Aerial footage of the Thorofare

[shredhiker]

This gentleman posted a comment on one of my videos a while back, I checked out his channel a few days later & really enjoyed what he had to share. He's got some fantastic flyover footage around other parts of the GYE as well.

Here's a shorter version of the Thorofare one

 

[scatman]

Excellent @shredhiker! Thanks for sharing. What wonderful country the Thorofare is. Of course, now I'm all antsy to get out and back to the Thorofare.

Pretty neat seeing the wolverine tracks on top of the Trident, and I'm going to have to add Overlook Point to my bucket list. I also enjoyed seeing the wood stove in the cabin, and Richard and Mary making breakfast.

 

[LarryBoy]

On one hand, this is excellent footage. On the other, he's overflying the Wilderness area by a whole lot less than 2,000 feet. I would certainly be pretty bummed if I were out in that wonderful piece of country and heard a two-seater droning overhead. From this person's commentary, he clearly knows and appreciates the terrain he's overflying; I hope next time he respects the quiet a little more.

A couple years ago I was camped in the Twin Peaks Wilderness and saw a plane skim its wheels on Lake Blanche, splitting the silence on a Saturday morning and waking up everybody camped near the lake. More importantly, had he misjudged just slightly and crashed, he likely would have killed a dozen nearby Scouts.

 

[shredhiker]

I was a bit curious about that myself. It looks like most of his footage is from outside the park boundary. I've read a little on random websites, but I can't even pretend to understand the flyover regulations in the area.

 

[Kmatjhwy]

Excellent Excellent Excellent Video! Thanks Shredhiker! Gosh, does this bring back memories and more memories! Have been in this Thorofare Country as early as mid May and as late as these folks in late October. Sure do miss it! Instead of a bunch of biking next summer, might just get the backpack and back into this Thorofare Country all summer long again! Years ago saw Wolverine sign when I was up around Thunder Mountain. Also thru the years have been to and inside all three of those cabins back in this country. Do remember that nice wood stove in the YNP cabin. This makes me think of all the people I ran into, talked with, and knew from being back in here. One of them indeed was Tim Fagan. Also another was Val Geisler out of Cody. How many of them that I knew have now passed on. But this wonderful country lives on!

In years gone by, up into the 1960s, certain people would go back into here all winter long trapping. Back in the depression days the Siggin Brothers would winter and trap back in here. This Is why up Open Creek there is a Siggins Fork Creek. I knew an outfitter whose son wintered near Bridger Lake many years ago. And the winter that they were there, the snowpack became like 10 feet deep or so. Also years ago some Elk would winter back in here and would linger on some of the South facing slopes in here. And then in the spring some horn hunters from Idaho would try to rush back into here in the spring to try to collect the antlers. Tim Fagan and some other Wyoming Fish and Game personnel came back in here once to check on the Elk. Did not see any Elk but did see a Wolverine. In good snow years, at some point in the winter, someone with the government comes back into here, to check on the cabins and shovel off the roofs.

Also in the times when wandering back in here, at times would have some small plane buzzing around overhead and often less then 2,000 feet above. Sometimes just a few hundred feet above me. And one of biggest violators it seemed to the the wildlife researchers buzzing around in their planes looking for the various wildlife and radio collared animals. Those planes became such a nuisance at times. Here I was all by my lonesome enjoying the wilds, then this plane comes flying by and buzzing all around not far up in the sky like some giant mosquito. Gosh, it would irk me so.

Excellent Video! Sure brings back all the good memories and everything!Makes me think of just getting back into here again come spring and just live and Enjoy Life Again! Back in here one can never have a bad day. Now our human lives seem to be so brief compared to this good country. How many people have known now passed away, that I met back in here. But this good Thorofare Country lives on, Thanks to Our Creator!

 

[Bob]

Looks like flying in winter when no one is around... sneakey. But just watching I'd guess he is generally legal.

Here you go...
FAA Advisory Circular AC 91-36, Visual Get Rules (VFR) Flight Beyond Noise-Sensitive Areas,
Basiclly: The Advisory Circular message goes a bit further to explain that the lowest item in the bush area that you should consider although setting your altitude is the highest point 2,000 feet from your aircraft in any direction. So if you’re flying over one 1,000 foot deep canyon and the canyon is only 1,500 feet wide, you should be 2,000 feet above the canyon walls — not 2,000 feet over the bottom of the canyon.

AND Drones:

• UAS are considered to be both “motorized equipment” and “mechanical transport” as such they cannot take off from, land in, or be operated from congressionally designated Wilderness Areas.

 

[Bob]

Scatman, I have a route getting up on the Trident. It's a great horse trail...... Its plotted about like he drew.....

 

[shredhiker]

When I did my Thorofare trip last year, I did notice a few planes overhead. Maybe one every day or two? It wasn't my favorite part of the experience, but it was only a couple of minutes each day I heard/saw them. I'm definitely glad it wasn't constantly ongoing.

 

[Bob]

Everybody wants to see it.....

 

[scatman]

Scatman, I have a route getting up on the Trident. It's a great horse trail...... Its plotted about like he drew.....

I'm listening. How many sticks are you going to make me step/crawl over on this one?

 

[Bob]

Fastest way in is the boat ride.

 

[TractorDoc]

Fastest way in is the boat ride.

Should I make reservations for 2025?

 

[wsp_scott]

Thanks for the video link, very cool

Now I want to get on top of the Trident and Overlook Point

 

[Bob]

Should I make reservations for 2025?

Or do you want to wait and see how this years route goes, if you survive......................................

 

[scatman]

Fastest way in is the boat ride. View attachment 129643

I like the loop you have drawn up here. Need to take a left and checkout Overlook Point. Are the red circles campsites?

Boat ride? We're swimming! Could be choppy in the channel!

 

[Bob]

Yes. Blue line on bottom goes to Turpin meadows. Top blue out over eagle pass to east highway. Yellow goes to boat.

 

[wsp_scott]

I have spent too much time in Caltopo looking at routes to get up to the Trident Plateau. I looks like a good lollipop would be Ishawooa - Open Creek to the Fish and Game cabin then up and over the Trident to Mountain Creek and then south along the Thorofare Trail and out Open Creek or Pass Creek. Looks to be right about 100 miles of awesome.

Questions for the group
1) water on top of the Trident Plateau? It looks like it should not be a problem in you dropped off the plateau a little bit. If the weather cooperated, I'd like to camp up there.
2) Can you connect Mountain Creek and Open Creek trails near Overlook Mountain? It seems like Howell Fork on the Mountain Creek side would be reasonable, but can't tell about the Open Creek side of the ridge.

 

[wsp_scott]

Never mind about the Mountain Creek to Open Creek question, I found this "Now as far as I know there are no routes or paths from the Open Creek Drainage over to the Mountain Creek Drainage. The high peak ridge here between the two is really quite something" from @Kmatjhwy on this thread https://backcountrypost.com/threads/gye-resources.10545/post-143718

 

[Bob]

I have spent too much time in Caltopo looking at routes to get up to the Trident Plateau. I looks like a good lollipop would be Ishawooa - Open Creek to the Fish and Game cabin then up and over the Trident to Mountain Creek and then south along the Thorofare Trail and out Open Creek or Pass Creek. Looks to be right about 100 miles of awesome.

Questions for the group
1) water on top of the Trident Plateau? It looks like it should not be a problem in you dropped off the plateau a little bit. If the weather cooperated, I'd like to camp up there.
2) Can you connect Mountain Creek and Open Creek trails near Overlook Mountain? It seems like Howell Fork on the Mountain Creek side would be reasonable, but can't tell about the Open Creek side of the ridge.

depends on how much scrambling you want to do.. I found a report of someone going off into Mountain creek (near a outfitter camp somewhere). I didnt find anything I wanted to tackle. What I plotted is about it. No water on top except snow I'd suspect. Shortest is the boat ride about 41 miles, next shortest is a thru hike from Turpin Meadows to Sylvan lake at 64 miles.

Click here to view on CalTopo

 

[LarryBoy]

Never mind about the Mountain Creek to Open Creek question, I found this "Now as far as I know there are no routes or paths from the Open Creek Drainage over to the Mountain Creek Drainage. The high peak ridge here between the two is really quite something" from @Kmatjhwy on this thread https://backcountrypost.com/threads/gye-resources.10545/post-143718

The good news: A friend of mine has done it.
The bad news: he's not, strictly speaking, human. He's a really strong hiker (think 35+ mile days) and completely unphased by exposure, sketchiness, or general suckitude.

I've twice tried to access this area to cross from Open Creek to Mountain Creek via Overlook or its shoulders. Wanted to see if it was doable for mere mortals or not. Foiled both times due to bear-related incidents. If I ever go back, I'll DM you a report (or vice versa, hopefully? )