Photography By: Kordell Black with additional contributions by us
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There is a priceless mind clearing that happens when I spend long days in the wilderness. As movement becomes non stop and repetitive I turn it into a moving meditation but instead of trying to be aware of whats in my head, I’m trying to be fully present in this incredible place, pure awareness, taking it all in.
Day to day we start to adopt the routine of waking up in tents, packing, walking, navigating, fishing, and camping again. We quickly adapt to the endurance of our pace, our heavy packs, and the miles covered. The consistency of it all never allows our muscles time to tighten up and the movement is a welcome feeling everyday. As we pass through valleys, climb over passes, and navigate tricky sections- the terrain is mesmerizing. The lines we are surrounded by are incredible and we dream of these couloirs filled with Wyoming powder. The trip is paying off big when we find new ways we will be able to access this range, explore places rarely seen by people, and find our our unique way through the range. We create link ups, navigate water, and scree scramble through tight places to create a one of a kind traverse for 100+ miles. |
Because we spent a lot of our time off trail, boulder hopping and terrain navigation became the name of the game.
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We were relieved to find this tiny ledge went and carefully crossed it to gain access to a small patch of grass we would call home that night. The beautiful alpine lakes pass can be seen in the distance.
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We found awesome places to rest each night, and the clear skies filled our nights with stary wonderment while the camp fire added comfort in a rigged place.
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We caught huge Mackinaw, exotic golden trout, cutthrout, and brookies in the pristine high alpine lakes, rivers and streams.
Our dog Yoda Bear did amazingly well for the amount of boulder hopping that was required. He was stoked to get to camp each night and give the paws a rest.
One night we spent fishing a lake that has been a favorite of ours for years. (we've been exploring this place since we were teenagers) The sun started to set and we settled into camp. Suddenly we heard the loud calls of climbers in the face of Mt. Hooker and it piqued our interest. As the sun set and the darkness crept in we saw their head lamps on the 1800 foot wall. I stayed up to watch and listen with awe as they topped out around midnight.
Beacuse we love this particular area so much and there is no established pass to connect to it, we had to navigate an original route. We called our original link up Tress Pass (trespass) because it goes through the native reservation. It was by far the most technical part of our trip as we ascended form Sheila lake to the tress pass col.
We lowered Yoda dog down carefully into the loose scree chute. Our descent can be seen in the middle V of the below photo and it started inside an enclosed cave.
We would collect the purest water with our MSR pump and our handy Lifestraw from all the abundant water along the way.
As we reached the southern end of the range and our trips was nearing its end we passed by the infamous Cirque of the Towers. All in all with 12 days and 100+ miles behind us we entered back into society with full hearts and focused minds. For us, this was the most refreshing way to mark the end of summer and turn our thoughts to snow. Just in time for our best friend winter to start the battle of the seasons.