06/13/07 Hiking Green River Lakes Loop
Here I am in the Wind River Range again. This time, instead of day hiking I'll be doing some backpacking. I was so impressed with this area the last time I was here I've been trading off various camping gear for lighter weight stuff and am ready to go. (see my OutdoorsReading List for Hiking Wind River Range Guide).
I thought it would be pretty cool if I started out on my birthday (June 7th) and was here all ready to go. Before I even got to the trailhead the clouds moved in, the temperature dropped, the wind picked up and... it started snowing. It never snowed on my birthday before, I thought that was a rule :-(. So I took off for Flaming Gorge on the Utah border and hung out there a while. I was talking to a local and he said that storm dropped about 10 inches of snow so I'm glad I'm a wuss.
Anyway, I got back a couple of days ago. I figured 2 nights and a day and another day of backpacking on a mostly flat trail and I'd be pretty much acclimated to 8000 feet and I'd be off to the back country. Wrong again. Yesterday I decided to do the 7 mile (or so) loop around lower Green River Lake. I'm carrying the GPS and camera in a ladies pocketbook along with a 32oz bottle of water. Nix the water when carrying it over the shoulder. Between that and the elevation I was pretty much worn out by the time I got back. The good news is the cardiovascular and respiratory systems seemed better after the hike than before but the rest of me sucked!
Got a couple of nice pictures of a badger sticking its head out of its den but then screwed them up transferring them to the laptop. Also lost some nice shots of snow covered peaks around the lake.
Did the same loop again today and did much better. No badgers, less snow on the peaks but I felt much more normal so off I go to the backcountry tomorrow.
06/14/07 Backpacking Highline Trail to Summit Lakes (32 miles round trip)
Unloaded and re-loaded and double checked everything in the backpack. Added '1 or 2' additional items at the last minute. Pack seemed extra heavy but I ignored that. Only four cars in the parking lot at 8:30am and I was off on my first backpacking adventure at age 63.
The Highline Trail leaves the parking lot and descends to the Green River where it flows out of the lower Green River Lake. A bridge spans the river and another crosses a feeder creek a short distance farther on. Then up on the hillside to the left of the lake. A couple of miles with a few ups and down to the far end of the lake. Square Top Mountain and surrounding peaks visible the whole time. The first section of the hillside is all red dirt. Lots of badger holes here. No badgers today but lots of prairie dogs scampering around.
Clear Creek Trail branches off to the left at the top of the lake. Another bridge crosses Clear Creek a little ways on . There's some decent camping on the far side of the creek. It took me almost 1 1/2 hours to go 2 GPS miles. I wasn't going very fast and stopped a couple of times for equipment adjustments. The pack was heavy and pulling down on my neck. Those '1 or 2' items were taking their toll.
Another 30 minutes thru some woods and a meadow brought me to the bottom of upper Green River Lake and a super view of Square Top Mountain at the far end of the lake. Towering granite cliffs on the far side of the lake. 20-30 Canadian Geese cruising around near the center of the lake. 30 more minutes to the end of the lake and my but was dragging. The weight of the pack wasn't distributed properly.
Found a nice campsite just before the end of the lake but it was off limits for restoration. Had lunch there anyway. Found another campsite just past the end of the lake. The top of a steep grassy slope to the left of the trail looked flat so up I trudged. Elk droppings all over the small clearing. Caught a glimpse of one fading into the forest as I came to the top of the hill.
The campsite looks down through a gap in 100+ foot spruce trees to the valley floor a couple of hundred feet below. The Green River flows into the upper lake here and a couple of ponds are spotted here and there. 1000+ foot granite cliffs rise up on the far side fronted by steep, forest covered slopes, some snow still on the cliffs and nearby peaks. 1000+ foot cliffs behind me too poking above the tree tops.
>06-15-07:
Slept pretty well last night. One of the extras I added to the pack at the last minute was a fleece sleeping bag liner/summer sleeping bag. It's still pretty cold up here at night. I wanted to supplement my down bag which is kinda old and doesn't seem to live up to it's 20 degree rating anymore. Sure enough I slipped the liner into the bag around 1:30.
Stepped outside for a minute and was amazed at the clearness of the night after an afternoon of constant clouds moving in and out. Looking up through the surrounding trees and cliffs was like looking up through a hole in the roof. I didn't have a big view of the sky by the stars I did see were so bright and a slice of the milky way included too.
Up at 6:30. This is bear country and you're not supposed to have food or the clothes you cooked and ate in near your sleeping area. I brought lounging pajama bottoms and a long john top to sleep in so I'd be able to walk around without embarrassing anyone who might be camped nearby. It was 'great fun' changing back into day clothes with temperatures in the low 40's and no sun. Goose bumps, nipples puckered up and... well you get the idea. It was cold.
I may have had a visitor last night. I hung my food in a tree some distance from the tent. Walking over to retrieve it I found a big pile of bear scat. It wasn't steaming and may actually have been a day or two old... I'm not a poop expert.
Heard some howling this morning. Sounded more like coyotes than wolves. I haven't heard of either of them being in the area but coyotes seem more likely. However I think they re-introduced wolves to Yellowstone National Park, 100 miles or so from here and they may be migrating to the area. Grizzly bears are.
Used up all my water last night and this morning so was happy to find two small springs just after I hit the trail. I stopped, got the water filter out and began filling one of the bottles. I guess I was pumping a little too hard because I blew a seal in the filter. Nothing to do but turn around and head back... my great adventure ended with a whimper.
06/19/07 Backpacking Highline Trail to Summit Lakes (32 miles round trip)
A couple of days off and a new water filter and I hit the trail again about 9am. Covered the same terrain as before minus a few items and minus drinking water. I now knew where the springs and creeks were and figured why carry an extra 5lbs when I didn't have too.
Near the top of the lower Green River Lake I saw a female moose, or at least one with no antlers, down by the lake shore. They have poor eyesight so she must have heard me because she was trotting away from me quite fast. Seems to me she covered about 150 yards in 10 seconds or so.
Everything else pretty much the same including the 30 Canadian geese just floating around on the upper lake like a bunch of decoys.
Got to the springs where I broke the water filter in good shape. Had lunch there and filled the three water bottles. Guide book didn't say anything about water or camping for the next 5 miles. The Green River and lakes are pretty silty and shouldn't be used for drinking water unless there's nothing else available because the silt can clog up the filter. Maybe wrap a bandana around the filter to pre-filter some of the silt out. I had some coffee filters in the other filter pack but they didn't make it to the new one.
On the trail again the water made the backpack seem even heavier than the other day. Probably because I was already somewhat fatigued. Didn't take me long to get tired of that. I dropped the pack at a potential camp site and scouted ahead 1/2 mile where I found another site. Retrieved the pack and called it a day after 4.66 GPS miles.
You're not supposed to camp within 200 feet of the trail, river or lakes in the Bridger Wilderness. This section of the trail passes close to the river with steep craggy slopes on the other side of the trail with few camping opportunities. I cheated and camped behind two big spruce trees about 50 feet from the trail.
06/20/07:
Thought I might have to turn back again last night. I have an MSR Pocket Rocket stove (3oz) that takes those small butane/propane fuel canisters. The MSR canister lasted over a week sea kayaking out on the Maine islands. I brought a brand new Coleman canister with me this time and I thought it was going to crap out on me after the 3rd use. If it does I'll have to turn back and eat bagels and snacks.
But today I went forward and the pack felt good. Felt some stress in my hip joints and my ham string and butt muscles got tired but I wasn't fatigued.
Hit the trail @ 8:30am with the temperature climbing out of the 40's as the sun came up over the mountains. A couple hundred yards through the spruce and you pop out into the open and there in front of you across a meadow is Square Top Mountain.
No water and not much camping past the 200 foot restrictions. You could find sites out of sight though.
Short stretch of rapids @ GPS mile 5.92 directly across from Square Top. Lots of lodge pole pines down right there. Could find some camping back there. Looks like some peaks to explore back there too.
GPS mile 7.74 brought me to a fast moving creek with Beaver Park on the other side. A log bridge helps you across. Mosquitoes becoming a problem.
A short ways to a slippery log crossing of another creek. A better bridge a little farther upstream.
1/2 mile to a junction and another 1/4 mile to an actual bridge across the Green River. This one really needed too. Most people would be swept away without the bridge or a line to hold onto. Even then it would be iffy. The water is really moving here.
A hewn log bridge crosses a creek to a meadow with camping opportunities. I camped here on the way back.
A mile or so to a boulder field with good views to the right and great views to the left and a creek on the far side and the beginning of Three Fork Park. I found a camping spot a little ways up the creek.
06/21/07:
Got turned around trying to get out of the boulder field this morning. All the views looked familiar but the boulder field just didn't look right. After wandering around for a while I finally accepted that the trail was the one I was supposed to be on. How many trails could there be up here any way, right?
Boulder hopped the creek and then rock hopped it again a little ways farther. Followed a tumultuous Green River 1/2 miles till the trail turned away from it. Passed a long meadow and then the trail began ascending. This last section of the trail rises 2000 feet in about 5 miles. The first part of that rises 850 feet in 1.4 miles. I had been worrying about this. Not much of a hiking climb but I didn't know about with a 50lb backpack.
A very gradual incline all the way to Trail Creek. Partial views and several springs in the first half mile. Half way up are great views to the east. The sun was still over the peaks so everything that way was hazy. Later in the day would be better for photographs. To the west, spruce dotted cliffs rise a couple hundred feet with Trail Creek roaring down some steep cascades.
I recognized these views from a day trip I had made up here a couple years ago. A day trip? This is my 3rd day on a backpack trip and I came up here on a day trip? Ha! Well, aside from the fact I haven't been moving fast or very far each day... I had canoed up the lower lake, lined up the river and camped at the lower end of the upper lake. Next day I paddled up to the upper end and day hiked from there. Probably 6 or 7 miles up and then back again.
Two hours to get up the 1.5 miles to Trail Creek. You could rock up across but there's a chute with a pretty strong current 2/3 of the way across. There's a lodge pole bridge upstream but it felt too rickety for me with a backpack. Farther up is a large spruce log spanning the creek but that didn't feel comfortable either.
I had lunch there while thinking about it and realized I had been this far also and had actually forded the creek before. Again I felt the water was moving too fast to do that this time with a backpack so didn't. While I was sitting there dithering, a deer came down the trail on the other side for a drink, saw me and retreated.
I claim being short on fuel helped me decide to turn back again. So I hiked back to Beaver Park and camped in the meadow across this side of the hewn log bridge. Walked out into the meadow and what views to the east and to the west. Great stuff.
Of course I didn't have any water and the only water available was from a fork of the Green. I wrapped a bandana around the filter and dropped it in the water. Had a little trouble pumping when the current pushed the trailing part of the bandana but other than that it seemed to work. The water wasn't crunchy or gritty anyway.
06/22/23:
The goal today was to hike the 9 miles to the trailhead. Yesterday was about 6 miles and I'm feeling stronger now. I made it to the upper part of the lower lake in 4 hours and the rest of the way in 1 hour, pretty good I thought. I had an hour rest by the lake.
Met a Continental Divide Trail thru hiker (Mexican border to Canadian border). He'd also done the Appalachia Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail in the past 5 years. Into ultra-light camping. Graphite trekking poles, poncho converts to a tent, backpack weighed 12oz, etc. He got caught in the snow storm that chased me away on my birthday. He says he got 17" and wore baggies on his hands to brush snow away from his poncho/tent. Interesting guy. I think he was 61 but the face under his hat looked about 40.
Nothing else interesting happened on the way back. Oh yeah. When I was fording the creek by the boulder field heading back from Trail Creek I lost my balance and planted one of the poles to keep from falling. I held there for a second and then felt myself leaning over farther and farther. At first I didn't realize what was going on, I thought I was sinking into quicksand or something. Then I saw my hand sliding down the pole. I had bought the only pair of poles at a store and they have cork handles. The glue or epoxy had been giving way as I put pressure on the pole when climbing and chose that moment to let go completely. I did a couple of fancy dance steps and I was across.
06/26/07 Backpacking Highline Trail to Summit Lakes (32 miles round trip)
Well, here we go again. Third time's a charm... I hope.
I think I'm a little stronger and a lot more confident with the pack. I pushed it a little and did 10 miles today. I ended up camping the same place I did on the second night of the last trip.
I had just passed the 5 mile mark when I smelled smoke. When I drew near Square Top Mountain it was almost obscured on this bright, sunny day. Either someone had a mighty big campfire going in the middle of the day or there was a forest fire somewhere. My eyes weren't burning so I didn't think it was very close and kept on going. No one was coming back and I didn't hear any spotter planes overhead.
Nothing else of interest.
06/27/07:
No smoke this morning. It was completely hazy with smoke yesterday but not a trace today. Go figger!
Today got off to a good start. I crossed the little stream at the end of the boulder field and started up the hill. There I saw the rear end of a deer. I stopped and it lifted its head for a look around. He had a big velvety rack, 6 points for sure, maybe 8. He lowered his head to continue eating and I reached for the camera. This time when he lifted his head he looked back and saw me and went bounding away in an instant... oh well.
Today's climb to Trail Creek's Crossing seemed harder than the other day, maybe because I only stopped once to look at the view. Met a guy coming down the trail. He complained about the crossing ahead. He tried the lodge pole bridge and it sagged under him far enough to get his foot wet. He backed off and went up to the big spruce and shimmied across it.
I got to the creek, dropped my pants and donned my river booties and crossed with no problem. I angled upstream a little so the current was hitting me more from the front than the side. The real problem was the slippery, rocky bottom. I didn't take a solid step the whole way. I just slid one foot forward until I had a firm footing and then moved the other foot.
Less than a mile from the crossing I came to the New Fork Trail junction and called it quits for the day. I only did a couple of miles but was really tired. I guess this is also Trail Creek Park. There are a few good, but buggy, campsites on a small raised meadow. Trail Creek is nearby for water.
Only 3 more miles to Summit Lakes. Tomorrow, hopefully.
06/28/07:
Thought it was going to rain last night for sure but not a drop. Clouds moved in about 2pm and scared me into an early supper. Heavy gray overcast sky cleared up by the time I stepped outside at 2am, stars brightly shining.
On the trail by 8am. Nights seem to be in the upper 30's most of the time. Light frost 3 or 4 times in mornings so far.
3 miles and 1200 feet to the summit at 10500 feet. Took me 3 1/2 hours including breaks.
At .8 miles from New Fork Park I passed the Vista Pass Trail junction. The Green River actually starts up there somewhere. I'd like to do that trail and the New Fork Trail, at least as far as Lozier Lakes. Supposed to be some spectacular views up there.
The trail climbs up through spruce forest following Trail Creek much of the way. Eventually it opens up into a long, boulder strewn meadow with cliffs towering 3000 feet above. Mosquitoes pretty bad last night and coming up the valley this morning. Snow patches and flowers all across the valley. At the far end of the meadow the trail climbs up to Green River Pass. Switchbacks lead up the last part with outstanding views back down the valley and the cliffs beyond. The trail was pretty dry in the lower sections but got muddy in the valley.
Once at the pass the trail follows several small rises for a mile passing a couple of small lakes or ponds on the right and then Summit Lake appears. Maybe 3 or 4 acres under the watchful gaze of rounded peaks to the east and west. A fair amount of snow on them and snow banks here and there below them. Flowers in the meadows.
Two unsigned trails appear after a creek crossing just before the lake. The right trail is the Highline Trail and leads to the Double Top Mountain and Pine Creek Trail junctions and the continuation of the Highline Trail. The one to the left leads to the east side of the lake and the better camping. Not knowing this I went right and then wandered back along the lake shore looking for a campsite. I jumped a creek feeding into the lake and scared several foot long trout.
I found more bugs than I thought existed in the entire universe... millions, maybe billions. They look like mosquitoes but simply swarm and annoy you anywhere close to the lake.
Not a soul at the lake. Found a campsite at the far end where Pine Creek flows out of the lake right above a large snow bank 5 feet deep. Sat down to enjoy the views and was soon joined by the flies followed by a swarm of mosquitoes. I waved them away for a while but soon got tired of that and went down to the creek to make water (drinking water, that is), bathed and washed clothes (no soap). Dark clouds moved in so I had another early supper.
Caught a glimpse of a marmot before it took off at the sight of me. Not the mosquitoes though. They were swarming. Not much to do but head for the tent to get away from them.
06/29/07 Hiking Double Top Mountan Trail:
Temperatures in the low 40's or upper 30's last night. Some mosquitoes already up when I got up at dawn. Once the sun was up they were out in full force.
Rock hopped Pine Creek and followed the spur trail to Highline Trail and then to Double Top Mountain Trail junction (signed Palmer Lake). Pretty nice not having to break camp or carry the backpack. I felt like I was walking on air.
This section of the trail is big hills, small peaks, valleys and boulder strewn slopes. Found a waterfall next to a snow bank. Other snow banks across the trail, some quite wide and up to 5 feet deep. Lots of rock hopping across small streams too.
I was wondering if bears were up this high. The bear tracks I saw in the mud answered that question for me. From their size I thought they were probably black bear, maybe 3 inches wide with 1 1/2 inch claws. Of course it could have been a smaller grizzly. They've been migrating down from Yellowstone and do inhabit the northern part of the Wind River Range and that's where I am.
About 1.5 miles to lower No Name Lake. 1/4 mile long, skinny, pretty and buggy. No wind and mirror like reflections made for a few nice photos of the lake and peaks behind it.
Upper No Name Lake was really great. Lofty peaks looking down on it from every direction. Took a bunch of photos.
Passed another, smaller, No Name Lake also quite pretty.
Climbed up a divide between the No Name Lakes and Cutthroat Lakes. The guide said superb panoramic views. All I got was big rocky hills. The great views were from the direction I had just come and I had been watching them all along. I was hoping for something new... oh well. That's not to disparage those views. They're great! Tall peaks, jagged peaks, rounded peaks, tall spruce, snow banks everywhere.
I had to negotiate a deep snow bank at the top of the divide. The trail drops a couple hundred feet to Cutthroat Lake and even more to Palmer Lake a couple of miles farther on. By that time I was a little tired and didn't feel like doing any un-necessary climbing. Call it altitude, old age, laziness or whatever. I called it a day and turned back.
06/30/07:
Decided to head back down today. On the trail by 7:30am to beat the bugs around the lake. Got down to the boulder field in about 4 hours. Not in any hurry from that point and had a leisurely lunch at some big rapids on the Green River just upstream.
Had only seen one guy the whole time I was out but on this Saturday morning I started meeting people on their way up to the summit.
My goal was the first creek leading into Beaver Park. Got there, followed the creek upstream and found a spot just large enough to pitch a tent. This creek was marked as 8.8 miles from the parking lot in the guide book, meaning I had traveled 7.2 miles today.
07/01/07:
Got another early start this morning and got all the way to the upper end of the lower Green River Lake by 11am, another 4 hour trek. Pretty proud of myself for that, only stopped to take off vest and later my shirt.
Saw several camps along the way, most under the 200 foot limit from the trail or river.
Had a 15 minute break at the creek above the lower lake and got back to the parking lot in 1 1/4 hours.
And so ended my first great backpacking adventure.