What a wonderful gift America gave to us citizens. It is sooo big and the backcountry is big and open and so few people. Over the years I have visited here. This time I wanted to do a short out and back over night just to spend it out in the big maybe hear wolves talking, certainly aware of grizz.
Monday I drove from wet Driggs to West Yellowstone. I visited at Freeheel and Wheels while during our conversation I asked about a suggestion. They said Slough Creek which feeds into Lamar river, an area know for wolf activity. Walked across the street to the NPS backcountry office to seek a permit. Scored site S2S 5 miles upstream from the TH for Monday, the next day. Meager backpack food selections. Next was to score a camp site inside the park. Slough is way to the east entrance, almost 2 hour drive away on park roads with occasional drivers stopping to gawk and worse the stops to get slow and close to buffalo. Bummer, park campgrounds filled. Drove out thru Cooke City climbing to Coulter Pass at 8,000′ dropping down pass closed FS XGs and no side roads. Finally a side road opened onto a large open area under distant snow capped peaks. Serious snow had fallen maybe last week when I was wet in Driggs.
Chilly night, ran furnace, 29 degrees at wake up. Body engine fed I returned into the park driving to Slough Creek TH. I needed about an hour to get my gear figured out then loaded into my pack. I had a reserved camp spot which meant I just needed to get there by preferably dark.
I was so happy because I would be in a national park which would eliminate horse shit and cow manure. Shit… right off the bat the trail in was a double track with tire tracks and scattered horse apples then further cow pies. WTF? I learned shortly that the cow pies were from the rear end of buffaloes. Well, they are ruminants and there are plenty around. Trail had many muddy spots, some contained tracks of previous travelers: wolves and grizz.
Found assigned campsite 5 miles in. Tucked along side a babbling brook into forest meadow margin. Found an unused suitable tent site for camp, set up tent and called it home.I went for a bushwhack hike down to Slough creek. Ran into a guy fly fishing.
On my return trip I hiked onto a rock island. I saw signs of previous recent grizz visit.
Buffaloes eat plants, chew their cud then deposit left overs wherever
A solitary bull grazed near the trail. I sat and watched it for a while. Learned they eat on a 2 hr cycle of graze, chew cud, rest, then move to a new spot and repeat. This one grazed right at the trail edge. I was the only human around.
Quite windy at camp spot. The sunrise was red sky at morning sailors take warning. Clouds during the later day seemed to say rain. I pitched the tent into the wind and guyed it out. Protected.
No mosquitoes because late in their season plus previous killing frosts. Fixed a canned turkey, Idaho instant potatoes and best used in 2015 turkey gravy. Big pot of glop that found its way to my stomach. Chilly but a layer fixed that which is way better than being worn to block mosquito pokes. Cleaned up. Site has a metal bear box for food and cooking stuff. My tent was maybe 100′ upstream from kitchen. I sleep on a Therm o rest pad which I put into their chair which gives me lower back support when sitting in (duh). A small comfort luxury. I put on my pile jacket and focused my headlamp on Toni Morrison’s Pulitzer award winning novel, Beloved. Chill took hold so I moved inside my tent and covered myself with my 20 degree Feathered Friends down comforter. While sitting in the chair my head brushed the top of the tent. Desire to sleep over took mental stimulation so i make the tent ready for sleep. Tonight I decided to use the comforter as a comforter instead of zipping it closed for a bag. I learned that the openness allowed gaps for warm air to be replaced by cold. Slept with bear spray at hand. I woke before sunrise then waited for light before leaving comfort. Breakfast was to be cowboy coffee but I discovered that the store’s grinder while set on fine ground coarse, this grind did not settle out. No coffee. Next was oatmeal but the MSR stove was plugged. Cleaned the jet out successfully to cook the oatmeal. Cleaned up and packed everything back into my pack. No rain. Skies still cloudy. Back on the trail I heard noise behind me. I turned around to see
On the way out several hikers carrying fly rods passed.
Satisfying visit.
Back at van. Loaded up then drove towards Cody, WY. What a spectacular drive, big country, Drops down to cross Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone. Big drop then big climb out. Really beautiful, Stopped at an overlook
Wind gauge read 24 mph gusts. Kleenex box on a roller skate gets buffeted by wind.
Made Cody. Visited Funvaugen bike shop in town. I visited here almost a year ago. Ate dinner at Trailhead during which I struck up a conversation with bar manager. He thanked me for the conversation as I left.
Spent night out at Outlaw trail system. I was awakened by chewing sounds. Shit. Thinking inside but sound seemed to be under the van. Was outside.
Today I waited for sun warmth before pealing out to ride this system. More on that later. But first I need to fill in happenings before Yellowstone.
Thurs I drove to Hailey from Steve’s place in Bellevue to do my laundry. On Friday, Sept 20 was Climate change strike. I found a location in Idaho Falls where mountain bike trails were outside of town. Drove out to a trail crossing and a sleep spot. Forecast called for possible rain later in the morning. Might be enough of a window for a ride. At wake up the skies said rain could be sooner. I dressed in bike clothes right out of bed. After bfast cleanup sprinkles hit the roof followed by rain. No ride. Changed into street clothes then drove back to Idaho Falls to the protest site. I arrived early to an empty street. Protest time came and went and I was till by myself. Raining. I checked my phone and learned the time and location had been changed after I learned about it. Was early morning. Shit. I wasn’t counted.
Oh well, drove over to Driggs. Rain had fallen which might make the trails too wet to ride. Hung at Royal Wolf tavern restaurant, drank a few beers, ate dinner, watched some college football, and soaked up a community gathering place. Drove out to Horseshoe trails for the night. Forecast was iffy for rain at night and Sunday was to be sunny and dry which fore bode a ride. rained heavily during the night. Sunshine in the morning. I walked up the road to a TH for N fork where 4 dirt bikers with Utah plates were getting ready to go. I walked a piece of the trail observing how soft it was. dirt bikers rode it anyway. Didn’t check out their damage. Walked back to my van where a pickup with CO plates off loaded 4 riders who pedaled off before I could talk to then about how muddy the trail would be. Didn’t stay around to learn of their ride.
After watching the 2 groups of environmentally damaging users and being pissed at them, I decided we should really celebrate everyone else who decided to ride somewhere else.
Drove back to town. Ate dinner at a Thai restaurant then returned to Royal Wolf to watch more football. Struck a conversation with a rabid Nebraska fan watching the game on her phone. WSU lost after QB threw record setting 9 touchdowns. I stayed to halftime at 10:30. I drove out to a parking lot for stealth camp spot. In the morning with clear visibility
Sunday I drove to Yellowstone.
Today I rode the chunky very challenging Outlaw trails. Most are black difficult. I ride here last year. This year i rode more than last year as my skills and confidence have improved. raising my seat that little bit really allows me to get more power out of my legs which means I climb stronger and longer. My left thumb is smarting from all of the pushing the dropper post lever. Pinyon trees were in full cone bearing. Never seen the likes of it.
After my ride I hung out to dry my backpacking stuff then stowed it away. I cleaned the stove then checked my maintenance: Worked as it should especially after I really pumped up the fuel bottle. Space is tight for my pack and stuff.
Drove into town for groceries and propane fill/ Saw a brew pub so I stopped for a beer. Sat beside a local who told about numerous grizz encounters. He carries a 44 for protection and has only used it as a noise deterrent.
Tomorrow is Thurs, weekly laundry day. Going to ride a slick rock trail on the other side of town. Weather is calling for precip this weekend as snow. Time to move on. Next stop is Casper.
Enough. 10 PM. Furnace has been running, 45 degrees at 5201′