‘TIL THE MEDICINE TAKES

We got up at 6:15 the next morning. I was eager to get going, as this was to be our last day in Wyoming, and I wanted to make the most of it. My plan for the day was to make another attempt at visiting the Snowy Range. We had missed out on that area early in the trip due to an unexpected road closure. I hoped to climb Medicine Bow Peak (12,013’), which is the highest point in the range and all of southeastern Wyoming.

I whipped up some breakfast burritos and coffee and we broke camp. From the campground we followed the scenic highway to the crest of the range. It was a lovely drive, as the upper portion of the route is above treeline. We enjoyed constant views of peaks, lakes, and snow. Lots and lots of snow. In fact, we actually passed a snowboarder walking along the shoulder of the road. Even after spending more than 2 weeks in the snow, it was an astonishing sight.

We drove into the Sugarloaf Recreation Area. There is a $5 fee to park here, but we didn’t have to pay because we weren’t actually parking. Instead, Christy dropped Boone and me off at the trailhead. Once we had our gear situated she left, bound for Laramie. She planned to swim laps at a community pool there. Since her knee was still swollen, swimming was her best option for exercise.

I started my hike with a traverse around Lewis Lake. This was slow and difficult, as the trail was still buried under snow drifts. At a couple of places a slip would’ve sent me into the lake. At the far end of the lake I climbed up a big snowfield that was just steep enough to be treacherous. At this point I had no idea where the actual trail was. However, my map and my instincts told me that I needed to get to the crest of the ridge above the snowfield. Both were correct, as I found a signed trail junction at the top of the hill. From that point I followed the trail leading towards the summit of Medicine Bow Peak.

I left most of the snow behind once I began to climb in earnest. I followed a good, albeit rocky, trail up countless switchbacks. I passed several marmots as I hiked, which was a welcome sight. No trip to the Rockies is complete without the obligatory marmot sightings.

As I climbed the views began to expand to the south and west. A chain of mostly frozen lakes stretched out below me. The views were nice, but the flowers along here were even better. The trail was bordered by hundreds of blooming Columbines. Taking flower photos provided a great excuse to take regular breaks from the ascent. I alternated between using my wife’s point-and-shoot camera and my camera with a telephoto lens. My regular lens had jammed the previous day, and I hadn’t had any luck fixing it.

The climb featured a couple of snowfields. At the first, the trail traversed a very steep, snowy chute. It looked scary, but the snow was soft and the traverse wasn’t particularly treacherous. Just below the crest of the final ridge the trail disappeared under a huge snow bank. Getting on top of it would’ve made for an easy final push to the summit. Unfortunately, it was too steep and slippery to scramble up. Instead, I had to traverse a big ugly pile of boulders below the snow. I scrambled on up, and Boone followed. The final climb was challenging, but it was worth the effort. The summit was deserted when I arrived at 11am, and the view was fantastic. All around me were lovely alpine lakes surrounded by rugged peaks. In the distance to the south were some of the highest mountains in Colorado, including Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.

I had the peak to myself for about 2 minutes before I was joined by a whole pack of 12-year-old girls. They were part of an organized group that had ascended the mountain from the opposite side. My solitude was gone, but at least the girls were pleasant. They gave Boone a ton of attention while I ate lunch. I also chatted briefly with their leader, who used to live in Asheville (NC).

From the summit, I eyeballed a trail that followed that enchanting chain of frozen lakes. I compared my view to my map, and realized that it led back out to the highway. Since Christy was picking me up that afternoon, I didn’t see any reason to backtrack. I pulled out my cell phone and sent her a text asking her to pick me up at Mirror Lake instead of Lewis Lake.

By noon clouds were starting to build in the west. It was time to head down. The descent was easier, as I was able to stay on top of the snow bank on the crest of the ridge. This made for much easier walking than the boulder field immediately below. Eventually I had to slide down the snow to regain the trail, but that was actually fun and refreshing.

The descent was interesting. I hadn’t seen anyone on my way up, but ran into a couple of groups on the way back. First was 4 guys from Florida that seemed to be out of their element in all of that snow. In fact, I met the final member of the group at the steep snow chute I’d crossed earlier. He was afraid to cross, and had decided to wait for his friends there. A bit later I met a couple wearing blue jeans a NASCAR t-shirts. The girl was carrying a little rat dog in her arms that Boone really wanted to play with. They were just starting up the mountain, despite the fact that dark clouds were now rolling in from the west. I hope all of those folks made it down off that mountain safely!

I picked up the trail towards Lake Marie and headed west, towards the approaching storm. Before long the first in the series of lakes I’d seen was below me. I decided to head down to the water to check out the view from there. This involved going off trail, but it also meant heading down into the woods. This actually seemed like a good idea, since a major storm was brewing.

I hiked down through trees and a series of meadows wet from melting snow. This entire hillside was blanketed with blooming Glacier Lilies. There were literally thousands of lilies blooming along here. The funny thing is that they weren’t visible from the trail. I would’ve completely missed them if it hadn’t been for my curiosity.

The flowers were breathtaking, as were the views of the frozen lake ahead. Beyond the lake, Medicine Bow Peak was slowly being engulfed by black clouds. Before long thunder began to boom, and the sky started crackling with electricity. I dug out my rain gear and found a thick stand of trees above the lake and hunkered down.

A cold, driving rain fell for about 15 minutes. Once it subsided I climbed back up to the trail above the lake. I resumed the hike, passing above one lake after another. The snow was abundant along here, too. At one point I spotted Boone in the snow above me about 20 yards away. He wasn’t paying attention to me, so I decided to fix that. I made a hefty snowball and lofted it in a high arch towards him. Somehow, improbably, it came down right on his head. I have no idea how I pulled off such a great shot.

He started looking around in bewilderment while I howled with laughter. Finally he turned his attention towards me. He still had snow running down his head, and the look on his face was precious. I pointed at him and began laughing harder. He glared back at me. I continued laughing right up to the point when he charged.

For a minute there I thought he was going to take me out. I was wrong. Instead, he pulled up at the last possible moment, executing a perfect snowplow. His technique propelled a wave of snow and slush over me. If only I’d known how easily he could get even!

A few minutes later I picked up a spur trail leading out to the Mirror Lake Picnic Area. I was running a few minutes late, and was surprised that Christy wasn’t waiting for me. I found out why a few minutes later. The picnic area was closed because of a massive snow drift blocking the entrance road. From the looks of that snow drift, that picnic area won’t be open until sometime in 2012.

I climbed over the snow drift and found Christy waiting for me on the far side. Her day had not gone exactly according to plan. She’d driven all the way into Laramie only to find that the community pool where she’d planned to swim was closed for annual maintenance. You’d think that the first week of August would be an unlikely time to do that, but apparently that’s how they do things in Laramie.

We drove back to Laramie and found our way to a KOA, where we paid $5 each for showers. Then we stopped at a liquor store to pick up some Moose Drool to take home with us. This particular liquor store had a drive-thru. Drive-thru liquor stores – for when you’re just too drunk to get out of the car and walk inside. Once that was accomplished we pointed the car east. We chased thunderstorms and rainbows on I-80 all the way into Nebraska.

Not far beyond the state line we exited the highway and drove to the Oliver State Recreation Area. The Recreation Area features a big reservoir, some picnic shelters, and a vast campground that was almost completely empty. We took one for $11 and set up quickly. Once that was accomplished we drove over to a picnic shelter for dinner, as more storms were threatening. I got the charcoal going while Christy drove around the campground looking for water. In keeping with one of the ongoing themes of our trip, there was no water to be found. Ultimately I ended up getting it out of the reservoir, which was a bit oilier than I generally prefer. I boiled the hell out of it, but it still seemed rather gross.

I grilled a steak for myself and fish for Christy while thunderstorms raged in the distance. Happily, the weather left us alone this time, though it was incredibly windy. That wind did keep the bugs at bay and made for comfortable sleeping weather. I would’ve slept great if the campground hadn’t been situated a short distance away from one of the busiest railroads in the country. I guess maybe that’s why that huge campground was deserted?

Continue reading about our trip as we travel to Iowa and hike in two state parks there.

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