Wind River Range 2021 (part 2)

9/6 - 9/11/21 (5 nights) 

2021 Bag Nights: 29

Big Sandy Trailhead

Woke up, got breakfast in Pinedale and headed back to the Winds. The weather forecast looked great for the next couple of days. It was Labor Day and the Big Sandy Trailhead was packed. I passed a number of people heading out as I headed towards Dads Lake, very glad that I wasn't in the area over the holiday weekend. 

Dads Lake is very pretty, but looked to be heavily used, definitely would not want to be here on a holiday weekend. 

Chasing moths/butterflies occupied me for a little bit

Then on to Marms Lake. I got to the southern shore of the lake and decided to make camp.

A couple guys showed up around 5ish and set up nearby. The dog was very well behaved and the guys were nice. They were doing a loop towards the Cirque and were planning on fishing as many lakes as possible. 

From the small rise above the lake

Beautiful morning

I packed up and headed towards the East Fork

And then over to Pyramid Lake

Yay, another beautiful morning. Today was over Hailey Pass to Grave Lake

I got setup near the shore of the lake. This is looking west at Pilot Knob

Sunset

Blue Hour, I think that is Jupiter in the middle and Saturn in the upper right

First hint of the Milky Way

The full effect and now time for bed

Next morning, more glass-like water and great reflections

Time to start heading back to the car. I headed East and then South towards Washakie Lake since I wanted to check it out. 

Waterfall not far off the trail

Good lunch spot and then over towards Washakie Lake

I think this is Loch Leven

and then Washakie Lake, but too early to make camp

Off to the South Fork Lakes

Sunset

Not a bad campsite

And another beautiful morning

Climbing up towards Lizard Head Plateau

The plateau itself is very stark and windy/cold. I managed to find a place to filter water and have lunch where I was out of the wind. 

Looking down at Lizard Head and Bear Lake

Bear Lake up close

The famous Cirque of the Towers

Clouds are building. The sky opened for for a couple of hours not long after this photo. I had a nice sheltered campsite and my tent ready, so no big deal. 

And then clearing storm clouds

Woke up to what looked to be a beautiful day (foreshadowing)

Not many clouds in the West as the early sun hits the Cirque

Looking east towards the rising sun

Less than an hour later as I left camp

And another hour as I neared Jackass Pass

The rain started as I descended from Jackass Pass, so no more photos

Talked to a couple dayhikers and we got to the trailhead about the same time. They were in the campground (friends had done a bigger hike) and invited me for a beer. 

Then the drive out of Big Sandy ...

... the drive is long from the trailhead, but very pretty.

I drove up to Pinedale with the plan of staying at the Jackalope again, but they were full and so was everything else in town. I was able to confirm that the Boulder store had a room, so I drove back down the road to check in and then drove back to Pinedale to get dinner and do laundry. A lot of extra driving, but I didn't have anything else to do, so not a big deal. 

A couple views of an old tractor that was right outside my room.

Tomorrow, off to Grand Teton for the night and then backpacking in Yellowstone