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Forget you GPS. The Wind River range is one of the most beautiful places 
on the face of the earth - you don't care where you are. I lived in CO 
for several years and spent a lot of time exploring it on foot and cross 
country skies (even multiday trips living in snow caves). This is truly 
"God's country."  High altitude Rocky mountain  lakes are wonderful for 
trout. I will catch and release in the lower elevation streams and 
rivers but in the remote high altitude lakes I will take and eat (unless 
posted otherwise).

When we were up there in '97 I went off on the Jbird. We were following 
Xcountry ski trails, roads, goat trails - whatever we could find. It's 
getting late and duh ............... where are we. I looked at the Bird 
and said, "look brain dead dumb sh** Ayrrrrrrrrrab...... unless you want 
to sleep on the side of this mountain tonight and miss dinner we have to 
go straight down the side over down timber to get to the valley so we 
can bushwhack out way back. A GPS is pretty much worthless in this case, 
but a compass isn't.

Well he responded, down off the side of the mountain we go, hopping logs 
to the stream bed and cross country to our camp. I was impressed. He did 
all this with a stringer of trout slapping against his side - amazing. 
On that day he was a horse that would make old Jim Bridger proud.

Forgive me Cindy Collins for telling your secrets.

Truman

Jonni wrote:

> Truman posted: >>> and endurance is the best way I know of spending time
> with your horse unless you are camped in the Wind River range in WY and you
> can ride into a good trout lake and catch dinner. That's pretty close to
> being as good as endurance, ten mile ride in, fly fish and a 10 mile ride
> out to camp<<
>
> During the XP2004, we camped near South Pass City (SW of Lander WY). One of
> the days off, we went exploring in the southern most part of the Wind River
> range. I bought a Topo map, and we headed out. I had not used a topo in
> years since the invention of GPS's. But the GPS did not have a map loaded in
> it, and the details needed to negotiate the trail I had planned. Did about a
> 12-15 mile loop, past numerous small mountain lakes ponds. I still
> remembered how to read the map, and figure where we were, and which trail to
> take at the Y's and splits.  Years ago we used to do lots of exploring in
> the Sierras with just a topo, and a couple good horses. We would pack our
> collapsible fishing poles, and head back into the wilderness to catch the
> wild stream trout. We did catch and release, tho' I DO love trout for
> dinner! Indeed, nothing better than riding in beautiful country, and
> stopping to trout fish. I did not get to trout fish when in WY, but I'd put
> the Wind River range on my list of places to return to some day. There were
> miles and miles of trails and dirt / jeep roads, it looked like a great area
> to explore some more, or maybe even a location for a multi-day ride. Saw
> lots of wildlife, including a moose. Pretty common up in that area.
>
> Jonni in TX
>
>  



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