A Little Fall Color and Carnage From Wyoming

This is a follow up to a post from earlier this year about the Big Sandy Opening area of the Wind River range in southwestern Wyoming. I made it back in late September for a short visit with my son who is working there for the Forest Service this summer and fall. Unfortunately, due to schedules and continuing issues with my knee, we were not able to hike in to see the Cirque of the Towers - the goal for the summer. We will try again next year if he is working out there again.

The weather was warm and dry which was a nice change from the first trip. We spent most of our time checking the Forest Service back roads around the Big Sandy Opening area as hunting season was just getting started. We met some very interesting people and saw some unusual things but I did not take many pictures for a variety of reasons. Below though, are a few that hopefully represent the beauty of the area and the wildness that is still there.

Fall colors on the way to the cabin.

Temple Peak from Muddy Ridge.

We traveled one day over to see Square Top mountain. Lower Green River Lake is in the foreground. I would like to hike up into the valleys below Square Top some day.

Fall colors from the Irish Canyon area.

Now for the carnage. Irish Canyon is used for cattle and sheep grazing earlier in the year. While traveling through it, we came across the remains of a lamb. We could not determine what took it out but, according to a local rancher acquaintance, there are wolves, mountain lions, bears and coyotes in the area. It was amazing to see the skin and fur just peeled away and the vertebrae and rib cage nearly intact. We looked for the head but never found it. I am sure that finding remains like this is not uncommon for some people but it was definitely something new for us.

Some color from the front yard of the cabin.

And finally a view up the Big Sandy river toward the southern end of the Winds.

It was an excellent but too short trip. The dispersed camping in the Big Sandy Opening is really good, especially in the upper valley. We will be going back to explore more of the Winds whether the kid is working there or not.

Thanks for reading!