High Sierra Topix

So glad to read you wonderful trip report for some truly wild and woolly country on the east side of the Winds! I concur with the report of wonderful trout fishing for those desiring adventure with their trout! In 2017 my group went over Windy Gap from the east and down the "Gully" into the valley of the South Fork Bull Lake Creek ( which I found much less comfortable than your experience). Happy trails !

Viper- a good friend of mine did some geologic mapping in the Wind Rivers in the late 1960's. His name is Bruce Barris. Did you run across his thesis and maps in your literature search? He found a nice garnet while doing his field work. HIs field area may be a bit north of where you were.

Getting into the SFBLC around Deadman Lake was a lot easier before the Alpine Lake Fire (2012 I think is the date). Many trails have been wiped out in the fire zone. The trail going upstream towards Photo Pass is still fairly easy to follow once it is beyond the fire area; not much use now so a bit overgrown. My daughter and I went down Bull Lake Canyon in the mid 1990's- that was quite an adventure! It took us 6 days to go 20 miles. Unfortunately that all burned in 2012.

When I did a trip through the upper drainage in 2018, I caught fish in lakes that were "supposed" to be barren, an nothing in some lakes that were supposed to have fish and spotted fish way up at the head of the creek, right under Photo Pass.

I am going to the Winds this summer from mid-July to first week in September for about 35 days of backpacking in 4-5 separate trips, about 240 miles total, but will not likely go through SFBLC this time. I have not yet figured out my exact plan. I will likely be toying with ideas while I drive I-80.