awoke in the morning about 50 sheep were wandering around my tent. I shooed off as many as I could then quickly packed up and drove back to the paved road, cooking breakfast on a paved pull out. While I ate breakfast, unbeknownst to me, the road was blocked off above and below me for hundreds of sheep to be herded down. I enjoyed watching the Border Collies and Great Pyrenees work. Two fellows walked the road with long sticks and two horsemen road the adjacent slopes. The road was covered with sheep sh.. After about half an hour wait, I was able to continue my drive down to Huntsville and then through the amazing Ogden Canyon.
The drive down I-15 was nerve-wracking and I took the wrong exit and ended up at the SLC Airport. At least I knew the way from the Airport to my friend’s house! I stayed two nights and we had a wonderful visit. The drive from SLC on I-80 was surprisingly light in traffic on the Sunday before Labor Day weekend. I even got a short break before the big heat wave hit.
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Last edited by Wandering Daisy on Fri Sep 09, 2022 7:44 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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wildhiker
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
Wow, another great TR read! Your writing is succinct, but packs in a lot of detail. I'm impressed both with your four big trips in one month, and your four big trip reports in one week!
-Phil
-Phil
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giantbrookie
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
What a terrific report and story, including the trip back. Can't say I've embarked on adventures anything close to that lately. The best "adventures" lately have been my mess ups brewing more beer including my bottling session this evening when I forgot to add the priming sugar (really) and then exploded ('dynamically shattered') my fermenter as I laid it down roughly as I was draining it after cleaning it (yes I had done my share of "sampling" before all these mishaps)--so do-over is in the cards for tomorrow night, I guess.
Anyhow my recreational activities pretty boring compared to these superb adventures. Way better read than anything I have lying around my residence.
Anyhow my recreational activities pretty boring compared to these superb adventures. Way better read than anything I have lying around my residence.
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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gary c.
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
Such beautiful country.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
-- Lionel Terray
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Harlen
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
Fantastic Daisy! Those No Name Lakes are real jewels! I was keen to see Squaretop Mountain again, so I jumped into your 4th trip first. It another of your epic Wind River adventures, and we are looking forward to the rest of them.
I must ask-- how long is the $130.00 fishing lic. good for? The whole year I hope. The Vermont lic. is just $30.00 for a week.
We contemplated coming back south from Canada through the Wind River Range for a trip, but events at home headed us straight back.
I must ask-- how long is the $130.00 fishing lic. good for? The whole year I hope. The Vermont lic. is just $30.00 for a week.
We contemplated coming back south from Canada through the Wind River Range for a trip, but events at home headed us straight back.
Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: TR: 2022 Wind Rivers Trip 4 Loop from Green River Lakes TH
It is an annual license. Wyoming does not have much choice for out of staters. Once you are going to fish for more than two weeks, the annual license is the best deal. I have in the past cheated a bit and bought a one-day license (I think it is about $15 plus conservation stamp) for each trip with a mid-trip date. Technically you have to have a license just to carry fishing gear, and to use the day license on the exact day that is permitted. I have never been checked for a license in over 50 years of fishing. They just added a "week" license, but it is only for 5 days and is about $50. And there is no "senior" discount (but is one for in-state license). Bottom line is that Wyoming residents get a really good deal- if lived there for 30+ years license is free. Out of state fishermen make up the difference. There is a lot the Wyoming G&F do to maintain the fishery and they are very pro-fishing and stock many back country lakes.
I also consider my out-of-state fee as a charity contribution to my good friends who now are retired from the G&F. Too bad I cannot write it off on my taxes.
I also consider my out-of-state fee as a charity contribution to my good friends who now are retired from the G&F. Too bad I cannot write it off on my taxes.
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