[amishcm]

in reply to: Backcountry in the Bighorns/Wind Rivers #64110

Love the Bighorns and the Cloud Peak Wilderness. Hope this is not too much on a non “bowhunting: topic, but you asked…

When we backpacked, or had our gear horsepacked,

We usually spent a night on each end at the SouthFork Inn, Buffalo, Wy address,

on the east side of the Cloud Peak wilderness area to adjust a bit to the altitude. We also day hiked from that Inn a couple of years. You can fish right from your cabin porch but a short hike will get to much better.

We packed into the Misty Moon Area/Florence pass area for a base camp many times. Entered from Hunter Corals near the South Fork or West Tensleep CG on the west (much shorter to Misty Moon Side of Florence Pass).

Misty Moon is above treeline, not a hard hike from the West Tensleep CG but kind of a long walk in, so the traffic was sparse.

Usually only saw a small group or two of people in a week out but most of the time had the area to ourself.

Fishing was much better here up high. Some of our guys went to hike and eat granola, I always had my fly rod strapped to my hiking stick. Made them stop at every waterway we passed.

Could find fish about everywhere, mostly average moutain size, but a few noteable exceptions.

Around Florence Pass

Probably my most memorable location is Powell Lakes on the east of Florence Pass. A bit far for a day hike in and out, it is about a mile uptrail from Medicine Cabin park towards Florence Pass then find a small little used trail to the right. Straight up the tight draiange to the top. A very small sign on the trail if I remember. Probably need your topo to find the area where the trail starts off.

Most beautiful little lakes ringed in an amazing circ by sheer 500 ft walls on all 3 sides.

Plus big cutthroats rising from the crystal depth for the flies. Powell Lakes probably doesn’t see 10 people a year up there.

This would be a very long day in and out much better overnight or longer. Medicine Cabin Park was is about 6-7 hours uphill (4 hard hours for a flatlander with a 5 day pack) from the Hunter Creek trail head. Did do a round trip down and back up on day two one year as we forgot the canned bacon back at the car and went back down to retrieve it. That was a long day, but cant go without basic luxury. Elk and moose not uncommon all along the way up to

tree line in this drainage. Probably why they call it Hunter Creek Access.

From the Misty Moon area on the west of Florence Pass there was a small unnamed lake southwest of Gunboat Lake and SE of Misty Moon that had very big rainbows if I remember the species right. But the size I do remember. 4-5 lbs ?? To get to this small lake from Gunboat leave the main trail from the bottom end of Gunboat on a small undefined trail and bear SW below the ridge on your right, over the saddle and drop into the lake. Out the bottom of this lake and you’ll drop in over Lake Marion below Misty Moon Lake.

All these upper lakes had smaller cutthroats and brooks.

Gunboat had grayling, smallish but good for my bucketlist.

West from Misty moon we climbed a drainage to Middle Cloud Peak Lake for golden trout. Smaller but again, bucketlist and a reason to hike. Start at the waterfall on the trail and scramble up the creek to the lake. We enjoyed bushwacking with topos.

We did the 5 day Solitude Loop hike one year and woke up inside a herd of elk in Highland Park above Kearney Lake.

Seems like we saw elk regularly and lots of sign all over the high country on our summer trips.

When we went in early September we saw lots of elk in the parks down lower.

Sorry this response took so long to get back… Now I want to go again, Found this other site when wool gathering that hit the target.

http://www.backpacker.com/may_1999_destinations_wyoming_bighorns/destinations/559

George

[amishcm]

in reply to: Backcountry in the Bighorns/Wind Rivers #50685

We did annual weeklong backpacks about 15 times into the Bighorns. Tried just about every trailhead. Never had trouble finding fish, both large small and varied. Great place. Still overlooked. Never had many people around in the high country, only occasionally had groups pass by. While not looking for them we often saw elk and elk sign, twice having them wander around outside our tents at night. Usually went in Mid September just before the hunting season and campers (I expect hunters) were to be found down lower in the driveable areas, but up near and above treeline, there were elk, fish and few people. Would have to pull the maps to give you routes and specific lakes as they just blur into great memories. Hard to write this as the details flood back. Wish it was closer to home.

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