August 31, 2015, Day 23 of Lupe’s great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation, was spent getting repositioned from Green River Lakes at the NW end of the Wind River Range down to the Big Sandy Trailhead at the SE end. Early in the morning, Lupe and SPHP went down to take a look at Lower Green River Lake and Squaretop Mountain one last time. There were three moose down there! One was just a youngster.
Momma moose and calf near Lower Green River Lake, Wind River Range, WY. There was a 3rd moose, too, but it quickly disappeared into the forest.Lupe and SPHP said good-bye to Green River Lakes and Squaretop Mountain early on 8-31-15.
All three moose were soon out of sight in the forest. Lupe has now seen 5 moose. One in Canada during her 2014 Dingo Vacation, and four on her 2015 Dingo Vacation.
After a last fond look at Green River Lake and Squaretop Mountain(11,695 ft.), Lupe and SPHP made the long drive along the dusty and very washboardy road following the Green River back to pavement. Lupe and SPHP stopped for a while in Pinedale, WY, and then continued on to the Big Sandy trailhead and campground. This ultimately involved another long drive along another dusty and very washboardy road.
Starting in June, 1930, Finis Mitchell and his wife, Emma, ran a fishing camp at Mud Lake near the Big Sandy opening. As a 4 year old child, Finis had arrived with his parents at the Wind River Range in April, 1906. He spent much of his life in the Winds. Lupe and SPHP went to check out the Big Sandy Lodge near Mud Lake.
Lupe at the Big Sandy Lodge near Mud Lake.Lupe visits Mud Lake, Finis Mitchell’s old base of operations for his fishing camp many years ago.
The Big Sandy Lodge is not related in any way to Finis Mitchell’s old fishing camp, except that it is in the same location. There is no electricity, and the lodge does not accept credit cards. Meals are served in the main building for lodge guests only. The lodge complex features very nice individual cabins. The entire complex is located just S of Mud Lake.
After visiting Big Sandy Lodge and Mud Lake, Lupe and SPHP spent the rest of the day near the Big Sandy campground. There were lots of cars at the very popular trailhead. SPHP spent some time getting ready for Lupe’s big trip up to Jackass Pass and the Cirque of the Towers the next day.
On the first day of Lupe’s 2013 Dingo Vacation, she had spent a night out under the stars on top of Bald Mountain in the Bighorn Mountains in Wyoming. Lupe had also been tenting on the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone and other places during her Dingo Vacations. But Lupe had never before done what she was going to do the next morning. She had never been on a backpacking trip. This was going to be a very short one, just 3 days and 2 nights, but SPHP was pretty certain she would love it.
September 1, 2015 (Day 24 of Lupe’s 2015 Dingo Vacation) was bright and beautiful. After breakfast at a picnic table, Lupe and SPHP set out on the trail to Big Sandy Lake, about 5 miles to the NE. The first part of the trail was near Big Sandy Creek. Nearly all of the trail goes through forest. Most of it gains elevation at a slow to moderate pace. Lupe had fun exploring the forest, and occasionally barking at squirrels along the way.
Lupe near Big Sandy Creek on her way to Big Sandy Lake.
Although some big mountains could be seen now and then, it didn’t really feel like Lupe was among them until she reached Big Sandy Lake. At Big Sandy Lake there were towering mountains in every direction, except back the way Lupe had come from. Lupe and SPHP stopped for a little break at Big Sandy Lake.
Lupe at Big Sandy Lake. Photo looks NE.
After the break, Lupe and SPHP continued along the trail on the NW side of Big Sandy Lake. Several trails branch out from Big Sandy Lake. Lupe and SPHP were looking for the trail to Jackass Pass, which leaves the area from the NW corner of the lake. The trail to Jackass Pass had no signage at the intersection, but Lupe and SPHP found it without any trouble.
Schiestler Peak from Big Sandy Lake. Photo looks SSE.Haystack Mountain (L), East Temple Peak (pointy mountain peeking up at center), and Temple Peak (highest R of center in distance) from Big Sandy Lake.
Although Lupe had gained some elevation in the 5 miles getting to Big Sandy Lake, the real climb began when she started heading N on the trail up toward Jackass Pass. The trail went through forest at first, but the trees became progressively more stunted and scraggly, and the way became rockier as Lupe gained elevation.
War Bonnet Peak(12,369 ft.) on the way to Jackass Pass. Photo looks NW.North Lake and War Bonnet Peak. Photo looks NW.Lupe at North Lake. This lake was not named on SPHP’s maps, but they did show North Creek going through it. Sundance Pinnacle(11,054 ft.) is seen at R. Photo looks S.
The trail to Jackass Pass went past two lakes. In both cases, the trail gained a couple hundred feet of elevation to go around the E side of the lake, only to drop clear back down to lake level before continuing on to regain the lost elevation and more. In some places it was possible to lose the trail among the rocks, but it wasn’t too hard to find it again. Usually a Carolina Dog appeared on it before the search was even begun.
The first lake the trail came to was unnamed on SPHP’s maps, but a backpacker said it was North Lake. This made sense, since the map did show North Creek heading down to Big Sandy Lake from it. The second lake Lupe came to was Arrowhead Lake.
Lupe up high on the rocks E of Arrowhead Lake. Photo looks S back in the direction Lupe has been coming from. From left to right: Haystack Mountain, East Temple Peak(12,600 ft.), Temple Peak(12,972 ft.), Schiestler Peak.
SPHP isn’t exactly sure where Jackass Pass is officially located. Lupe got her first view of the Cirque of the Towers from the high point on the trail as it passed to the E of Arrowhead Lake. Not too far ahead was another ridge of about the same elevation, which is probably technically Jackass Pass.
It was windy up high near Arrowhead Lake and Jackass Pass. Lupe took shelter near these big rocks and had a little rest.From the high ridge E of Arrowhead Lake, Lupe gets her first view of the mighty Cirque of the Towers. Photo looks NW.The 2nd high ridge, which SPHP believes is the official location of Jackass Pass, is seen ahead in the foreground. Photo looks N.Jackass Pass dead ahead.Lupe and the Cirque of the Towers. Two days later as Lupe headed back to the G6, SPHP met a backpacker on the way to Jackass Pass for the 1st time. The backpacker asked if it was worth the effort. SPHP’s response was, “If you don’t like what you see up there, you just don’t like mountains. Try the ocean on your next vacation.”
SPHP believes the 2nd ridge is really Jackass Pass. To get to it, the trail dropped clear down almost to the level of Arrowhead Lake and then went back up again. From the second ridge, there was a huge panoramic view encompassing the Cirque of the Towers, Pingora Peak(11,884 ft.), Lonesome Lake, Texas Pass and Lizard HeadPeak(12,842 ft.). Lupe and SPHP headed for the highest part of the ridge at Jackass Pass to take in the amazing scene.
Looking back at Arrowhead Lake just before Lupe climbed up to Jackass Pass. The main trail passes Arrowhead Lake to the E over high ground to the L of this photo. There is an alternate route around the other side of the lake seen on the R. When Lupe left the Cirque of the Towers two days later, she took the route around the W side of the lake. Lupe had no problems, but the area of large boulders (seen in this photo at the far R side of the lake) slowed SPHP down tremendously. It would have been easier to just stick to the main trail.Lupe at Jackass Pass where she gets her first view of Lonesome Lake. Texas Pass is the low point in bright sunlight on the far ridge near the center of this photo. Photo looks N.Pingora Peak and Lonesome Lake from Jackass Pass. Pingora Peak is the distinctive tall column of rock on the L.Pingora Peak (L), Lonesome Lake, and Texas Pass (R center) from Jackass Pass. Photo looks N.Warbonnet Peak from Jackass Pass. Lupe tries to take shelter from the wind. Photo looks SW.Lupe looks S from Jackass Pass in the direction she came to get here. East Temple Peak is in the sunlight on the L. Temple Peak is the highest mountain in the distance. The lake is Arrowhead Lake. The trail to get to Jackass Pass came over the big rocky ridge shown L of Arrowhead Lake.Cirque of the Towers from Jackass Pass. Near the center of this photo is a brown grassy area just below some big smooth light gray rock. SPHP pitched Lupe’s “tiny house” (the tent) in this brown grassy area. Lupe spent two evenings and nights there. She loved it! Photo looks NW.
The views were tremendous, but it was really windy up at Jackass Pass. Lupe tolerated SPHP hanging around up there looking at the scenery only so long. She was ready to get out of the wind. It was time to go pitch Lupe’s “tiny house” (the tent). Lupe and SPHP crossed over the pass, and headed down into the glorious Cirque of the Towers.
Lupe exploring the Cirque of the Towers in the Wind River Range, WY. Wolf’s Head(12,160 ft.) (L) and Pingora Peak (R). Photo looks NNW.Wolf’s Head (Center) and Pingora Peak (R). Cirque Lake is out of sight to the L of the base of Wolf’s Head. Lupe would go up to see Cirque Lake the next day.Lupe near Pingora Peak in the Cirque of the Towers.Just as Squaretop Mountain is SPHP’s favorite at the NW end of the Wind River Range, Pingora Peak is SPHP’s favorite mountain at the SE end of the range. Both Mountains have distinctive shapes and are in outstanding settings.Lizard Head Peak(12,842 ft.) from the Cirque of the Towers. Photo looks NE.
Down in the Cirque of the Towers there was a little breeze, but nothing like the wind up at Jackass Pass. Lupe and SPHP traversed much of the Cirque of the Towers to get to a grassy area close to the side valley up to Cirque Lake. There SPHP pitched Lupe’s tiny house.
Years ago, SPHP had been to the Cirque of the Towers once before. On that previous trip, which had been in early August, SPHP would have traded all of the food in the pack for a single can of bug spray. The mosquitoes had been horrendous. On this first day of September, though, there were none at all. It was going to be a spectacular evening without any bugs.
Once the tiny house was up, Lupe and SPHP poked around exploring here and there near by, surrounded by magnificence in every direction. Lupe was having a blast! The evening couldn’t have been better or more fun, or could it?
Lupe by her tiny house in the Cirque of the Towers. Pingora Peak in the background.
When the light faded and the stars came out, SPHP went into the tiny house. Lupe came into the tiny house, too, and laid down on her sleeping bag. It had been a long day’s journey up to the Cirque of the Towers, and she was tired. As she rested, though, it began to dawn on her – there wasn’t going to be any long trek back to the G6 this evening. SPHP intended for her to stay right here in the Cirque of the Towers all night.
The American Dingo lifted her head up. There was a sparkle in her eyes. Lupe was gone. The Wild Dingo of the Night was here. It was going to be a long night!
War Bonnet Peak from Lupe’s Tiny House in the Cirque of the Towers.
Near the end of Lupe’s great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation, SPHP had to cut out of the plan some really terrific adventures. There just wasn’t time enough left for Lupe to do them all. The last of Lupe’s adventures she would actually get to complete would be in the fabulous Wind River Range of Wyoming. The first of these adventures was for Lupe to travel the Highline Trail from Green River Lakes to Beaver Park near Squaretop Mountain.
After arriving at Lower Green River Lake the previous evening, Lupe started Day 22 of her 2015 Dingo Vacation ready to hit the Highline Trail. She set out at 7:41 AM (52°F) under partly cloudy skies. Lupe reached the Highline Trail by crossing a bridge over the Green River just downstream of where it leaves the lake.
Lupe on her way to the Highline Trail via this bridge over the Green River.
Once Lupe was across the bridge, the Highline Trail took her SSE paralleling the NE shore of Lower Green River Lake. The trail stays well above the lakeshore for the entire 2 miles or so it takes to get to the far end of Lower Green River Lake. The area along the trail is only sparsely forested, so there is a splendid view of Lower Green River Lake with Squaretop Mountain(11,695 ft.) looming in the distance almost the entire way. The scene is one of SPHP’s very favorite mountain scenes anywhere.
Lupe near Lower Green River Lake. Squaretop Mountain is in the distance.
Lupe on the Highline Trail. The mountain on the left is White Rock(11,284 ft.).
When Lupe got near the S end of Lower Green River Lake, the trail began to head down closer to lake level. The bushes at the S end of the lake were already showing some fall colors. Lupe crossed a bridge over Clear Creek coming down from Clear Lake to the E. A couple of miles up the Clear Creek Trail there is a natural bridge where Clear Creek flows through a big hole in a mountain. Lupe didn’t get to go there. She continued on the Highline Trail on the way to Upper Green River Lake.
Approaching the S shore of Lower Green River Lake. The lower lake is the larger of the two Green River Lakes. There is really little elevation difference between the upper and lower lakes. The upper lake is at 7,968 feet, while the lower lake is at 7,961 feet.Bushes beyond the S shore of Lower Green River Lake were already starting to exhibit some fall colors.Clear Creek flows down from the E to join the Green River between the Green River Lakes.
The two Green River Lakes are less than a mile apart. The area in between is flat. Quite a bit of it is covered with bushes and tall grass. A bridge crosses the Green River between the lakes. Beyond the bridge on the W side of the valley are two trails. One heads around the W shore of Lower Green River Lake, so that it is possible to make a complete loop around the lake. The other heads SSW along the Porcupine Trail up to Porcupine Pass.
Lupe stayed on the E side of the river following the Highline Trail to Upper Green River Lake. If anything, the view of Squaretop Mountain beyond the upper Green River Lake was even better than the one from the lower lake. Lupe agreed not to look so stiff or scowl at the Upper Green River Lake.
Lupe strikes an odd pose along the Green River between the upper and lower Green River Lakes.Squaretop Mountain and Upper Green River Lake.Lupe goes wading in Upper Green River Lake.
Squaretop Mountain from Upper Green River Lake. The upper lake is only about 1 mile long and 0.25 mile wide, half the dimensions of the lower lake. The surface area is only 1/4 of the size of the lower lake.
The Highline Trail passes to the E of Upper Green River Lake. It goes up and down well above the lake through a much denser forest than exists along the NE side of the lower lake. There were fewer viewpoints along the way, but there were a few.
Lupe E of Upper Green River Lake. Photo looks SW.Squaretop Mountain and a view toward the S shore of the Upper Green River Lake from the Highline Trail.
Squaretop Mountain lies 3 or 4 miles beyond the S shore of Upper Green River Lake. The Highline Trail follows the Green River valley upstream passing to the E of Squaretop Mountain. Sometimes the trail is close to the river, other times it is away from it up in the forest. Although the trail goes up and down, there is little net elevation gain. The views of Squaretop were more and more impressive as Lupe got closer.
Approaching Squaretop Mountain from the N. The Green River is shown here upstream of both Green River Lakes.
SPHP has an old book called Wind River Trails. It is the 3rd edition printed in 1979. The book was written by Finis Mitchell, who moved with his parents in a mule-drawn wagon from Missouri to Wyoming in 1906, arriving at the Wind River Range on April 26th. Finis Mitchell spent much of his life in the Winds. Eventually he ran a fishing camp with his wife. Although only 5 lakes in the Wind River Range had fish naturally, Finis Mitchell used milk cans and horses to pack in 2.5 million little trout and stock 314 lakes.
In Wind River Trails, Finis Mitchell describes a route up Squaretop Mountain from the E. The route is supposed to be relatively easy. Finis talks about taking a child as young as 4 years old up Squaretop (the child had to be handed up over a lot of ledges), and Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops making the trip. The route up leaves the Highline Trail at Beaver Park, about 5 miles S of Upper Green River Lakes.
Looking at Squaretop Mountain, SPHP got the feeling maybe a guy who spent his entire life in these mountains might have a different view of what was easy. Maybe things would look different from Beaver Park. If children could do it, certainly an American Dingo could. There wouldn’t be time for it, though. For Lupe and SPHP this was just a scouting trip.
Getting closer!
Looking at some of the mountains W of the Green River before reaching Squaretop Mountain.
On a section of the Highline Trail passing through the forest, SPHP saw some rapids on the Green River down below. There were some nice rocks and rock ledges along the bank of the river, so Lupe and SPHP went down to investigate. The river had the beautiful color of rivers carrying glacial silt. The rapids were very pretty. There was a particularly handsome boulder out in the stream.
The handsome boulder at the rapids in the Green River near Squaretop Mountain.Lupe and the handsome boulder.
When Lupe ran down to the rapids, she waded in the stream to get a drink of water. She climbed right out again just fine, but SPHP saw that her right rear paw was all bloody! It took some persuading to get Lupe to lay down and let SPHP take a look. It must have hurt, because Lupe didn’t want SPHP touching that paw. SPHP had to be very gentle.
Her right rear dewclaw must have gotten caught on something. Part of it had snapped off, and SPHP could see that it had been bleeding. Nothing else looked injured, and the dewclaw did not look torn from the rest of her paw. SPHP washed the blood off Lupe’s paw. She licked it for a while. After about 10 minutes she seemed to feel better about it. She was ready to get up.
Lupe posed for some pictures along the beautiful Green River. She waded a little bit in the cold water, which probably made her dewclaw feel better. By the time Lupe left the rapids to return to the Highline Trail, she seemed to have already forgotten all about the injured dewclaw.
The American Dingo with a broken dewclaw bravely poses for pictures along the gorgeous Green River.
Beyond the rapids, the Highline Trail continued S passing to the E of Squaretop Mountain. Lupe was starting to get close to Beaver Park. She was looking for a footbridge across the Green River. At the footbridge she would cross over to reach the upper end of Beaver Park.
Squaretop Mountain looms more than 3,000 feet above the Highline Trail.A look at mountains to the SW upstream past Squaretop Mountain.
A look back to the NW at Granite Peak(9,892 ft.). Granite Peak is just E of Squaretop Mountain, which was to the L of this photo.Lupe reaches the footbridge across the Green River to the upper end of Beaver Park.
Looking upstream (S) along the Green River from the bridge to Beaver Park.
Looking upstream (S) along the Green River from the bridge to Beaver Park.When Lupe reached Beaver Park, she went out into the big field to take a look around. It was certainly a beautiful spot. SPHP saw no easy way up Squaretop Mountain from down in Beaver Park. The first part of Finis Mitchell’s route required a climb of 1,000 feet from Beaver Park up to Granite Lake just SW of Granite Peak.
Lupe reaches Beaver Park in the Wind River Range. Granite Peak is on the left. Photo looks N.Beaver Park.
It would probably have been possible to get a much better look at the route up the ledges to Squaretop Mountain that Finis Mitchell talked about in Wind River Trails from Granite Lake. Earlier in the day going to Granite Lake had seemed like a great idea, but by now the 1,000 foot climb seemed like too much work.
Besides, the American Dingo had an injured dewclaw! It was probably best not to overdo it. Never mind that the Dingo seemed to have forgotten all about it. The trek to Beaver Park along the Highline Trail had been a pleasant one, with lots of fabulous scenery and without a ton of elevation gain or loss. Why not just enjoy the day? Lupe still had to go all the way back to the G6.
Lupe and SPHP went over to the Green River again and took a break. Lupe had Taste of the Wild and water. She relaxed on the bank above the river and grew a bit sleepy. SPHP looked at maps. There were dramatic high cliffs on the mountain on the other side of the river. After a little while, the sky seemed to cloud up more. The day grew darker.
Lupe kind of dozes along the bank of the Green River near the upper end of Beaver Park.
High cliffs E of Beaver Park and the Green River.Green River near Beaver Park. The sky started clouding up.
Lupe had explored only a short segment of the Highline Trail coming to Beaver Park from Green River Lakes. Backpackers doing the most popular through hike from Green River Lakes to Big Sandy reported estimated trip lengths of 7 to 9 days. The entire trail is over 100 miles long, although portions beyond Green River Lakes and Big Sandy at either end are seldom used.
Lupe was only here for a day hike, though. Beaver Park was about as far as Lupe and SPHP could go and still return in a day. When it started to rain with tiny hailstones, Lupe and SPHP took refuge under tall pines near the Highline Trail. It was time to think about heading back. About the time the rain stopped, a forest ranger came along the trail from farther upstream. This was an amazing thing in itself!
In all her many explorations and adventures, Lupe had never seen a forest ranger away from the pavement before. This forest ranger was actually out in the forest, and doing what one thinks of as forest ranging. SPHP talked to him. His name was Chad. Chad was quite friendly and full of information about the Wind River Range. This was his 3rd year working in the Winds.
Chad said the Finis Mitchell route up Squaretop was rather hard to find, since some of the landmarks (like burnt areas in the forest) which Finis Mitchell used to describe the route had changed since Wind River Trails was written. SPHP had been wondering if there wasn’t another easier route via the Porcupine Trail. Chad confirmed that there was. It was longer, though. Chad had been up on Squaretop Mountain and knew what he was talking about.
After a fun chat with Chad, he needed to be moving along. He was on his way up into high country near the Golden Lakes, and from there clear up to the glaciers beyond, to check on wildlife, hunters and climbers. He would remain on the Highline Trail for a little while longer before looking for a place where he could leave the trail and climb up to Golden Lakes.
Lupe and SPHP followed Chad along the Highline Trail. Despite carrying a huge, heavy pack, Chad was faster than SPHP. Lupe and SPHP did catch up to him again several times when he stopped to chat to people along the trail. The last time Lupe and SPHP reached him, he had stopped to have a sandwich before leaving the trail. Chad very kindly gave Lupe some of his cheese sandwich. (Dingoes love cheese!)
Lupe starts back across the bridge over the Green River leaving Beaver Park.Looking back at Squaretop Mountain. Granite Peak is the comparatively small forested hill in the sunlight on the L.Lupe gets a bite of Chad’s cheese sandwich at their last meeting. Chad was a real forest ranger – he actually spends his time patrolling in the mountains instead of sitting at a desk. Chad was the first forest ranger Lupe ever saw actually patrolling in a forest. He was a terrific, knowledgeable guy and in great shape, too.
On the way back, Lupe stayed on the Highline Trail until she was between the two Green River Lakes. There she crossed the bridge over to the W side of the Green River. Lupe headed for the intersection of the Porcupine Trail and Lakeside Trail. To complete a loop around Lower Green River Lake, Lupe took the Lakeside Trail heading NNW near the W shore.
The Lakeside Trail was in forest much of the way. There were only a few spots with open views from the trail on this side of the lake. Most of the time, the Lakeside Trail stayed well above the shore.
An early evening view of Squaretop Mountain from Upper Green River Lake.The mountain NE of Lower Green River Lake from the Lakeside Trail. Photo looks NE.Flat Top Mountain(11,823 ft.) from the Lakeside Trail along Lower Green River Lake. Photo looks E.White Rock from the Lakeside Trail along Lower Green River Lake. White Rock is the mountain just E of Upper Green River Lake. Photo looks SE.
It was 7:52 PM (66°F) when Lupe reached the G6 again. After a glorious day along the Highline Trail to Beaver Park and back, she was ready for a whole can of Alpo before curling up with her blankie. Maybe someday she will return to explore further along the Highline Trail, or take the Porcupine Trail and find the way up Squaretop Mountain.
What was for certain was that her final big adventure of her great Summer of 2015 Dingo Vacation would start the next day. It would also take place in the Wind River Range of Wyoming.
All three moose were soon out of sight in the forest. Lupe has now seen 5 moose. One in Canada during her 2014 Dingo Vacation, and four on her 2015 Dingo Vacation.
