​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

​

​Sunday 22 May 2022

Today, Sunday, the sun is out and the wind is calm.  

After breakfast, Tim, Gary and I get ready to paddle while Karen takes a rest day.  We paddle down lake, toward the dam. We are on the lookout for possible camp spots for our 4th of July trip and especially for Goosenecks boat-in camp which should be about 6 miles from here.

I take a couple of waypoints at what may be good campsites though I do not get out to investigate.  Continuing, we are treated with a huge osprey nest built atop a huge rock just at the edge of the water.  But no osprey's in sight.

After an hour, I turn back.  The wind and water continue to be calm for my return trip which I am happy about.  Since arriving at camp yesterday, I continue to be really anxious and almost did not paddle but am so glad I did!

Tim and Gary continue and return to camp around 5 PM or so.  They did not find Goosenecks but do find a spot where a shallow bench comes down to the water which may make a good campsite. 

We have supper and again fall into bed.

​Flaming Gorge

19 May 2022 thru 23 May 2022
 
Originally, this trip was to be a mult-week, multi-destination outing.  The first stop would be Flaming Gorge Reservoir; the second would be at Pathfinder Reservoir in Wyoming, north Of Sinclair, Wyoming, past Seminole Reservoir; the third is Merritt Reservoir, south of Valentine, Nebraska; and the fourth is Smith Falls State Park, east of Valentine, Nebraska in conjunction with day paddles on the Niobrara River.  Then back home.  But it was not to be.

During this winter, Karen A suggested an outing where we would paddle from the area of the Flaming Gorge Dam north to the Antelope Flats access on the east side of the lake.

I had been wanting to do this exact section of the reservoir to scout out campsites for our 4th of July thru trip where we would put in at Green River Wyoming and take out at the dam.  We have paddled and spent overnights along the other sections of the lake from Green River to Antelope Flats. In addition, we have explored the Black’s Fork Arm a couple of times.

I am not sure how we picked just after mid-May as the timeframe.  It may be that the original discussion was for Memorial Day but since we both had plans for then, we picked the weekend before and planned a 4-day, 3-night paddle, putting in on Friday, May 19th and taking out on Monday, May 23rd. 

Since we would be driving separately, we decided that getting a reservation at the Mustang Ridge campground for the evening on the 18th would be wise.  We would be putting in at Mustang Ridge and taking out at Antelope Flats, which would make for very direct and relatively short shuttle.

Thursday, 19 May 2022

On Thursday, the 18th, Gary was at my house at 10:45.  We loaded boats, packed my gear and were on our way 11:30.  Our first stop was at Walgreens, then north to Fort Collins to Whole Foods for sushi for supper and the Liquor Store for sake & treats for Gary.  Then north again on US 287 to Laramie and the boat inspection.  Then west on I-80.

I need to digress. We had been keeping an eye on the weather and it seemed stable enough untill late Tuesday.  Friday (at Flaming Gorge) was looking to be the least warmest of the four days with highs in 50's.  But Tuesday, that changed to highs hardly breaking 40 and winds near 20 mph, marginal for boating.  We decided if Friday turned out to be not good for paddling, we would find an alternate activity, such as hiking the nearby trails or investigating BLM areas we have seen on the map.  Karen mentioned a museum at the dam that might be interesting. 

Delaying the trip did not seem like an option since snow was in the forecast for the Front Range on Friday which would have made driving difficult.  We decided to keep plans as they were and adjust as circumstances dictated.

Back to the drive.  Thursday turned out to be a day of high wind. North to Laramie, we saw one modular home blown off its trailer. I-80 was closed to light-weight, high profile vehicles between Laramie and Rawlins and there was one mobile home / travel trailer on its side; cross winds were 60+ mph.

It was a hard drive, the wind did not decrease until somewhere west of Rawlins, and then they were not much diminished.  And it was cold!

Once off I-80, we headed south US 191.  The wind was at our back and did not feel quite as strong.  We arrived in camp around 7, so it was a long driving day. 

Karen & Tim were setup in site 20 and working on cooking dinner, so we took site 19.  Mustang Ridge Campground is covered with small evergreen trees, pinon and juniper, grey green, standing crown-to-crown.  They are thick enough to block the view of the lake, but on the up-side they did block the wind and provide much appreciated privacy from other campers in adjoining campsites.  Sites 19 and 20 were below the level of the road, so it seemed like the wind passed over our heads, providing even more protection as well as more privacy.    

We set up the tent, pads & bags then had sushi & warm Saki for supper.  Karen & Tim had a small campfire going which was nice.  We pick a wake-up time described as ‘when the sun was warm'.

Even being in the trees and protected from the wind, it is chilly.  I am filled with foreboding. 

It was beginning to spit rain and grapple, so it wasn't long before we crawled into the tent.  Perhaps because I was already damp, it seemed quite cold overnight, and I never did warm up.  I did not sleep well but did sleep some.  We had light rain or snow for much of the night.

Friday 20 May 2022

We slept until 8 AM; it was not warm when we got up.  At our morning’s discussion, there was agreement that it was too cold to paddle.  Even do, Gary was keen to give it a try. 

Once breakfast was done, we moved to site 20, with Tim and Karen.  They took a tour of Dutch John.  Gary and I strolled thru the various loops of the campground, checking out the other sites for future reference.  As we hiked, it seemed like we came across more and more loops.  We took down the site numbers of those we liked best.  Site 38 is the best, though 21, 24 and 32 would work too.  Mustang Ridge is the ideal campground.  Lots of sites and the sites are large and secluded from each other by trees.

Throughout the day, grapple would fall out of the sky, then quit, then start again. At least it was not steady. Our campsite was somewhat sheltered, though I did sit in the truck to write in my journal, as it was too cold to sit outside.

Gary is focused on getting on the water.  I am focused on not being miserable.

Saturday 21 May 2022

Finally, this morning, it is sunny out, though not exactly warm.

We had some re-organizing to do this morning and it was about 10:15 when we pulled away, about normal for when we break camp and repack the truck. Breakfast was coffee (in sticks) and granola/ oats mix.

Since the weather yesterday was not ideal for boating, our plans changed.  Originally, we were going to put in at Mustang Ridge, then paddle to the Jarvies boat-in camp. On day two, we would paddle to Goosenecks, another boat in camp that Karen found online but has been dismantled except for the tent pads.  Day three, we would paddle to Hideout, then on day four, we would paddle to and take out at Antelope Flat.

But our newest plan has us putting in and taking out at Sheep Creek Bay, paddling to Hideout boat-in camp and staying there for 2 nights. It took a good hour to drive from Mustang Ridge to Sheep Creek Bay, then another hour to load boats and wheel them down to the water's edge, then a bit more time getting in, putting on spray skirts and gloves, and paddling away.

The wind has come up since morning, not bad, but also not insignificant, perhaps about 10 mph.  It seemed to increase as we paddled to Hideout.

I am happy that I dressed properly with wetsuit, neoprene top, rain jacket and heavy neoprene gloves.  My hands were cold to start, but they did warm up.

We land.  I dig out our reservation to find our site number.  We have site 7 for tonight and site 7 and 8 for tomorrow.  But Gary and I go ahead and setup in Site 8.  Karen and Tim take site 7. 

We get our camp setup and walked down to site 7 to have supper with Tim and Karen.  We turned in early and slept well.  It was not as cold as the previous two nights.  My boating clothes are nearly dry and stored beneath my sleeping pad, ready for morning. 

Hideout is a wonderful camp even if the outhouse is not well stocked.  It is tucked into pine trees and very protected from the wind but open enough to let the sun in.  It seemed to be a bit warmer at the campsites than at the shore. 

​Monday 23 May 2022
 
On Monday, we are not up early and it's a bit colder.  We pack and are paddling away by 11 AM (Tim and Karen were ready and off by 10 AM).  It takes us just over an hour to get to the Sheep Creek boat ramp, with pleasant conditions and only a light wind. 

Gary goes up to get the truck while I start unloading boats.  It seems like we are packed and loaded in no time!

The forecast is for continued cold and snow, so we skip the Pathfinder and Merritt Reservoir part of the trip and head home.  It takes 6 – 7 hours, this time with no wind! 

A good trip despite challenges, paddling among the majestic red and white of rock bands tilting up out of the water, folding, and descending back in.  The area is not lush, even where there are lots of pine trees. 

I am looking forward to July's trip!