Winds X'ing P1 - Wild! Route Finding, Grizzlies & Deadfall

[Nick]

Maybe @Nick has a photo?

Haha! Okay, that took me a minute to figure out what you were referring to. I think it was..

Image removed until I post my TR.

 

[slc_dan]

That pic is awesome, but I'm talking about YOUR foot.

 

[Nick]

Oh MY foot! Ya know, considering it still hasn't totally healed, you'd think I would have figured that out. Yeah, it was kind of unpleasant walking all but about a mile of that trip with this on my heals. More on that in my TR to come...

 

[baltocharlie]

@langutah : nice trip report and pictures. That area is so HUGE , makes you all looks so small. No dog?

@Nick ouch. I wear the Screes and the only shoes I need 2 pairs of socks. I might have the older version, they stick to wet rock well. Better than most.

 

[Artemus]

@langutah : nice trip report and pictures. That area is so HUGE , makes you all looks so small. No dog?

Thanks Balto! It IS huge. Lot's more exploring to do. Merlin, the old dog, isn't up for that kind of mileage or ruggedness anymore. Luna, the younger border collie, certainly is but I am of the opinion it is not a good idea to take a dog into real grizzly country. They have the tendency of scaring up wildlife and then returning home to you with it in tow. Has happened multiple times with moose. Not going to let it happen with a BIG bear. I was also a little worried about the big boulder hopping we had to do. Dogs do great! in boulders and rugged terrain, at least mine do, but miles and miles of it I am not so sure - especially because Luna is only about 11" high at the "whithers".

 

[Artemus]

Which La Sportivas were those?

The La Sportiva Rajas. Looks like they have since been discontinued. I probably bought them when they were discontinued since I only buy shoes at half price Good price here at STP. They are LIGHT! Just don't wear them in the rain. Mine are now retired from long trips. I will keep them for cragging and day hikes.

 

[TannerT]

Thanks for the TR. I love the winds and your report makes me want to get out. I'm really looking forward to Part 2.
Salud!

 

[baltocharlie]

Thanks Balto! It IS huge. Lot's more exploring to do. Merlin, the old dog, isn't up for that kind of mileage or ruggedness anymore. Luna, the younger border collie, certainly is but I am of the opinion it is not a good idea to take a dog into real grizzly country. They have the tendency of scaring up wildlife and then returning home to you with it in tow. Has happened multiple times with moose. Not going to let it happen with a BIG bear. I was also a little worried about the big boulder hopping we had to do. Dogs do great! in boulders and rugged terrain, at least mine do, but miles and miles of it I am not so sure - especially because Luna is only about 11" high at the "whithers".

I've never backpack in grizzlies country with a dog so glad you told me this. My dog would love to tangle wit a griz. Rocks and dogs...my old Aussie would clamber over rocks like an agile rock climber. Not so for my Wheaten. He can do almost anything except freaks out when I take him on rock scrambles. He also doesn't like to walk on fallen trees over ravines. This is a shame because I do a lot of this type of hiking.

 

[DrNed]

Art - great photos and great report - I'm highly anticipating the rest!
My favorite was the B&W of Bear Paw Lake.

I also appreciated your photo of the bear scat. I was just talking to the Kamas Ranger station yesterday
and they went out of their way to tell me that with all the moisture the Uinitas have
received recently that the berry production is high and the bears are feeding quite well.

 

[Michael]

Nothing for me, but very, very impressive, Art.
I love the Shangri-La area.

 

[leatherman]

@langutah, so Mr. Artemus when are we going to see the continuation of this expedition? Looking forward to it.

 

[Yvonne]

how could I miss this one?
Very impressive report and great shots. Let me wish to go back to the Winds and explore more out there.
Your trip would be something I would love to do, maybe by myself or with a few strong hikers as companions

 

[Nick]

@langutah, so Mr. Artemus when are we going to see the continuation of this expedition? Looking forward to it.

x2

We need part 2, Artemus!

 

[Artemus]

@langutah, so Mr. Artemus when are we going to see the continuation of this expedition? Looking forward to it.

OK OK, I will start into it

 

[Artemus]

OK, all you Wind Rivers fans, those that couldn't wait and those who couldn't care less. PART 2 is POSTED!

 

[HomerJ]

OK, all you Wind Rivers fans, those that couldn't wait and those who couldn't care less. PART 2 is POSTED!

Giggity! :twothumbs:

 

[Ben]

awesome trip. appears to be a scapula, not a clavicle in your picture at your favorite camp spot,' bearpaw lake'.

 

[Artemus]

benito Thanks, it WAS an awesome trip for me, educate me what the difference is between a clavicle and and a scapula on a moose. All I know is what i'd been told

 

[Ben]

clavicle is your collar bone. scapula is your shoulder blade. i've got a suspicion moose don't have much of a clavicle. the clavicle articulates between the front leg and the sternum. it would be relatively short in a moose. the scapula on a moose would float on the ribs. the flat end at one point would articulate directly with the leg bone, as it does with a human's arm in the shoulder. on the scapula in your picture you can see the ridge along the back where muscles would attach to move the leg. other muscles run from the scapula to the vertebrae. let me know if there's any of that that isn't quite clear.

 

[Artemus]

Well, I don't know much about a moose's anatomy but the other guy on the TR, Danny, is an experienced small and large animal vet who gave me the anatomical identification. Or what i thought I remembered him saying - I definitely misremembered. Sounds like you have experience too.

What I do know is that Alces aces is unique in the animal kingdom, at least in the ungulate portion, in that it's anatomy has adapted for deep snow condition. Moose live quite handily in my backyard at 220" of snow per year by being able to travel comfortably in deep snow conditions. Moose have a front shoulder that can articulate well enough where they can pick up their front leg and the hoof lifts to the height of their nose in order to traverse deep snow. I've seen their tracks and I've seen them, from a distance, walking though these deep snows and can attest to this capability.