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11 days exploring the southern Wind River Range – Aug 9-20, 2020

This topic has 12 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 1 month ago by H W.

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Oct 20, 2020 at 4:09 pm #3680434

Michael Ray
BPL Member

@topshot
Locale: Midwest

I’d been in email contact with another BPL member since 2013 at least, but our plans never meshed until this past summer after my position was eliminated, giving me the flexibility to plan something with him. While we were on our adventure, he reached 500 nights in the Wind River Range!

My video trip report

Oct 20, 2020 at 6:32 pm #3680443

Sharon M
BPL Member

@arkheel1
Locale: Central North Carolina

Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing your video trip report link. I’m fairly certain that my hiking partner and I passed you and Eric at the top of Macon Pass. We had spent the previous night at Rabbit Ears Lake and were headed to South Fork Lake. From your video, it sounds like you and Eric were headed in the other direction.

We really enjoyed your video. Great job! It brought back some nice memories.

Sharon

Oct 20, 2020 at 6:59 pm #3680445

Michael Ray
BPL Member

@topshot
Locale: Midwest

@arkheel1 We did indeed pass 2 ladies atop Macon Pass. What a small world! Your climb up was steeper than our’s had been and didn’t seem to have phased you two. What was your pack weight? Do you have any kind of trip report somewhere?

I did the Black Mountain Crest Trail here in NC near my parent’s house this past weekend. I didn’t like it as much as I hoped I would (too many trees) and posted that video 2 days ago.

Oct 20, 2020 at 7:12 pm #3680446

Sharon M
BPL Member

@arkheel1
Locale: Central North Carolina

We were on a 10 day loop out of the Big Sandy trailhead. Our pack weights were right at 32 lbs. with a liter of water when we started.

After we finished the loop out of Big Sandy, we resupplied and went right back in at Elkhart for another 10 day loop.

I’ll still working on the trip reports, so this will motivate me to get them done.

It was our first time in the Winds and we loved it!

Oct 20, 2020 at 7:41 pm #3680450

Michael Ray
BPL Member

@topshot
Locale: Midwest

The Winds is my favorite place so far. 20 days is a big chunk for your first time. Keep it up and you may reach Eric’s milestone. :) Hopefully, I’ll see your reports when you get them done.

Oct 20, 2020 at 8:56 pm #3680459

obx hiker
BPL Member

@obxer

Michael thank you so much for taking the time to make this nice video and sharing it. Great stuff. 500 nights for Eric! Congratulations!

Say have you got any info or photos of that tent/tarp? That looks pretty interesting!

Nevermind now I see it’s right down the page!

Oct 21, 2020 at 8:03 am #3680484

Michael Ray
BPL Member

@topshot
Locale: Midwest

Glad you enjoyed it!

I see you must have found the tarp video I had just posted. Some of us here have been working on those for years now. 2010 was my first version if you look way down my videos.

Oct 22, 2020 at 9:50 am #3680613

Ben C
BPL Member

@alexdrewreed
Locale: Kentucky

Love the Winds! Thanks for sharing. We went up in early September and had a great time. I think the parking lot was even more full when we were there. We parked about a half mile back.

We had to cut our trip short because of a forecast of about 2 feet of snow, which did come. We went back out again after the snow. It seemed like about 25% of the trees were down. The trail was a mess and very slow going.

Oct 22, 2020 at 8:48 pm #3680678

Michael Ray
BPL Member

@topshot
Locale: Midwest

Wow. I didn’t think it was that busy in Sept. There were many cars all the way out in the meadow when I went in. Those were all gone when we came out. I got extremely lucky in finding a space directly across from the TH! :)

Oct 24, 2020 at 10:18 am #3680880

Eric Blanche
BPL Member

@eblanche
Locale: Northeast US

I was there in the middle of August. A weekend if I remember correctly going from Green lakes to elkhart and back in going south from there. Towards the end of day near the Titcomb Basin access trails it was like tent city! Crazy amounts of people!

Oct 24, 2020 at 5:59 pm #3680937

obx hiker
BPL Member

@obxer

Michael I meant to ask this before; did you guys spend the night on top of Wind River Peak? I kind of raced through the video but saving it to enjoy more fully later.

Oct 24, 2020 at 8:32 pm #3680974

Michael Ray
BPL Member

@topshot
Locale: Midwest

@obxcola Yes, we cowboy camped. See around 31:00 for sunrise.

Oct 25, 2020 at 7:20 pm #3681094

H W
BPL Member

@olddude

Was there first week of August. Parking lot overflowed down the road but once on the trail people were sparse. Look forward to returning next summer for more of the Winds.
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