After successfully climbing Wyoming Peak (11,378 ft.) the prior day, Day 21 of Lupe’s great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation was destined to be a bumpy one. SPHP was determined NOT to take the same La Barge Creek Road (No. 315) out of the Wyoming Range that Lupe had taken into it. There was no sense putting the G6 through that again. SPHP checked the maps. Heading for Big Piney looked like the shortest way out of the Wyoming Range. Big Piney was also the closest to Lupe’s next destination – the fabulous Wind River Range.
Before 7:00 AM, Lupe and SPHP left the Wyoming Peak area driving S on Greys River road. Lupe was very interested in a herd of 8 pronghorn antelope grazing in a valley. More antelope could be seen up at the edge of the forest. It was a gorgeous morning in the Wyoming Range. A bit farther S, at a sign about the history of La Barge Meadow, SPHP stopped the G6 for a few minutes to let Lupe out to take a sniff of the morning air.
Lupe and SPHP continued S from La Barge Meadow. SPHP turned E on USFS Road No. 10128 where there was a sign indicating this road went to Big Piney. No. 10128 was a good gravel road for a long way. It went through some beautiful territory as it took Lupe down out of the Wyoming Range. Part of the route was not so pretty, there were 5 miles of burnt forest along the way, too.
SPHP had hoped the experience with very rough dirt roads coming up La Barge Creek would not have to be repeated. However, as Lupe continued E out of the Wyoming Range, as soon as the road left the Bridger National Forest to cross private land, it deteriorated significantly. It wasn’t as bad as the 3 miles of crummy road coming up La Barge Creek, but made up for it by being twice as long – 6 miles of rocks, potholes, and big dips.
The road finally improved. Lupe reached pavement on Hwy 350 about 10 miles W of Big Piney. Two hours of bumping along on gravel and dirt roads finally came to an end, but there would be plenty more later in the day. At Big Piney, SPHP turned N on Hwy 189. N of Big Piney there was a sign commemorating the Green River Rendezvous held annually from 1824 to 1840. SPHP stopped to take a look.
The Green River was not in sight where the sign was, but there was a wooded area beyond the sign with a couple of dirt roads going back into it. SPHP thought the dirt roads might lead to the river, so Lupe and SPHP took a walk back into the woods. Pretty soon SPHP realized there were homes ahead. Without ever finding the Green River, Lupe and SPHP went back to the G6.
At Pinedale, WY, Lupe and SPHP had a picnic at a city park on Pine Creek. After the picnic, Lupe went wading in Pine Creek. SPHP sat on a rock with feet dangling in the cool, clear water. It felt really good. Lupe curled up for a little nap in the tall grass along the shore.
The town of Pinedale lies just S of the heart of the Wind River range, which stretches over 100 miles in a NW/SE direction. Gannet Peak, the highest mountain in Wyoming at 13,804 feet is in the Winds. Of the 20 highest peaks in Wyoming, 19 are located in the Wind River range. The single exception is the famous Grand Teton in the Teton range.
Lupe and SPHP left the city park to go see a few of the sights near Pinedale. Lupe stopped by Half Moon Lake, one of a number of large lakes on the S side of the Wind River range left after the retreat of glaciers. After wading in Pine Creek, Lupe didn’t seem inclined to go wading in Half Moon Lake, so Lupe and SPHP left to go check out the Fremont Lake campground.
The Fremont Lake campground was closed “until further notice”. The gate was padlocked shut. SPHP decided to take Lupe up Skyline Drive to Elkhart Park. Lupe had been there once before near the end of her very first big Dingo Vacation in 2012. Along Skyline Drive there are great views of Fremont Lake from high above. Near the end of the road is a panoramic view of the highest and most rugged peaks of the central Wind River range. At Elkhart Park are trails leading into the wilderness.
The road to Elkhart Park was blocked due to road construction. A semi-truck carrying huge metal drainage pipes was being unloaded. It looked like a long wait. Another adventure got crossed off Lupe’s to do list. She wasn’t going to wait around.
So Lupe and SPHP went back to Pinedale. After a few errands there, Lupe headed W out of town on Hwy 191. At Hwy 352, SPHP turned N. Lupe was going to get a tour of the scenic Green River valley all the way to Green River Lakes at the NW end of the Wind River Range. The paved road turned to gravel when it entered the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
The gravel road following the Green River into the Wind River range was long and very washboardy. SPHP drove very slowly so the poor G6 wouldn’t end up just a bucket of bolts. Huge pickup trucks, vans and SUV’s raced on by stirring up big clouds of dust. The drive was gorgeous. Slowly the Green River and road both curved around to the NE and then E. When the river turned SE, SPHP knew Lupe was nearing her destination.
Finally, the mighty watchtower of the NW Wind River range, Squaretop Mountain (11,695 ft.), came into view.
The washboardy road ended at Lower Green River Lake, the largest of two big lakes the Green River flows through as it leaves the Winds. Lupe and SPHP left the G6 to go down to the beach. The views of Squaretop Mountain looming beyond the Green River Lakes are among SPHP’s favorite mountain scenes anywhere.
SPHP waded in the lake near the N shore. The sand was coarse and loose. Lupe didn’t want to get wet. She played on the beach and explored the nearby vegetation. SPHP threw a few sticks for her to chase, and played tug-of-war with her when she brought them back. The American Dingo won every time in the end, but SPHP didn’t let it be too easy.
It was evening. The sun was about to go down behind the mountains. The long day bumping along so many gravel and dirt roads was ending. Even the feisty Carolina Dog was getting a bit tired. To the gentle sound of little waves lapping up against the lakeshore, Lupe laid down and went to sleep.
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Squaretop Mountain, Wind River Range, Wyoming – Part 2: Beaver Park to the Summit (7-21-18)
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