Oh My Fall!

Packsaddle Lake

More of the Winds

Can't stop the Winds

The always stunning and extremely rugged Wind River Mountains... I can't get enough of this mountain range. I crave these mountains. They consume my thoughts and day dreams--from exploring every trail, finding a new lake, new route to hike, sleeping in them, fishing in them and swimming in them. I'm grateful for the few times I had with them this summer but I am sad to see this season of backpacking come to a close. The short summer and even shorter fall allows just a few months to explore these hills. On this last trek, after tossing and turning all night in my sleeping bag trying to get warm I got up the next morning to my water in my camelback being frozen solid. That's when I realized I was on my final trip of the season in the Winds. So, now I have all winter and spring to plan my next Wind River adventure and hopefully I find some new recruits to join me.

Ahhhh Brooks Lake

Every time I drive over Towgotee Pass I have to take a detour up to Brooks Lake in Shoshone National Forest. Back in the summer of 2007 when I took a NOLS backpacking course, (National Outdoor Leadership School), we finished the 34 day trip by coming out at the picturesque Brooks Lake. Not only is Brooks Lake sentimental to me because of that course but the scenery is stunning in every direction. Some of the pictures look smoky from the nearby Cub Creek forest fire.

Northern Wind River

This was a nice little solo backpackin' trip with just Charlotte, and I. She is the best backpacking dog EVER!

Warm and Wonderful String Lake

Time Alone

I have a very inconvenient work schedule meaning my days off are NOT everyone elses weekend. Which, means it's fairly impossible to find someone to come backpacking with me. It's not like I can take just anyone backpacking. There are key requirements to be able to live symbiotically together in the woods and possibly during extreme circumstances (intense weather, surprise snow, blistering feet, minor injuries, low blood sugar, etc)... I live in a really beautiful place nestled in the foothills of the Teton mountain range. I'm also 2 hours away from the most (in my little traveled opinion) spectacular mountain range on the planet--- The Wind River Mountains. Go ahead and look em' up but be sure to click on" images" when you do. What I'm getting at is that the outdoor possibilities here, when it comes to backpacking and hiking, are endless. Every warm month season here it's like pulling teeth to get folks to come backpacking for 2+ days. Day hiking? No problem. Everyone and anyone is down for some fun day hikin'! Sometimes I feel lonelier in the front country than in the backcountry. 

Beartooth Mountains

There are a lot of really cool places within a 4-5 hour drive from where we live. For example, the Beartooth Mountains. This mountain range sits upon the larger Beartooth Plateau, the largest true high elevation plateau in the United States. Almost 400 species of plants have been discovered and the Beartooths are considered to be the most biologically unique mountain range in North America. The region is also one of the few remaining with sizable populations of Grizzly Bears outside of Alaska and Canada. Black Bears, mountain goats, Bighorn Sheep, elk, moose, wolverine, mountain lion, and lynx are also found here. The Beartooth's are composed of Precambrian granite and crystalline metamorphic rocks dated at approximately 4 billion years old, making these rocks some of the oldest on Earth!

South Leigh Lakes

Taylor Mountain is a BEAST!

Taylor Mountain is an ass kickin' kind of hike. Short, sweet, and straight up. The flowers and 360 degree views were the pay off.