The hike was 5.53 miles in 4 hours 6 minutes, going from Shadow Lake (10,300 feet), up over Texas Pass (11,500 feet), and down into the Cirque of the Towers (Lonesome Lake elevation 10,200 feet).
There are a number of reasons why I wanted to do this August 2017 trip - visit family and friends, 2 Counting Crows concerts, visit Art Museums, hike in Colorado - but maybe the main reason is to hike up in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Both Albert Bierstadt and Alfred Jacob Miller have painted in that area, and I will share paintings from each for the 6 blogs I have about hiking in the Wind River Range. The second pair are:
Albert Bierstadt - "Wind River Mountains, Nebraska Territory", 1862 (Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI):
Alfred Jacob Miller - "Wind River Chain", 1858-1860 (The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD):
About 6:30: Rise and shine as the sun was hitting the peaks to my east:
and across the lake to my southwest:
Packed up my tent, ate, and was on my way by 7:15. Heading northeast, the alpenglow on the mountains behind me was wonderful:
Even in these early morning hours, the waterfalls are running:
Looking back down at Billy's Lake:
Today's trail is an "unofficial trail". Having said that, it basically looks like what I hiked on yesterday - an easy-to-follow path through the wilderness. There are no signs (except at trail junctions), no blazes, and a few select cairns when needed.
After going around Billy's Lake, you go inside (south of) Barren Lake and Texas Lake, then up-and-over Texas Pass. Looking toward Texas Lake, with Texas Pass in the upper-right:
it's pretty cool - the valley I'm in is still in shadow while the sun is still rising over the mountains.
Um, the reason I'm doing this in AUGUST is to AVOID SNOW!
A look back down at Barren Lake in the distance, and Texas Lake closer:
To give you a sense of scale, this is the hiker in the picture:
We had crossed paths (me going up, him coming down) on the mountain. He is from England, but he said his partner "is from Massachusetts also!". So when I met her, I said "Are you from Massachusetts?", which really surprised her! Gail is from Marlboro (I think), but her grandparents live in Rockport - I look forward to getting home and telling them that I saw their granddaughter up on Texas Pass in the Wind River Range (and that she seemed happy and healthy!).
Great being at the top of Texas Pass at 9:30:
and looking forward into the Cirque of the Towers:
It is so unbelievably ISOLATED up here!
Heading southeast, toward the valley with Lizard Head Meadows in the distance:
So I did something a little different than the article. Once I was down from Texas Pass (and across the snowfield - sorry, no picture), the hiking is relatively easy, and the "trail" becomes somewhat fragmented. I wound up going between Skunk Knob on my right and Secluded Lake on my left (which is an AWESOME lake of ice and snow and water). Then down along the creek/stream until I hit the official "North Fork Trail". Then around the south side of Lonesome Lake to find a campsite.
Secluded Lake:
I KNOW WHY IT IS "Secluded" - look at the ice! In August!
The quality of the mountain rock is fabulous up here:
The view across Lonesome Lake at the Cirque of the Towers:
After setting up my tent (REI ad, anyone!), I crawled in to escape the rainy drizzle (read, sudoku, nap):
Rain stopped, got bored so I walked around and filled my water bottles.
more rain, back in tent, finished book (I don't think I like "Camping"), another walkabout, ate, tried to go to sleep as it got darker.
WOW - Thank You God for this Spectacular Place, and for allowing me to be physically (and mentally) fit enough to be here and enjoy it!
and the album I played from my purple nano, using my little boom cube speaker, while I set up camp:
Grateful Dead - Shakedown Street, 1978
Needless to say, the Dead are PERFECT in this hippie, outdoorsy hiking culture.
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