OK, I think I got the pictures more or less sized correctly (and only destroyed one in the process, pretty good for me). These are from last week’s trip.
The Warbonnet, one of the best-named peaks in the range.
Clear Lake
The latest in technical backcountry attire.
Storm over Haystack Mountain. It dumped about 1/2 inch of hail on us in
an hour, including two lightning strikes within a couple hundred yards–all in all, an exciting afternoon!
Note the handy holster for my Dixon Trad. I gave one concert for a small (two if you count my dog) but appreciative audience while cowering under a tree stinging from hailstones, accompanied by lightning blowing up trees. And you thought bodhran players could screw up your concentration…
As much as we love the mountains, sometimes it’s good to be back home.
Great pictures. I was in the Big Horn Mountains in June for a week of hiking and camping. Beautiful spot. I’ll have to try the Wind River Range if I get out there again. The Wind River Range has a totally different look/feel than the Big Horns–WRR reminds me more of the Sierras in CA.
That’s interesting–where in the Bighorns were you? Sarah and I just got back from a trip there. I grew up in Worland, spent a summer cooking (and fishing!) at Deer Haven Lodge, had my first real job in Tensleep!
To me, the Winds are more spectacular; the Bighorns are more friendly (and often a bit less crowded feeling, since there’s much better access to spread people out). I love them both!
I was in WY with my church’s hiking fellowship (yes, such a thing exists!). We have fellow parishioners who used to live in Sheridan, but now live in MA. They still have a cabin in the Big Horn Mountains, near Burgess Junction. While in WY, we did mostly day hikes, such as Black Mountain, Dome Peak, and Bucking Mule Falls. We also did a 2 night camping trip up to Walker’s Prairie which was great. The lupine were all in bloom which helped cover up our smells! When we hiked out from the Prairie, we went through Eaton’s Ranch which I understand to be one of the oldest dude ranches around.
After a week in WY, we drove up to Montana and spent 3 nights along the Big Horn River. This was the purely tourist part of the trip. We went to the battlefield at the Little Big Horn River, and it turned out to be the anniversary on the date we were there, so there were lots of people about. We also went to the Yellow Tail Dam and rented a pontoon boat at the marina behind the dam. We then spent the afternoon cruising about the canyons behind the dam.
On the way back to Boston, we flew through Minneapolis, and we got caught in the labor dispute between Northwest Airlines and its pilots. Our Boston connection was cancelled, and we got to spend the night at the Ramada. Made it back the next day, thankfully!
Very awesome! I want to go backpacking, but my back country is too hot right now and is on fire and will be all burned up by the time backpacking season comes round again. It looks like I’ll have to go to the Sierra Nevadas instead. And bring my penny whistle!
You are so very lucky to have such amazing mountain ranges. Breathtaking.
The nearest “really good” places like that to me, are the Cullins and the Quirang on the Isle of Skye. (About 8 hours drive away)…looks like you get much better weather though!
Boy, those mountains are really something. That one lake that still has some snow around it is just beautiful. I would have a seriously difficult time outside in a lightening storm though. When you said you were cowering under a tree—well, I’ve always heard you shouldn’t get under a tree if there is lightening. I know you were trying to protect yourselves from the hail, but I wouldn’t have known what to do really. Anyway, thanks for showing your photos, I really love looking at where people go.
We were in an extensive forest; we simply found a tree with nice, wide branches to hide under. The alternative was to strike out across a mile-wide clearing, around lake, along the base of a cliff. We decided waiting at the edge of the forest was our best bet.
Getting under a single tree in a clearing, yes, is a very bad idea.
The lake you mentioned is around 11,000 feet. gasp pant cough
By the way, I just realized I failed to post my favorite picture from the trip, East Temple Peak, Temple Spire, and Deep Lake. I think this one’s going to get blown up to hang over the couch!
The picture of me sporting the C&F shirt is at the bast of East Temple, which we were attempting to summit that day. The mountain defeated us, though…this time…
We decided waiting at the edge of the forest was our best bet.