THE NINTH CIRCLE OF HELL
It
was cold Wednesday morning down by the river, which led to a slow start. I returned to the trail and resumed the hike
downstream. The morning was actually quite nice, with pretty clouds and lovely views of
the river and the surrounding mountains.
The
afternoon was a different story. It was
miserably hot in the burned forest, and the heat was magnified by a scorching
wind. At least the numerous creek
crossings were refreshing. They were
also a lot easier than they had been on the hike in. It is amazing how much those creeks changed
in a little more than a week. The depth
of each creek didn’t change much, but the current had dwindled in each one.
Another
large outfitter horse train passed by on their way in. The wilderness almost seemed crowded after having
almost total solitude for most of the trip.
I
found a shady spot near the river for a late lunch. That provided a nice break from the sun. Later that afternoon I climbed up and around
the upper slot canyon. Then I dropped
down to cross Saddle Creek and Needle Creek.
Needle Creek was still the toughest ford, but it wasn’t scary like it
had been back on day 2.
I
could have camped near the old mining cabins near Needle Creek again that
night, but I had a different plan in mind.
I continued on, and made the tedious, rocky
climb to the cliffs above the lower slot canyon and across from Fall Creek
Falls. I explored the cliff area and
eventually found a reasonable spot for my tent.
It was rocky but flat and close to the best views up the canyon and across
to Fall Creek Falls.
I
hiked down the Fall Creek Falls Trail a short distance to a small stream for
water. I had to bash my way through a
tangle of briers to reach it though. Fortunately, I got enough water that I only
had to do that once.
I
enjoyed one last scenic dinner and sunset before heading to the tent.
Back to Wyoming
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Please remember to Leave No Trace!