Delayed final write up
Day 5 Cook Lake to Island Lake
Blue is this day
This was also one of my favorite days. We did some more fishing in the morning. I headed down to the outlet stream from Cook Lake (which was Pole creek from several days earlierjust way upstream). The fishing was the style I like best. I leaped from rock to rock getting the best angle at pools of water and slower moving areas adjacent to fast moving water. Fish were easy to come by and were actually some of the best sized ones on average that we caught during the trip.
I could have done that for ever, but we needed to keep moving.
After packing up, we headed up a faint trail to wall lake. The lake was huge and the name became obviousit dropped down immediately to an extreme depth. We worked our way around the lake going up and down the rock ridges along the lake.
Loosing the trail, finding it for a minute, and then losing it again where it disappeared on rock. About half way around we found a sandy beach area in the lake. The sun was out and I couldn't pass up the opportunity.
We made our way to the top of the lake, across a waterfall at the inlet stream.
The next stretch was an incredible off trail hike over a series of saddles separated by huge grassy valleys above tree line with endless views.
(black spot is human...for scale reference)
As we crossed over the last saddle, we crossed some snow fields and came into our first view of the big mountains of the Wind Rivers (Gannett Peak and associated other 13k plus peaks). Our destination was island lake, a very popular base camp for climbing and exploring in Titcom Basin.
Our solitude was broken as soon as we popped out on the trail near Island Lake. It was only 4:00 or so but it was obvious that we better find a spot to camp soon. After walking a mile plus around different parts of the shoreline, we finally found a spot to camp. We ditched our stuff and looked for a more secluded spot but came up empty (there is not a lot of flat ground far enough from the lake to allow for camping). There were probably 3 groups camped within 30 yards of us. Not exactly secluded.
We set up camp and cooked dinner in silence and the went in took in the views over island lake.
A storm moved in as the sun was setting, so we made a run for the camp and called it a night.
Day 6 Day Hike to Titcom, From Island Lake to small hill above Hobbs Lake
(In yellow)
We woke to this:
How can something be so beautiful? I guess only God knows...
Then went up into Titcom Basin and had it to ourselves.
We did some fishing on the way back
It was unbelievably beautiful
Crowds were starting to move in. We packed up our camp and got on the trail around noon. We were starting our trek back to the trailhead.
There were about 2-300 people on the trail and about 100 dogs heading to island lake on the trail. I can only imagine the clown show that was going to occur that night. I warned some groups about possibly heading somewhere else to camp, but not sure if anyone took us seriously.
We luckily found one of my favorite camp sites of the trip tucked away off the trail above a beaver pond near Hobbs Lake.
Did some fishing, ate some dinner (including cheese cake), and sat around the campfire late into the night.
There were some college kids (group of 8 or so) that were flying a drone around, but not even that could kill the mood.
Day 7 Back to the Trailhead
Fairly un-eventful.
(I could get used to this view from my bathroom)
Passed a mass of humanity heading up the trail to Island Lake. I felt like I was witnessing a Klondike Gold Rush type event. The lake had been backed with about 40-50 people camped nearby. We had passed 500+ heading that way.
We reached the trailhead, headed to town for a burger and beer at the brewery.
We then headed to the Mountain Men Museum in Pinedale which was awesome. The rendevoius had taken place just out on the plains on the Green River just south of Pinedale/Wind River Range.
Killed a giant burrito, and made plans to hit up a stretch of the Green River for fishing on the way out of town before needing to catch afternoon flights from Salt Lake
Day 8 Fishing Green River, Flight Home
The Green River was amazing. I think it was about 20+miles of public access down a dirt road. We probably knocked out 600 yards of it catching about 15 fish between the 2 of us including some decent browns. Saw turkey and antelope along the river.
These pictures DO NOT do it justice...
Drove to salt lake, flew back to Texas.
Aftermath
This was my first backpacking trip to fly and I didn't have the usual 12 our drive back from Colorado to digest my thoughts. I had been dreaming about coming to the Winds for quite some time. The scenery was amazing. The hiking strenuous enough to challenge me but not to knock me down. But I was disappointed in the lack of solitude even when compared to my last trip in the San Juans. And the fish, while plentiful, could not compare to the 20+ inch cutthroats from my last trip. We saw no wildlife besides rodents.
I will be back to the Winds. They are amazing and I know there is so much more to explore. But the Weminuche still holds a special place in my heart and would still have to rank #1 in my book for the best place to get away from it all.
If you get a chance, go backbacking. Even if it is just for 3 days. The wilderness and simple living of the trail will clear your mind like nothing else.
I would love to answer questions if anyone has any.
Day 5 Cook Lake to Island Lake
Blue is this day
This was also one of my favorite days. We did some more fishing in the morning. I headed down to the outlet stream from Cook Lake (which was Pole creek from several days earlierjust way upstream). The fishing was the style I like best. I leaped from rock to rock getting the best angle at pools of water and slower moving areas adjacent to fast moving water. Fish were easy to come by and were actually some of the best sized ones on average that we caught during the trip.
I could have done that for ever, but we needed to keep moving.
After packing up, we headed up a faint trail to wall lake. The lake was huge and the name became obviousit dropped down immediately to an extreme depth. We worked our way around the lake going up and down the rock ridges along the lake.
Loosing the trail, finding it for a minute, and then losing it again where it disappeared on rock. About half way around we found a sandy beach area in the lake. The sun was out and I couldn't pass up the opportunity.
We made our way to the top of the lake, across a waterfall at the inlet stream.
The next stretch was an incredible off trail hike over a series of saddles separated by huge grassy valleys above tree line with endless views.
(black spot is human...for scale reference)
As we crossed over the last saddle, we crossed some snow fields and came into our first view of the big mountains of the Wind Rivers (Gannett Peak and associated other 13k plus peaks). Our destination was island lake, a very popular base camp for climbing and exploring in Titcom Basin.
Our solitude was broken as soon as we popped out on the trail near Island Lake. It was only 4:00 or so but it was obvious that we better find a spot to camp soon. After walking a mile plus around different parts of the shoreline, we finally found a spot to camp. We ditched our stuff and looked for a more secluded spot but came up empty (there is not a lot of flat ground far enough from the lake to allow for camping). There were probably 3 groups camped within 30 yards of us. Not exactly secluded.
We set up camp and cooked dinner in silence and the went in took in the views over island lake.
A storm moved in as the sun was setting, so we made a run for the camp and called it a night.
Day 6 Day Hike to Titcom, From Island Lake to small hill above Hobbs Lake
(In yellow)
We woke to this:
How can something be so beautiful? I guess only God knows...
Then went up into Titcom Basin and had it to ourselves.
We did some fishing on the way back
It was unbelievably beautiful
Crowds were starting to move in. We packed up our camp and got on the trail around noon. We were starting our trek back to the trailhead.
There were about 2-300 people on the trail and about 100 dogs heading to island lake on the trail. I can only imagine the clown show that was going to occur that night. I warned some groups about possibly heading somewhere else to camp, but not sure if anyone took us seriously.
We luckily found one of my favorite camp sites of the trip tucked away off the trail above a beaver pond near Hobbs Lake.
Did some fishing, ate some dinner (including cheese cake), and sat around the campfire late into the night.
There were some college kids (group of 8 or so) that were flying a drone around, but not even that could kill the mood.
Day 7 Back to the Trailhead
Fairly un-eventful.
(I could get used to this view from my bathroom)
Passed a mass of humanity heading up the trail to Island Lake. I felt like I was witnessing a Klondike Gold Rush type event. The lake had been backed with about 40-50 people camped nearby. We had passed 500+ heading that way.
We reached the trailhead, headed to town for a burger and beer at the brewery.
We then headed to the Mountain Men Museum in Pinedale which was awesome. The rendevoius had taken place just out on the plains on the Green River just south of Pinedale/Wind River Range.
Killed a giant burrito, and made plans to hit up a stretch of the Green River for fishing on the way out of town before needing to catch afternoon flights from Salt Lake
Day 8 Fishing Green River, Flight Home
The Green River was amazing. I think it was about 20+miles of public access down a dirt road. We probably knocked out 600 yards of it catching about 15 fish between the 2 of us including some decent browns. Saw turkey and antelope along the river.
These pictures DO NOT do it justice...
Drove to salt lake, flew back to Texas.
Aftermath
This was my first backpacking trip to fly and I didn't have the usual 12 our drive back from Colorado to digest my thoughts. I had been dreaming about coming to the Winds for quite some time. The scenery was amazing. The hiking strenuous enough to challenge me but not to knock me down. But I was disappointed in the lack of solitude even when compared to my last trip in the San Juans. And the fish, while plentiful, could not compare to the 20+ inch cutthroats from my last trip. We saw no wildlife besides rodents.
I will be back to the Winds. They are amazing and I know there is so much more to explore. But the Weminuche still holds a special place in my heart and would still have to rank #1 in my book for the best place to get away from it all.
If you get a chance, go backbacking. Even if it is just for 3 days. The wilderness and simple living of the trail will clear your mind like nothing else.
I would love to answer questions if anyone has any.
