Darton Ridge-Cloud Peak Wilderness

[Scott Chandler]

This summer I'm employed with the Forest Service as a Wilderness Ranger. Living a dream! I lucked out and am also working in a wilderness that is beyond gorgeous: The Cloud Peak Wilderness of the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming.

It's still early for hiking up here. A huge snow year has made the majority of the wilderness inaccessible. Seeing it from a distance was too much though so I teamed up with a fellow wilderness ranger to see how far we could get on a hike.

Entering Circle Park on the SE section of the wilderness we set out to see if we could get to views on a ridge of Darton Peak. We did and only encountered snow in a couple spots. If only the rest of the Wilderness could be like here!



And a couple I've taken on the phone while out and about. I can't wait to explore this awesome place more.



Featured image for home page:

 

[Artemus]

Great photos! Great place. You are right, living a dream. Congrats! What are the responsibilities of the Wilderness Ranger besides walking around?

 

[Nick]

Dude!!! That is so awesome! Congrats on the wilderness ranger gig. Truly living the dream. And I am so looking forward to more pics from you over the summer. I've been eyeballing that range for some time now and I would love to get up there.

 

[Curt]

Wow! This report was really timely for me. I've just started working on planning a trip out there for early September. I'm looking at the area west and north of Circle Park and Darton Peak. I'll be looking forward to seeing more reports and pictures.

 

[Scott Chandler]

What are the responsibilities of the Wilderness Ranger besides walking around?

LOL there will be a lot of that. I'll be doing the duties of a Forest Protection Officer, essentially patrolling and making sure regulations are being followed. There is also impact rehab, wilderness characteristic surveys, trail work, and other special projects.

 

[Artemus]

I'll be doing the duties of a Forest Protection Officer, essentially patrolling and making sure regulations are being followed.

You GO boy! The environment needs plenty of that.

 

[Bob]

Enjoy your job. Cloud Peaks are a great area. I spent many, many years working for the USFS. Timber marking, inventorying remote timber stands, range work, trail work, recreation patrols, fires, you name it. Throughout the Intermountain West. Very enjoyable part of my life.