Alpine splendor

By Nick Gevock - 08/27/2008

Photos courtesy of Brian Buse Reporter Nick Gevock fishes for cutthroat trout at South Fork Lake in the Wind River Range in Wyoming.

BOULDER, Wyo. — I knew by the sound against the tent that it wasn't rain.

There was just something different about the precipitation as it came down in sheets in the early morning hours. It sounded, well, kind of slushy.

Sure enough, I woke up on the seventh day of a backpacking trip in the Wind River Range of Wyoming with two inches of snow on the tent. It was cold, although not frigid, and even my dog Sapphire didn't want to get out of the tent.

Of course, we eventually had to.

My best friend Brian Buse and I had planned that day to hike over the massive Lizard Head Plateau — an incredible granite world that tops out at 11,800 feet. A Forest Service ranger had warned us to get an early start because of the lengthy exposure to lightning that often rolls in with summer storms.

Brian had said we'd be up at 6 a.m., make breakfast and break down camp and get hiking by 7 a.m.

So much for that plan.

Instead, I heard Brian finally call out from his tent around 8:30 a.m., "Nick, how's it going — is your tent staying dry?" We spent nearly two hours having our hot oatmeal and coffee, breaking down camp and getting ready for the day. We considered taking a different mountain pass, one that was shorter to get back to the cars, where we were supposed to be in another two days.

That's the joy of a long backpacking trip. There are no hard and fast plans. You are where you are. And as long as you make it back to work on time so friends don't send in search and rescue, you're on track.

It's the kind of freedom that backpacking is supposed to be about.

What day of the week is it?

The simple answer — who cares?

Through the years I've done a couple five night trips, including one in the north end of the Wind Rivers that was the best backpack of my life. But for every backpack, I've always reached the car wanting to stay out longer.

So when I had the chance to stay out for nine days, the decision was easy to go into the "Winds," as backpackers call them. They are one of the most incredible ranges in the Rockies, with peaks are so steep they look like the earth's granite knives thrust directly into the sky.

The soaring cliffs make it a favorite for rock climbers. In between those spiny ridges and rock faces are basins filled with more than 1,000 lakes, which draw anglers who come to try their hand at catching the rare golden trout that inhabit some of the alpine lakes.

Great rewards It's a backpacker's paradise, offering challenging hikes rewarded with stunning scenery and superb fishing.

Our trip started out easy enough as we hiked through gentle country, spending the first two nights near lakes. But on the third day out, we discovered that in mountains this rugged, eventually you have to go up.

We trekked over a pass that topped out over 10,000 feet before descending into the next valley, where a massive lake was waiting for us. The length of our trip allowed us to stay there for two nights to soak in the scenery, sleep in and fish.

We were able to day hike from camp without the hefty load pulling on the shoulders of a full sized pack into a basin ringed by massive granite cliffs and jagged peaks. It was a beautiful precursor for some of the scenery that awaited us.

The next day while hiking out of the basin, a ranger told us of a lake off the main trail that holds "the biggest fish in the Wind Rivers." Of course there was no way I wasn't going there.

We arrived at the large lake to discover a mountain bearing the name Aug. 16th Peak — which is my birthday — just days before I got to celebrate my 37th. It was yet another impressive mountain, with a gentle side opposite a looming 800 foot face. I wanted to climb it but there was no easy route from the basin.

No worries. The lake didn't disappoint when it came to fishing, which I spent two days doing. I caught on dry flies the most beautiful cutthroat trout I've ever seen, sporting a unique steel-gray color and rich slashes underneath the gills. The average fish was 18 inches and I pulled in one sleek, 22 incher.

A snowy surprise The next morning offered the snowy surprise. But after getting packed up, we decided to stick with the original plan and head over Lizard Head pass.

The trail was difficult to remain on at times as we crossed a world of rock, although cairns helped us stay on track. We hiked steady through the morning and I knew that the clouds were masking more incredible scenery.

We pushed on and eventually passed three guys from Salt Lake City who were heading the opposite direction. They let us know that we'd almost topped out and were about the drop down into our destination, a lake tucked directly below a massive peak.

The final two days were relaxing, with only short hikes and a final pass before we looped back into the trailhead.

After nine days out and sporting a healthy beard, I can say for the first time that I was ready to come out of the mountains for some real food and a hot shower. Finally, a trip that didn't leave you wanting for more time in the mountains.

After chowing down on burgers in town, we ran into those same guys we had crossed paths with days earlier in the snow at 11,500 feet. I commented that it was time to go back to reality.

"What do you mean," one of them replied. "That was reality up there." Reporter Nick Gevock may be reached at nick.gevock@mtstandard.com.