Please do not send us packages to this location.

Ship via FedEx. They charge $25 per package pre-paid. This is a non-fundable charge and is no longer applied to other services as they have been in the past. There is a $10 fee to return the package if it is not claimed.

Ken or Marcia Powers

Will hold packages indefinitely.

Subject: 7/21, day 86, ~12 miles, 9200'
We got up in Lander again, both nights unplanned. Don and Shannon joined us for breakfast which we all enjoyed with lots of laughing. They are taking a zero day and we talked to Brenna who is a descendent of Sacagawea and has oral tradition history. Brenna went out of her way to take us to South Pass City where we picked up our trail again and headed into the Wind River Mtns, out of the desert finally. We have several maps and only one has coordinates. The guide describes a route that may be built using terms like convoluted, confusing, nonexistent. There is no tread, no tree blazes, no signage, no clues as to where to go. We tried and ended at Sioux Pass, so we came back down and camped. The problem besides no coordinates is that we are in such dense forest (tough, slow bushwhacking) that we couldn't be certain of landmarks and trying to transfer waypoints to another map by matching margins is not an accurate exercise in the field. So, over the course of the day, we hiked lots of miles and have a very small CDT gain. We'll try again in the morning. The upside is that this area is very pleasant with interesting rocks.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 7/22, day 87, ~29 miles, 9200'
What a day! Another bushwhack and hours in the dense forest made us both realize that we could get seriously lost without the GPS as a safety backup. We don't have enough food if we don't make enough progress. It made sense to backtrack out of the mountains almost to South Pass City and road walk 23 miles on the Oregon Trail to Sweetwater Guard Station which is another trail head into the Winds. (This is the option that the other hikers tried first, but we felt was an easy out.) So today was another hot day in the sage. The cows provided the humorous relief this evening trying to cross the road before we were too close. 

We camped beside the road in a drainage ditch, because it was the only flat smooth area. It wasn't one of our better ideas because as soon as the tent was up the rain and lightning started. We had waited until the last light, so it was too dark and wet to move. Fortunately the rain drains quickly in the sand. We slept soundly and the cows didn't disturb us.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 7/23, day 88, ~23 miles, 10,950'
Progress! We began the day with blue lupine blooming in the sagebrush and listening to the cows bawl. We finished the road walk this morning at the trailhead that will lead us to the Cirque of the Towers. The forest burned several years ago and the aspen and pines are thick and about head high. Wildflowers are present in a huge variety, water is running from snow patches and lakes. Of course that also means mosquitoes.

We followed the Sweetwater River up to its headwaters, crossed a gap and immediately found the Popo Agie River headwaters. We washed road dust off in the Sweetwater and then had to ford the Popo Agie (Indian meaning where the reeds grow). As we were wet hail fell thick enough to cover the trail. We each hugged a tree, then hiked on 10 minutes later.

We followed the Ice Lakes Trail into the basin. We highly recommend this route. It is such a beautiful area and very welcome after the sagebrush and heat. The mountains are mostly glacier carved rock with dozens of lakes.

We're cozy in our tent listening to the patter of a light rain and the buzz of mosquitoes at the screen door while we look out at a blue & gold sunset over the peaks. The capper is eating meringues that Marta sent. Who could ask for anything more? 

... Gottawalk

Subject: 7/24, day 89, ~24 miles, 10,950'
We hiked through the Cirque of Towers at noon today. What a spectacular area. The walls of the canyon leading up to the cirque remind us of Yosemite, just not as tall. There is even a Little El Capitan. The cirque is full of great towers of all shapes. We shot lots of pictures all day.

We saw about 35 people on the trails today. Many were hiking into Big Sandy Lake to fish. Others were hiking into the cirque and beyond to camp. That’s lots more people than we have been seeing. Probably a sign of the popularity of the Winds.

The mosquitoes were waiting for us at the tent door this morning. We made a dash for safety, but they managed to catch us. We hiked up the North Fork of the Popo Agie River all morning. There were lots  of blown down trees in great jumbles. They slowed us down so the mosquitoes could bite.

We met a scout troop at a great spot for a photo. One of the leaders took our picture with the whole Cirque of Towers as a background.

On the way down to Big Sandy Lodge we stopped to get water. Ken found some wild strawberries and picked a few. Yummy!

We made into Big Sandy Lodge in time to eat supper. Not really much at the lodge - no electricity, no phone, not many people. The only other guests are a Mormon family from Salt Lake City. It is the parents, 4 of their 5 children, and 4 grandchildren. Supper was family style so we got to chat with them.

... Gottawalk