September 21: Conclusions

First and foremost, Wyoming is AWESOME! The views and the hiking out here are like nothing that I could have imagined, and I have seen quite a few pictures of this place. It’s almost too much, kind of like after watching 45 minutes of Showgirls: you almost lose interest, ALMOST. Then the pool scene comes along and you are pulled right back in. But I am rambling now...

What I don’t understand is why they allow horses and pack animals everywhere out here. Horses ruin the trails, they turn them to mush, make huge erosion trenches, and shit everywhere. Seriously, EVERYWHERE. Literally, it is impossible not to step in big, nasty piles of horse shit every 10 minutes or so. There were several times a day when I would think that I was walking through a horse farm. And the open fields – fuggattaboutit! Those places are completely trashed. I understand that this is the Wild West and that cowboys have been riding their horses out here for generations- great. But how can the USFS tell me to be careful and bury my waste when the trail is frosted with horse droppings? You know, back in the day, backpackers would always have a fire, cut down pine boughs to sleep on and bury trash behind shelters. Those days are over, so why can’t we start putting regulations on horses?

Also, I don’t get the not-marking trails or trail junctions thing. It gets quite confusing when a trail junction isn’t marked. Seriously, I know that this is wilderness and all and it not supposed to show any signs of man, but all the false trails out here look much worse that some paint on a few rocks.

Aside from these negatives, this place is really amazing. There is almost an unlimited amount of lakes out here, camping anywhere that you can imagine, and easy above-treeline navigation. Grab your map and compass and pick whatever route you would like, no need for eye protection out here. And I did mention the views, right?

People: While apparently the Winds can get a bit crowded in July and August, they empty right out in September (see: freezing rain, hail, snow). Over the course of the entire trip, I saw maybe 50 people, but that includes a group of 10, a group of 8 and two groups of 5. I went two days without seeing another person and camped alone every night.

Wildlife: not as much as I hoped for, but I did see five moose (two bulls), two golden eagles and several herds of antelope on the drive back to Pinedale. I also saw an owl, tows of beavers, some very cool birds and on field mouse in my pack.

My final note: GET OUT HERE! If you love the mountains and you love to backpack, then you really need to get out here and hike the Wind River Range. It will amaze you as much as it has amazed me, there is something really special about this place.

-Chomp

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