Journey Day 403 | CDT Day 66

High in the Wind Rivers enjoying lands below in 1987.

8/19/87

Great night's sleep after short night before and long eventful day. Up in early a.m., sun nowhere in the forest. Pick it up, put it on my pack, hike toward the sun! First three does, then a young buck hot for a doe. Bambiville.

Hikers and rocky vistas were bountiful through the Wind River Range section.

Pass a group soon, then stop at Marten Creek for massive breakfast. Raviolinis, peanut butter, etc. Hike on, almost immediately meet Leo and his friend from Illinois, who've been back where I'm headed. They're excited about my hike, turn me on to a topo of the Fremont Peak climb. We part, I do a climb to the junction where I take the Shannon Pass trail. Stop and take a break at Vista Pass, which I think is Shannon. Photos of peaks across the valley cut by start of the Green River. I hike down, find myself boulder climbing, searching for trail in a canyon of boulders. Convinced I'll find it, I go on, and do, spotting the trail as boulders grow distressingly large and hard to circumambulate. Quickly up and over to Dale Lake (which I think is Peak Lake) right on the saddle. Push on down, confused about the locale, so ask hikers coming up, who tell me Peak Lake's ahead. We're standing at a sign "Shannon Pass -?".

So I leave the couple (the guy works EMS in Westminster, CO) and go up Shannon Pass. Again hard to follow, snow covered and rocky, but there's only one way to go. Up on pass easily (although the couple raised alarm, saying they'd used ice axes). Into amazing world of lakes and boulders, flashbacks of High Sierras. Trail confusing, but follow down pass to Elbow Lakes complex. Jean lakes, back on the Highline. Decide to push for Island Lake, first finishing peanut butter, a pound in two days. Onward down Fremont Creek, which widens to resemble lakes. One wet ford, as perfect skies cloud up, threatening storm. Don rainjacket, but sun comes out and I'm too hot down to Island Lake, amazed at this ideal alpine mecca I'd never been aware of. Camp looking at Fremont and Jackson peaks and Elephant Head. These mountains are everywhere and look different from every angle. Don't even chat with others camping nearby. Photos, cook after pitched. Shrimp creole, Little Debbies, pudding and tea fill me. As darkness falls, I bring everything into my vestibule or tent and update by flashlight.