Wind Rivers - Short Trip to Cook Lake

[Bob]

Met Oldbill in Pinedale, originally was headed over to the east side for some fishing, but iffy weather changed our plans.
Stated out from Elkhart TH, crowded which was surprising for September. All in all by the end of the trip we saw over 80 hikers.
Not any pictures till the requisite Photo Point pic..... Canon G5X

From here we passed Eklund Lake

Then past mary's Lake .... we would camp here on the way out.

Monument Creek

Crossing Pole Creek

Along the way to Cook Lake

Cook Lake views

Other views along the way

A thief at Mary's Lake..... stole a full peanut butter cup and a plasitic spoon

 

[scatman]

Great shots @Bob. That chipmunk looks like it is going to lower your pack weight a bit.

 

[Bob]

Great shots @Bob. That chipmunk looks like it is going to lower your pack weight a bit.

He did.... But that was at the last nites dinner and only had 6 miles out

 

[wsp_scott]

That is a ton of people, hopefully you guys found some solitude. Looks like nice weather.

 

[marquiri]

@Bob, we were camped at Mary's Lake the night before you guys. Might have even been the same site.

 

[RyanP]

Wow, that's a ton of people. Did you have much company at Cook Lakes, or did the crowds disappear once you left the trail to Island Lake? When I went to upper Cook lake about 7-8 years ago, we had it all to ourselves on a Labor Day weekend. But it sounds like maybe times have changed...

 

[marquiri]

80 hikers is a lot for 5 days in September. We went in via Elkhart about 5 days prior and went over Angel Pass, up to Upper Golden Lake (stuck there in 32 hours of rain), over Hay Pass, down to Round Mountain Cutoff, into Timico Basin, and back out to Elkhart via Chain Lakes. We only saw a handful of people until the stretch from Photographer's Point to Elkhart on the final day. I think we saw fewer than 4 people between Spider Lake (on the way in) and Mary's Lake (on the way out).

 

[canadug]

Wow! Fabulous photos.......Went on three different climbing trips in the Winds in the late 90s. On two of those trips we saw no one else. Times have changed!

 

[OldBill]

Great summary as usual. Fun time and great company. Hope to add a few more pics and comments when I get home.

Just got out of the hospital. Injury on the last backpack of this trip. Solo, way off trail. Wasn't the adventure I had planned. Think I'll label my report "Misadventures in the Winds"

 

[RyanP]

Just got out of the hospital. Injury on the last backpack of this trip. Solo, way off trail. Wasn't the adventure I had planned. Think I'll label my report "Misadventures in the Winds"

Oh no! Hopefully you get better! And then, after you're better, hopefully you tell us the gory details