This is the first of five backpacks I did this summer in the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming. As problems with access to the Sierra became clear I decided to go to the Wind Rivers, where there was less snowpack and not requiring permits allowed a lot more last-minute flexibility. This was not my most successful summer in the Winds. Weather and a foot injury mid-summer put a damper on my more ambitious plans. The trips were quite mellow and focused more on fishing than making miles or high alpine terrain.
Drive to Wyoming
7/11-12, 2023
I took my usual route via I-80 to Wells Nevada, a drive that was as boring as ever, and camped at the Angel Creek Campground where there usually are plenty of first-come campsites. The more scenic Angel Lake campground 3 miles up the road is usually full by late afternoon.
I left Angle Creek and filled up with gas in Wells. With so many semi-trucks and 80mph speed limit I vowed never again to drive I-80 through SLC and Wyoming. Even friends who live in Wyoming avoid I-80. I turned north at Oasis onto Nv-233/Ut-30 for almost a hundred miles of two-lane nothing meeting only a handful of other cars. After a short distance on crowded I-84, I was back on Ut-30 to Logan, Utah. I struggled to find the obscure industrial park in Providence where ULA was located. I had called beforehand asking if I could try on packs rather than buy over the internet. I opened the door into a room full of Hispanic women chattering and sewing! The fellow I talked to on the phone walked me the back of the small “factory” where packs and parts were piled onto shelves. I brought in all my gear and we played with packing it. Ended up with a bright blue small ULA Catalyst pack, small waist belt with J-shoulder straps. Add a pack cover and I was done. Mailing address was required for my credit card payment, with my new ”address” of General Delivery Logan Utah, saving me a bit in sales tax.
I drove up beautiful Logan Canyon to Bear Lake and on to Kemmerer Wyoming, where I basically got lost on back roads to Farson (population 211) arriving about 4PM. The locals do not believe in road signs. While the clerk wrote my fishing license a dog knocked down a tourist who hit her head. Soon two ambulances and two sheriff’s cars came down the road with sirens wailing. Although a bit longer, my route was certainly interesting! I drove to South Pass, stopped at the rest stop and picked up a free Wyoming State Highway Map, then turned north onto the dirt Louis Lake road, camping at the small no-fee Little Popo Agie Campground on Atlantic Creek. I set up the car-camping tent, cooked a quick dinner and packed my new backpack. It was a long day but I was ready to go. The trip below was a mellow first trip of the season since I was not acclimated. Note that daily statistics below include fishing and day-hikes.
Middle Fork of the Popo Agie Loop
July 13-18, 2023 (6 days, 40 miles)
Day1. 7/13: Deep Creek Lake #1 (10054)
(9.3 miles, about 7 hours, 2155 feet elevation gain/ 925 feet loss)
I was up at the crack of dawn, threw the car-camping gear in the car, continued on the dirt road, past Fiddlers Lake campground and turned onto the very rocky dirt road to the trailhead at the west end of Worthen Reservoir. The parking serves two trailheads; the trail to Sheep Bridge on the Middle Fork and a trail to Stough Creek Lakes. Since I had all the food for my entire summer in three bear cans packed in a foam cooler in my trunk, I was happy to find a parking space with shade from trees. I put on my pack and it was heavy! Why does your pack on the first trip of the season weigh a hundred pounds? Even though heavy, I was pleased with the fit of my new pack.
Thankfully after a brief climb of a small hill the well maintained trail descended to Sheep Bridge over the roaring Middle Fork of the Popo Agie and gains back the elevation gradually in three miles of nicely shaded trail to the Pinto Park junction. So far, so good; I stopped for a snack. I had not even seen anyone. The next 3.3 miles with 1,000 feet gain, the sun took over the shade and I slowed to a crawl and I was beat by the time I reached the Deep Creek Lakes Trail junction. I forded a small creek where there was a nearby tent although I never saw the occupant. I continued to Deep Creek Lake #1 in hopes of fishing. Although less than a mile, it did me in. I found a campsite on the hillside above the inlet and set up my tent as two fellows walked by going downstream. I went down to the inlet to get water, hauled it up and was too tired to go back down and fish. I really needed to eat some food to lighten my pack I rationalized.
Day2. 7/14: Middle Deep Creek Lake
(2.4 miles, 4.7 hours, 660 feet elevation gain/ 125 feet loss)
I dropped to the inlet and waded across. Knowing the trail would re-cross shortly, I kept walking in Crocks in spite of the mosquitoes nipping at my ankles. Continuing up the trail with shoes back on, the trail became a bit more difficult to follow having become overgrown in a few places. The creek to the left was running high. At the rocky outlet of Lower Deep Creek Lake at the Ice Lakes Trail junction, I stopped for photos and a snack. Assuming the shoreline use-trail would be too wet I stayed on the Ice Lakes Trail until it turned north over the ridge, then left the trail and dropped to the shoreline near the inlet. From here the trail was obscure but not needed to scramble up slabs to Middle Deep Creek Lake. I spent considerable time hunting around for the best campsite. Every site in timber and shade was still wet but up on the hillside just below a talus cone was a nice dry, grassy scenic site out in the open. The view was great even if it was a bit of a walk to fill the two Platypus containers with water.
After setting up I fished the outlet without any luck. I took a break and wandered to a saddle on the north end where I could look down to Echo and Baer Lakes. I later learned that these lakes also had good fishing. Back to camp, I then dropped to the inlet of the lower lake where the creek gushed out of an ice tunnel beneath a huge snowfield and quickly caught three 12-14 inch fish. I let the third go, forgetting that I could have stashed it in a snow patch near my tent for breakfast. The other two became a tasty dinner. The lower lake has Golden, Rainbow and Brook trout; the middle lake Brook and Golden. I fished the middle lake again, catching nothing, likely because I was reluctant to wade across the wide outlet to fish from the other side. Overall it was a very lazy day; a relief from the rigorous first day. It spit rain in the evening but puffy white clouds covered the sky most of the day. It was unusually humid and warm all night. By morning the tent was soaked with dew.
2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
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Wandering Daisy
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2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
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Last edited by Wandering Daisy on Wed Sep 20, 2023 8:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Day3. 7/15: Coon Lake
(8.1 miles, about 7 hours, 1685 feet gain/ 1735 feet loss)
The plan was to spend two full days in the Deep Creek Lakes, perhaps moving to Boot Lake where there also is good fishing. I returned along the shoreline of the Lower Lake. It was not that wet and much easier than the route I had taken the previous day. Someone was camped mid-shore and I quietly passed since they were still asleep in their tent. I hopped rocks across the outlet of the lower lake and ran into solid snow and lost the trail, finding it just before it dropped over a small ridge to the stream from Cliff Lake. I stashed my pack and went to Cliff Lake, took off gloves to photograph, returned to my pack only to return to the lake to retrieve the gloves. The trail became very wet for a while then dropped to beautiful Ice Lake and finally to Boot Lake where I waded across the inlet creek from Chief Lake. It was early and I was hot to trot. I decided to make it a long day to Tayo Lake and fish there where last year I failed to catch huge Golden Trout lurking at the inlet.
I again lost the trail in snow finally reaching the broad flat containing Timberline Lake. From the pass 300 feet above, the trail again disappeared in snow. I scouted left only to have to return in sloppy wet snow, gave up and headed down in timber, finally hitting the trail, just before it came to a pretty little unnamed lake. I lost it again up to the next pass. Once down to about 10,200 feet elevation snow was gone and the trail obvious. At the Tayo-Ice Lakes trail junction I heard some people. Deep Creek Lakes are normally heavily used in July but I suspect the lingering snow stopped both backpackers and horsemen. The tent at Lower Deep Creek Lake and the voices I just heard were the only signs of people I ran into all day.
I paid attention to campsites along the shores of Poison Lake because I planned to stop on the way back. Tayo Creek meandered through meadows and looked ripe for fishing, but mosquitoes were thick. I waded across the upper crossing and ate lunch. A new trail sign pointed towards “Tayo Lake Trail”. Soon I the trail came to the crossing that I had used a few years back when coming down from Tayo Lake, but it was such a sketchy and unlikely route that I assumed the well-worn trail that turned uphill was the proper trail. I was tired and trudge up the trail and it suddenly ended. Now I was confused and the map made no sense. A faint trail crossed the creek, which I thought was the creek from Tayo Lake. Soon it dawned on me that what was ahead was NOT Tayo Lake but Coon Lake. Well, I guess it would be Coon Lake. I was mad at myself for not bringing the USGS 7.5 minute map or recognizing the mistake earlier. I found a campsite and went fishing. The wind was howling and fish were nowhere to be seen. I took a quick cold bath and went back to camp to cook a fishless dinner and hop into the tent early.
Day4. 7/16: Poison Lake
(4.0 miles, about 4 hours, 120 feet gain, 595 feet loss)
I awoke to clear skies but another windy day. I could go off-trail to Tayo Lake and spend the day there fishing or simply drop back to Poison Lake and fish there. As I dropped to the outlet I met a fellow who had made exactly the same mistake I made and also intended to go to Tayo Lake! I did not feel so stupid anymore. We had a nice chat and I then left. As I returned to the crossing, I saw that what used to be the main trail to Coon Lake had been blocked off with logs. The signed trail to Tayo Lake was now supposed to be for both lakes, with the split to Tayo Lake, unsigned and requiring a creek crossing with no evidence of a continuing trail on the other side.
Eating a snack at the crossing I figured I had time to go up to Mountain Sheep Lake for a few photos. I went back up the old Coon Lake trail and took an obvious trail, not on the map, that horses had used, that headed towards Mountain Sheep Lake only to have this trail miss the lake and continue high above. At one point I simply did not want to figure this out, so went back, crossed the creek and went back down the trail to Poison Lake outlet. Disappointed, I set up at a nice established campsite and went fishing. After hours of fishing a mile up and down Tayo Creek and Poison Lake I caught one small fish. Needless to say this was the low point of the trip. Well, it was my first backpack of the year and errors were to be expected.
(8.1 miles, about 7 hours, 1685 feet gain/ 1735 feet loss)
The plan was to spend two full days in the Deep Creek Lakes, perhaps moving to Boot Lake where there also is good fishing. I returned along the shoreline of the Lower Lake. It was not that wet and much easier than the route I had taken the previous day. Someone was camped mid-shore and I quietly passed since they were still asleep in their tent. I hopped rocks across the outlet of the lower lake and ran into solid snow and lost the trail, finding it just before it dropped over a small ridge to the stream from Cliff Lake. I stashed my pack and went to Cliff Lake, took off gloves to photograph, returned to my pack only to return to the lake to retrieve the gloves. The trail became very wet for a while then dropped to beautiful Ice Lake and finally to Boot Lake where I waded across the inlet creek from Chief Lake. It was early and I was hot to trot. I decided to make it a long day to Tayo Lake and fish there where last year I failed to catch huge Golden Trout lurking at the inlet.
I again lost the trail in snow finally reaching the broad flat containing Timberline Lake. From the pass 300 feet above, the trail again disappeared in snow. I scouted left only to have to return in sloppy wet snow, gave up and headed down in timber, finally hitting the trail, just before it came to a pretty little unnamed lake. I lost it again up to the next pass. Once down to about 10,200 feet elevation snow was gone and the trail obvious. At the Tayo-Ice Lakes trail junction I heard some people. Deep Creek Lakes are normally heavily used in July but I suspect the lingering snow stopped both backpackers and horsemen. The tent at Lower Deep Creek Lake and the voices I just heard were the only signs of people I ran into all day.
I paid attention to campsites along the shores of Poison Lake because I planned to stop on the way back. Tayo Creek meandered through meadows and looked ripe for fishing, but mosquitoes were thick. I waded across the upper crossing and ate lunch. A new trail sign pointed towards “Tayo Lake Trail”. Soon I the trail came to the crossing that I had used a few years back when coming down from Tayo Lake, but it was such a sketchy and unlikely route that I assumed the well-worn trail that turned uphill was the proper trail. I was tired and trudge up the trail and it suddenly ended. Now I was confused and the map made no sense. A faint trail crossed the creek, which I thought was the creek from Tayo Lake. Soon it dawned on me that what was ahead was NOT Tayo Lake but Coon Lake. Well, I guess it would be Coon Lake. I was mad at myself for not bringing the USGS 7.5 minute map or recognizing the mistake earlier. I found a campsite and went fishing. The wind was howling and fish were nowhere to be seen. I took a quick cold bath and went back to camp to cook a fishless dinner and hop into the tent early.
Day4. 7/16: Poison Lake
(4.0 miles, about 4 hours, 120 feet gain, 595 feet loss)
I awoke to clear skies but another windy day. I could go off-trail to Tayo Lake and spend the day there fishing or simply drop back to Poison Lake and fish there. As I dropped to the outlet I met a fellow who had made exactly the same mistake I made and also intended to go to Tayo Lake! I did not feel so stupid anymore. We had a nice chat and I then left. As I returned to the crossing, I saw that what used to be the main trail to Coon Lake had been blocked off with logs. The signed trail to Tayo Lake was now supposed to be for both lakes, with the split to Tayo Lake, unsigned and requiring a creek crossing with no evidence of a continuing trail on the other side.
Eating a snack at the crossing I figured I had time to go up to Mountain Sheep Lake for a few photos. I went back up the old Coon Lake trail and took an obvious trail, not on the map, that horses had used, that headed towards Mountain Sheep Lake only to have this trail miss the lake and continue high above. At one point I simply did not want to figure this out, so went back, crossed the creek and went back down the trail to Poison Lake outlet. Disappointed, I set up at a nice established campsite and went fishing. After hours of fishing a mile up and down Tayo Creek and Poison Lake I caught one small fish. Needless to say this was the low point of the trip. Well, it was my first backpack of the year and errors were to be expected.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Day5. 7/17: Shoal Lake
(7.7 miles, about 6 hours, 1430 feet gain/ 855 feet loss)
One can reach Stough Creek Lakes the high route up to Sweetwater Gap and over Roaring Fork Mountain dropping directly into Toadstool and Shoal Lakes; or the low route, down the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie and up a trail from Bills Park to Big Stough and Shoal Lakes. I had been on the high route several times. Since the wind was howling and weather uncertain, the wise choice was the low route, avoiding the dangers of being up on an exposed ridge of nearly 12,000 feet. The fact that the low route was new to me was frosting on the cake.
Either way I first had to drop down to cross the Middle Fork. It was about a mile and half back to the Ice Lakes trail junction and then about half a mile to skirt around the west side of the large lower meadow to avoid a deep miserable mosquito infested river crossing at the main horse trail. I waded three of the four smaller creek crossings before intersecting the Sweetwater Gap Trail where I turned down-river to Bills Park on the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie. The trail was good and the river beautiful! I should have stopped to fish given my poor luck at Shoal Lake.
I filled a water bottle, ate a snack and started up the steep but well maintained trail heading for Stough Creek Lakes. I came to a crossing and again had to wade across, thankfully only knee deep. I remembered a bridge across the creek at the Roaring Fork tail junction and was confused. Having left my reading glasses deep in the pack I failed to see the crossing in front of me on the map. Staying on the most obvious trail seemed the prudent thing to do. I then came to the bridge and realized the trail crossed the creek twice. I reached Shoal Lake early afternoon and found a wonderful established campsite among sturdy live limber pines.
The wind was already howling above when I set up the tent. I tried to fish but the wind just got worse every minute. Two other couples were camped nearby. To add to fishing difficulties my reel fell apart and the screw needed to keep it together was lost in the vegetation. Fishing with the line in my pocket did not work very well! I gave up and cooked an early dinner and then hiked down to Big Stough Lake for some nice evening photos. The wind really picked up overnight sounding like a jet engine. The sturdy trees blocked most of the gusts (In-reach weather report had predicted 65 mph winds). I did not sleep well worried a tree would fall on me.
Day6. 7/18: Shoal Lake to Worthen Trailhead and Campground
(7.2 miles, about 4 hours, 520 feet gain/ 2285 feet loss)
All I had to do this day was walk out to my car. I had hoped to go off-trail over to Roaring Fork drainage and visit the beautiful Leg Lake, but the creek from Shoal Lake was running high and I did not want to wade across the deep water. I simply went back to the trail junction and took the main trail out to Roaring Fork Lake. I met two women trail runners and a family with kids on the way out plus several backpackers going in. The wading across the outlet of Roaring Fork Lake was thigh deep but calm.
I reached my car and met an older couple who were hosts at the USFS Worthen Meadow Campground and they told me there were available sites. I found a nice shady site next to a hand pump where my arms got a real workout getting water. I set up, took a discrete bath, and then filled a cooler and bucket with cold water for the perishables and had two beers.
Lander, Wyoming. 7/19-7/20
At 1PM I would attend a memorial service for a past director of the National Leadership School (NOLS) who I had known in the early 1970’s. My friend who I normally stayed with in Lander was ill and had gone to Casper for medical treatment. When I reached cell service I called George, another old friend who was hosting several other attendees in his spare bedrooms, but had room for me to “camp” on the floor of the equipment room of his fishing guide business. I was worried about all my backpacking food getting spoiled and luckily there was room in his chest freezer to store it for two days. I took a quick shower and got semi-respectably dressed and drove to the event which was well attended and loads of fun. We “super-oldies” from the early 1970’s had a second party that evening.
My only snafu was accidently locking myself out of my car. Before driving out to the second party, I figured I should brush my teeth, parked and decided to spit in a garbage can in an adjacent alley instead of on the street. It was hot. I left the car running, stepped out with only the tooth brush, shut the door and it locked. It had never done that before! I was next to a bar so walked in and tapped the shoulder of a young man sitting at the bar to ask if I could use his phone telling him my predicament. “I think I can help”, he said. He walked out, looked at my car, went to his truck, and pulled out a “tool”. Meantime several happy hour folks in various states of intoxication came out and cheered him on. A cop came down the road and the fellow yelled, “She WANTS me to break into her car”. I verified his statement, the cop left, and the fellow opened the car in minutes. Next day while standing in line to buy groceries, he tapped me on the shoulder and we both laughed at the incident. He assured me he did not get in trouble with the police. So it goes in small town Wyoming!
Next morning George treated all his guests to a sourdough pancake breakfast as we had our last visit before we all left. The other guests went back to Bozeman Montana. George gave me one of his many old fishing reels since my broken reel was not repairable. Although heavy the new reel was bombproof; he knew my tendency to break things. I sorted and packed up gear as well as visit other friends in town, again staying with George. Late in the evening his cat walked up the stairs to the equipment room above the garage, snuggled up next to me in my sleeping bag on the floor and contentedly purred while rain pattered on the roof.
(7.7 miles, about 6 hours, 1430 feet gain/ 855 feet loss)
One can reach Stough Creek Lakes the high route up to Sweetwater Gap and over Roaring Fork Mountain dropping directly into Toadstool and Shoal Lakes; or the low route, down the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie and up a trail from Bills Park to Big Stough and Shoal Lakes. I had been on the high route several times. Since the wind was howling and weather uncertain, the wise choice was the low route, avoiding the dangers of being up on an exposed ridge of nearly 12,000 feet. The fact that the low route was new to me was frosting on the cake.
Either way I first had to drop down to cross the Middle Fork. It was about a mile and half back to the Ice Lakes trail junction and then about half a mile to skirt around the west side of the large lower meadow to avoid a deep miserable mosquito infested river crossing at the main horse trail. I waded three of the four smaller creek crossings before intersecting the Sweetwater Gap Trail where I turned down-river to Bills Park on the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie. The trail was good and the river beautiful! I should have stopped to fish given my poor luck at Shoal Lake.
I filled a water bottle, ate a snack and started up the steep but well maintained trail heading for Stough Creek Lakes. I came to a crossing and again had to wade across, thankfully only knee deep. I remembered a bridge across the creek at the Roaring Fork tail junction and was confused. Having left my reading glasses deep in the pack I failed to see the crossing in front of me on the map. Staying on the most obvious trail seemed the prudent thing to do. I then came to the bridge and realized the trail crossed the creek twice. I reached Shoal Lake early afternoon and found a wonderful established campsite among sturdy live limber pines.
The wind was already howling above when I set up the tent. I tried to fish but the wind just got worse every minute. Two other couples were camped nearby. To add to fishing difficulties my reel fell apart and the screw needed to keep it together was lost in the vegetation. Fishing with the line in my pocket did not work very well! I gave up and cooked an early dinner and then hiked down to Big Stough Lake for some nice evening photos. The wind really picked up overnight sounding like a jet engine. The sturdy trees blocked most of the gusts (In-reach weather report had predicted 65 mph winds). I did not sleep well worried a tree would fall on me.
Day6. 7/18: Shoal Lake to Worthen Trailhead and Campground
(7.2 miles, about 4 hours, 520 feet gain/ 2285 feet loss)
All I had to do this day was walk out to my car. I had hoped to go off-trail over to Roaring Fork drainage and visit the beautiful Leg Lake, but the creek from Shoal Lake was running high and I did not want to wade across the deep water. I simply went back to the trail junction and took the main trail out to Roaring Fork Lake. I met two women trail runners and a family with kids on the way out plus several backpackers going in. The wading across the outlet of Roaring Fork Lake was thigh deep but calm.
I reached my car and met an older couple who were hosts at the USFS Worthen Meadow Campground and they told me there were available sites. I found a nice shady site next to a hand pump where my arms got a real workout getting water. I set up, took a discrete bath, and then filled a cooler and bucket with cold water for the perishables and had two beers.
Lander, Wyoming. 7/19-7/20
At 1PM I would attend a memorial service for a past director of the National Leadership School (NOLS) who I had known in the early 1970’s. My friend who I normally stayed with in Lander was ill and had gone to Casper for medical treatment. When I reached cell service I called George, another old friend who was hosting several other attendees in his spare bedrooms, but had room for me to “camp” on the floor of the equipment room of his fishing guide business. I was worried about all my backpacking food getting spoiled and luckily there was room in his chest freezer to store it for two days. I took a quick shower and got semi-respectably dressed and drove to the event which was well attended and loads of fun. We “super-oldies” from the early 1970’s had a second party that evening.
My only snafu was accidently locking myself out of my car. Before driving out to the second party, I figured I should brush my teeth, parked and decided to spit in a garbage can in an adjacent alley instead of on the street. It was hot. I left the car running, stepped out with only the tooth brush, shut the door and it locked. It had never done that before! I was next to a bar so walked in and tapped the shoulder of a young man sitting at the bar to ask if I could use his phone telling him my predicament. “I think I can help”, he said. He walked out, looked at my car, went to his truck, and pulled out a “tool”. Meantime several happy hour folks in various states of intoxication came out and cheered him on. A cop came down the road and the fellow yelled, “She WANTS me to break into her car”. I verified his statement, the cop left, and the fellow opened the car in minutes. Next day while standing in line to buy groceries, he tapped me on the shoulder and we both laughed at the incident. He assured me he did not get in trouble with the police. So it goes in small town Wyoming!
Next morning George treated all his guests to a sourdough pancake breakfast as we had our last visit before we all left. The other guests went back to Bozeman Montana. George gave me one of his many old fishing reels since my broken reel was not repairable. Although heavy the new reel was bombproof; he knew my tendency to break things. I sorted and packed up gear as well as visit other friends in town, again staying with George. Late in the evening his cat walked up the stairs to the equipment room above the garage, snuggled up next to me in my sleeping bag on the floor and contentedly purred while rain pattered on the roof.
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sli
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Great TR, WD! I enjoyed reading all of your reports in particular those on the Winds. We were there in June. While waiting for better weather, we hiked to the falls at sink canyon, very impressive! Is your friend George the owner of Sweetwater Fishing Expeditions?
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Yes, George owns Sweetwater Fishing. He is mostly retired, and his son and a few employees run the business.
I did four more trips, the second has been posted. Thanks for reading the reports!
I did four more trips, the second has been posted. Thanks for reading the reports!
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wildhiker
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
WD, I also enjoy your Wind River trip reports, since I will probably never get there. Looks like a worthy companion to the Sierra. But, too many places to see, and not enough time. Also, so far away...
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arkheel
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Thanks for your Wind River trip reports, WD! I look forwarding to reading them every year. I was in the Winds from July 30 to August 18. Trip reports to follow at some point this fall.
I thought that there was more snow than usual this year. What did you think about the amount of lingering snow?
I thought that there was more snow than usual this year. What did you think about the amount of lingering snow?
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Snowpack depended on where you were. The southern east side got more. The west side actually got less. The snow you saw was not so much total snow but the Spring was cooler than normal so the snow just melted slower. The creeks on the west side were actually lower than normal. What I found abnormal was the consistent high humidity and warm nights.
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robertseeburger
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Hi WD.. reading the first of your TR's..sorry we missed just by a couple days..
On the drive to Wyoming.. I am not sure why the I80 hesitation. I just take I80 and bite the bullet..driving straight through.
Yes the area just east of SLC is a little crazy but I certainly prefer that to the drive getting out of the Bay Area!
Reading this one.. it sounds like there weren't many people. In my TR, I mentioned that for a similar time frame, we didnt see ANY people for 7 days, in an area that might otherwise be categorized as "popular". And then on the way out, last day, we saw tons.
I wonder why the locals dont head up earlier? I have done many trips in the sierras that I would characterize as earlier than the one I did.
One local mentioned mosquitoes as the reason. But even them... I have seen worse.
And..I chuckled when I read your post. Add another moron to someone who missed the Tayo/Coon trail. I didnt include this in my post..but here goes.
We made it to the junction of Coon and Tayo and camped on the first day of our trip. The last thing we did was cross the creek where the signed junction is, and turned right 100 yards to camp. We followed the trail. Having been to both Coon and Tayo before, we didnt even think about navigation.
The next morning we headed up the trail, confident we were on our way to Tayo. Again, it is only a mile and a half or so, and we didnt even look at a map. We arrived at a lake...and um... it didnt look like Tayo. Tayo and Coon both have very unique rock formation features behind them.
Gary pulled out his GPS and announced we were at Coon. I said.."cant be". I was of course proven wrong. We were planning on hitting both lakes , so we just reversed our planned order and did Coon first. No harm no foul. But I felt "bad" with such an egregious navigation error. Misery loves company!
Now I dont feel so bad if you made the same mistake! Going from Coon to Tayo, we went cross country to go straight and save elevation drop and gain.
This proved relatively easy.
Enjoyed your TR.. will read the rest soon.
On the drive to Wyoming.. I am not sure why the I80 hesitation. I just take I80 and bite the bullet..driving straight through.
Yes the area just east of SLC is a little crazy but I certainly prefer that to the drive getting out of the Bay Area!
Reading this one.. it sounds like there weren't many people. In my TR, I mentioned that for a similar time frame, we didnt see ANY people for 7 days, in an area that might otherwise be categorized as "popular". And then on the way out, last day, we saw tons.
I wonder why the locals dont head up earlier? I have done many trips in the sierras that I would characterize as earlier than the one I did.
One local mentioned mosquitoes as the reason. But even them... I have seen worse.
And..I chuckled when I read your post. Add another moron to someone who missed the Tayo/Coon trail. I didnt include this in my post..but here goes.
We made it to the junction of Coon and Tayo and camped on the first day of our trip. The last thing we did was cross the creek where the signed junction is, and turned right 100 yards to camp. We followed the trail. Having been to both Coon and Tayo before, we didnt even think about navigation.
The next morning we headed up the trail, confident we were on our way to Tayo. Again, it is only a mile and a half or so, and we didnt even look at a map. We arrived at a lake...and um... it didnt look like Tayo. Tayo and Coon both have very unique rock formation features behind them.
Gary pulled out his GPS and announced we were at Coon. I said.."cant be". I was of course proven wrong. We were planning on hitting both lakes , so we just reversed our planned order and did Coon first. No harm no foul. But I felt "bad" with such an egregious navigation error. Misery loves company!
Now I dont feel so bad if you made the same mistake! Going from Coon to Tayo, we went cross country to go straight and save elevation drop and gain.
This proved relatively easy.
Enjoyed your TR.. will read the rest soon.
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Harlen
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Re: 2023: Wind Rivers 1: MF Popo Agie Loop
Hey Nancy, I am just now finding your summer trips, under Unread posts. We really like the photos from around Coon Lake, so it doesn't seem a bad place to blunder into. I read the funny story about you locking yourself out, and how you managed it-- you are fearless in all circumstances! Congratulations on all of these trips; we look forward to the rest of them. Ian and Lizzie.
Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.
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