Days 12-14 of Lupe’s 2nd Summer of 2020 Dingo Vacation to Wyoming & Utah!
7-21-20, 6:10 AM, Big Sandy Opening, Wind River Range, Wyoming – The Carolina Dog was already alert, all bright-eyed and curly-tailed. SPHP, not so much. However, a morning stretch, turn of the key, and Lupe was on her way back down to the Lander Cutoff. She had a blast barking at cows and gophers on the way to Pinedale, but that was the height of Dingo action for the day.
At a couple of different Pinedale parks, Loopster spent much of her time snoozing on the green grass, while SPHP caught up the trip journal. A rest day by design, and a needed one, too. New boots had been messing with SPHP’s paws this whole Dingo Vacation. After Lupe’s big adventure to East Temple Peak (12,600 ft.), a couple of rest days would be more like it.
A refreshing afternoon swim in Pine Creek felt wonderful on SPHP’s sore paws. Lupe’s paws were in better shape. She preferred relaxing on the bank.
Sunset found Lupe N of town out at Willow Lake. The big lake was pretty, but before the stars shone above, SPHP was attacked by a were-puppy and had spent the evening with a ghost.
7-22-20, 7:50 AM, 60ºF, Willow Lake – Lupe’s panting woke SPHP out of a Benadryl haze. Another rest day, but a positioning one. A quick stop in Pinedale, then a relaxing, scenic drive S. SW of Green River on paved Sweetwater County Road No. 1, the Wyoming desert was so dry that even the sagebrush seemed sickly. No cows to bark at out here, although a herd of 20 pronghorns livened things up.
SPHP had bought a small box of Junior Mints among other supplies in Green River. A huge mistake in July. By the time the box got opened, the whole thing was a melted chocolate fiasco. Hah! Far from it, in Looper’s opinion. Licking enthusiastically for miles, she was more than willing to help clean it all up. Traveling with the Dingo with the mintiest fresh breath in the W! That was a new one.
At Lone Tree, SPHP turned off Hwy 414, taking a gravel road into Utah. Signs made it easy to find the Henrys Fork picnic ground, followed by the campground and trailhead 4 miles farther. Surprisingly few vehicles here, only around 20 including those at the campground, less than 50% of capacity.
A couple of hours got invested in an afternoon nap as light rain washed dust off the G6. When the rain stopped, Lupe enjoyed a romp around the trailhead and a visit to the horse corrals. The corrals were horseless, but apparently sniffed great! A bit of blue sky appeared, raising hopes for a clear day tomorrow, but vanished as the evening wore on. A harder rain set in, forcing a retreat to the G6. Fried chicken for dinner, as nature turned out the lights.
7-23-20, 8:54 AM, 56ºF, Henrys Fork trailhead, Utah – A gorgeous July morning! SPHP was about the last one ready for it. Hikers had already set out along the Henrys Fork trail in droves. The Carolina Dog’s late start didn’t matter. She only had to get as far as the Dollar Lake region today, about 7 or 8 miles as best SPHP could figure it on the topo map. The required 1,300 to 1,400 feet of elevation gain shouldn’t be bad at all over that distance.
Lupe had barely left the trailhead on Henrys Fork trail No. 117 when it quickly began gaining a good 75 feet of elevation above the Henrys Fork River before leveling out up on the side of a steep slope. The trail passed through a mostly young aspen forest, with openings that permitted fairly frequent views of the river below. Even when the river couldn’t be seen, it could nearly always be heard.
20 minutes from the trailhead, Lupe got her first distant views up the valley the Henrys Fork trail was ascending. This gentle valley was miles long, very wide, and heavily forested. Quite a few dead trees still stood among the living. Hemmed in on both sides by high ridges, the scene was pleasant, but free of any striking features.
For a while, the views, when present, hardly varied at all. The only real changes were local. The terrain flattened out, and pines increasingly dominated the forest. Eventually, a higher, more rugged ridge with patches of snow on it could be seen ahead, still miles away. The Henrys Fork trail now began to lose elevation, ultimately bringing Loop clear down to the Henrys Fork River at a point only a little upstream of where it flowed into a narrow gorge.
SPHP expected the trail to stay close to the river for a while, but instead it again angled off to the R so far that the river could barely be heard, much less seen. At times the trail climbed, but often the terrain was rather flat. Looper came to quite a few minor side streams. The first ones nearly all had small wooden bridges over them. After a while, there were no more bridges, but since all these streams were running low and easy rock hops, it hardly mattered.
The trail went on and on. Surprisingly, Lupe and SPHP saw no one else for miles. The forest became much more open, full of small glades and meadows. It wasn’t until the trail began to climb more steeply into a denser forest that hikers started appearing, both overtaking SPHP and coming down the valley. Several groups went by on horseback.
Shortly after the terrain leveled out again, Lupe came to a major trail junction at the edge of the forest. She had made it to Elkhorn Crossing, roughly 5 or 6 miles from the trailhead. Noon hour. Quite a few people and pack horses were taking a break here. Beyond Elkhorn Crossing the valley was opening up, and a line of high peaks and ridges was in sight.
A sign said Dollar Lake and a footbridge were straight ahead.
A few hundred feet beyond the Elkhorn Crossing intersection, Loopster came to a wooden bridge comprised of 3 long logs fastened together by short cross members. A rope tied to posts at either end functioned as a hand rail. This bridge, which crossed the Henrys Fork River, showed signs of deterioration, but was still sturdy enough to inspire confidence.
Once over to the E side of the river, another sign pointed Lupe S for Dollar Lake. The trail climbed through a stretch of forest, then broke out into the open. Henrys Fork Peak (13,240 ft.) was now in sight ahead.
As Lupe continued S, the valley was widening out and becoming more beautiful all the time. Scenic high peaks flanking both sides of the valley were bordered by dark green forests. Most of the valley floor was out of the trees, but bright green bushes grew densely in a broad region along the unseen Henrys Fork River. For the most part, the trail now stayed on a band of grassy terrain between the forest and shrubbery.
By the time Lupe was getting close to the Dollar Lake region, the sky was clouding up. For the first time, the Carolina Dog could see her objective, Kings Peak (13,528 ft.), the Utah state high point, on the horizon. SPHP noted with interest that the steep ridge close to where Dollar Lake must be appeared to give relatively easy access to Gunsight Peak (13,263 ft.).
Henrys Fork trail No. 117 continued just about due S. Dollar Lake was only 2 miles from Elkhorn Crossing, so it couldn’t be much farther. The sky kept changing, but so far the American Dingo was lucky. No rain yet!
No signs for Dollar Lake, but Lupe found it E of the trail 200 yards into the forest. Lots of nice campsites, only some of which were taken, were scattered among the trees not too far from the lake. However, SPHP wanted to go a bit farther to get closer to Gunsight Pass. Maybe Loop could camp where she would have a view of Kings Peak?
Continuing S about 0.25 mile from Dollar Lake, Lupe climbed up onto a wide grassy bench. Coming here had been a terrific decision! Looper had a sweeping view of the S end of Henrys Fork basin, and all the peaks bordering it. Kings Peak was in sight, too, as well as a small tarn nearby featuring an unusual rock island shaped like a platform.
By 2:45 PM, SPHP had Lupe’s tiny house set up. Over by the ridges W of the valley, the weather was looking dark and threatening. After the long march from the Henrys Fork trailhead, it seemed like a good time for a late lunch and a nap. Loopster was in complete agreement.
7-23-20, 6:36 PM, Henrys Fork basin, 0.25 mile S of Dollar Lake – The nice long nap had done some good. Rain and dark clouds were gone. Lupe emerged from her tiny house to sunny skies. Slanty evening sunlight heightened contrasts, highlighting the beauties of Henrys Fork basin.
The lucky American Dingo had this fabulous evening free to roam to her heart’s content! First she went down to the half dried-up tarn with the rock platform island, for a closer look at it and Kings Peak (13,538 ft.), sandwiched between and slightly behind Dome Peak (13,103 ft.) and Henrys Fork Peak (13,240 ft.).
From “Platform Pond”, Looper ventured far enough W to see the trail she would take to Gunsight Pass tomorrow. Here she enjoyed a fabulous view of the SW portions of Henrys Fork basin. Loop then wandered N until part of Dollar Lake could be seen in the forest below the slope she’d come up earlier this afternoon.
Lupe returned to the tiny house, but didn’t go inside. Such a gorgeous evening! Loop was going to stay out until the sun disappeared behind the ridge W of Henrys Fork basin.
Still plenty of daylight! There had been a line of rocks creating a bridge out to the platform island at Platform Pond. Maybe Lupe ought to go back and visit the island?
Rested up from a long afternoon nap, and awed by the splendor of the Uinta Range – a dangerous combination!
As Lupe spent the evening happily roaming this exquisite corner of Henrys Fork basin, a promised land bathed in the glorious light of the fast sinking sun, SPHP’s troublesome boots and resulting sore paws of only a couple of days ago were long forgotten. A bad case of mountain madness set in.
Growing increasingly optimistic and enthusiastic by the moment, SPHP’s fevered noggin envisioned the American Dingo trotting not only to the top of Kings Peak (13,538 ft.) tomorrow, but also up all these other grand and glorious mostly 13,000+ foot peaks in the next couple of days. Why, obviously, all these enormous ridges leading to one stunning peak after another would be nothing but a stroll in the park!
High on Utah, how many of these happy thoughts reflected reality, and to what extent they were mere delusional Dingo mountain dreams, only tomorrow would tell.
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