In The Shadow of Longs Peak
Sunday, 03 July 2016
We did ok on the river portion but the tandem canoe really struggled once on the lake. Then on Sunday, halfway thru the day, a storm came up though we were able to make landfall at the good camp below Firehole.
Friday 01 Jul;y 2016
We are ready to go! Our adventure this holiday weekend is another round at Flaming Gorge, this time putting in on the Green River at Green River Wyoming and paddling into Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Everyone on the trip is experienced so I am looking forward to it and just getting away. I have put in some long days at work but I think things are about as good as they can be.
We left my place at 12:10, right on time with a stop at Lucky’s for supper supplies, then getting on the ramp to I-25 north at 1:00 PM. The traffic slows considerably from the Hwy 66 exit to Fort Collins. We will probably stick to Hwy 287 next time. We stopped at the boat inspection station just short of Cheyenne, then unto I-80 west and a pretty significant rain storm. We pull off at the next exit and wait till the rain lightens up a bit. We continue but it continues to rain off and on until we get to Rock Springs. We made the normal stop at Flying J’s just west of Rawlins at 5 PM then on to Green River.
I realized my cell phone was off and I could see text messages that the others had gone on down to the campsite. As we approached County Road 37, we see 2 cars with 3 boats. Evidently the campsite that was clean 3 weeks ago had been trashed! So we head down to Forest Service Road 11 and our site of 3 weeks ago when we did our recon trip. We have our supper of sake and sushi. Jean entertains us and strums on a small guitar. And then setup our sleeping area. I wonder if the bivy is wise but the rain seems to have cleared out and there were stars all night.
Saturday, 02 July 2016
We got up, drive back to Green River and the put-in at the ball park then the shuttle was run with the guys returning at 12:30 or so. In the meantime, I write and draw, which is much nicer than working. We were paddling away at 12:50. The river was at a nice flow, moving, pleasant and not pushy – my kind of trip! I thought I would remember where the river became the lake but did not. Thunderstorms came in but I was not too worried but did put my rain jacket on. The rain lasted less than 15 minutes.
We made our Saturday night camp at Whiskey Bend.
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
04 June 2016
Our Holiday excursion this 4th of July holiday was again to Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Southwest Wyoming / North East Utah.
This time we did a scouting trip since we have not done this particular route (putting in at Green River Utah and paddling into Flaming Gorge Reservoir)
Monday, 04 July 2016
We are up early and paddle to Lost Dog. The canoers pulled out there. The remaining 3 of us paddled to Buckboard, then the guys went to get the truck at Brinegar. Richard went down and got the two people at Lost Dog and we all met up back at the put-in.
A nice outing despite its challenges.
Wildlife:
As we approached our camp on Friday, we were approached by 2 antelope; On Saturday, we saw an osprey nest, an osprey; an eagle swooped into a cliff; 2 sets of deer, very very brown, not grey as are normal on the front range. A hawk soared overhead. And there was a meadowlark at our camp of Saturday night.