Highest elevation buffalo jump found in Wind Rivers

[Nick]

This is pretty interesting. They went out looking to document climate change on the glaciers and found this.

Students from Central Wyoming College were buoyed by their finds on the 25-mile trek from a trailhead outside Dubois to the edge of Wyoming’s biggest glaciers. But then, at the top of the state, where harsh winds blow away deep snow and temperatures are often frigid, they discovered something none of them expected: a bison jump.

More specifically, the highest elevation bison jump ever recorded in North America.​

And this...

“Another student found a cairn and then found another and another and followed it until Todd and the other student hit a precipice and that’s when it hit Todd that it was something way more than they originally thought,” Robins said. “They went down into the possible butchering area and saw all the flakes and Todd realized it was a bison jump.”

Lichen growth on the cairns – or rock towers – helped prove they were prehistoric.

The line of stacked cairns was about a mile long, and was dotted with hunting blinds where early people hid and pushed the animals forward, Guenther said.​

Read more: http://trib.com/lifestyles/recreati...cle_e4946a0e-b5ab-5496-bf1b-8b480276fbaf.html

 

[slc_dan]

Woah!

For those unaware, a Bison jump is an area they would corral the Bison into. They would then push them off a cliff side, or have them in closer quarters to kill easier.

Very cool find.

 

[Wanderlust073]

Always amazes me that there are still things waiting to be discovered out there. Really neat.

 

[Absarokanaut]

There are AMAZING Sheepeater Village ruins about a dozen miles in on _______ Mountain. The South Absaroka Wall is my favorite place on Earth but I love to get across the valley into the Northeastern Winds too. Thanks for sharing man.

 

[SwimsWithTrout]

There are AMAZING Sheepeater Village ruins about a dozen miles in on _______ Mountain.

+1

With the "New" reroute to the Glacier trail, a lot of the old archeological sites on ------------ are harder to get to however. I know of several spots near some permanent springs that had piles of knaps several feet deep near the site in the linked article.

That general area, for several miles, held a thriving population for many centuries.

 

[Bob]

When I came across....back by the lake in the background I noticed stuff right where the people are.....thought it looked built, not natural....from searching out ruins in S Utah...... didn't have time to trek over and around to check it out..... should have , now will be another trip

 

[SwimsWithTrout]

It's a very interesting area. It might be worth a short visit for someone else with experienced eyes to see what they can find.

I like the part in the article about it being habitable year round. When I first moved to Colorado in '72, I had no clue about the "Seasons" in the Rockies and set off on my first attempt of Gannett Pk in mid May of '73. I had no problem making my way past Burro Flats, but as I dropped down of the plateau past Phillips and Star Lk, the snow became far too deep to continue.

This is from near the sites I mentioned, taken mid May '73, and you can see how much bare ground there is.

 

[uintahiker]

I read the post when it popped up- definitely cool! More pictures please!