The Bridges of Sweetwater County

[MonikaC]

This is obviously a little used trail in the Wind Rivers....... The 1st bridge has a cross hatched log to replace it. The 2nd was just over a dry marsh. My dog didn't like it but was OK going over it, but on the way back, I couldn't get her to follow me onto the crispy marsh & she broke through in 2 places.

Mount Nystrom in the background. There is an upper lake that is supposed to be very scenic, but the descent looked like a talus/scree horror show. Fortunately, the weather had deteriorated & I didn't have to make the decision as to whether or not to go there. I couldn't even find the use trail that connected with the main one.

Ice Lakes Trail. You can see why a paw would slip right through the logs. Livestock are still allowed on the trail at this point.

 

[AlanLichty]

It took me a minute to recognize the first bridge as something beyond fallen branches. That might take more than a couple of nails to rehab The second one at least resembles something like a bridge albeit with a few integrity issues. Well aged might be a useful descriptor.

 

[JimFox]

The first one has my kind of bridge! I love bridges likee that, and that one is even modernized with a bit of a railing.

Both of these look great in B&W, did you run into many people up there?

 

[MonikaC]

It took me a minute to recognize the first bridge as something beyond fallen branches. That might take more than a couple of nails to rehab The second one at least resembles something like a bridge albeit with a few integrity issues. Well aged might be a useful descriptor.

Like a fine wine? One that has seen better years?

 

[AlanLichty]

Like a fine wine? One that has seen better years?

Seen better years - pretty much like me

 

[MonikaC]

The first one has my kind of bridge! I love bridges likee that, and that one is even modernized with a bit of a railing.

Both of these look great in B&W, did you run into many people up there?

On a busy day hiking in, I saw 3 other people. By the time I reached Upper Ridge Lake, I realized that that's where people stage to hike up Wind River Peak. Not many campsites (flat area with smooth, flat rocks as a tent base) and all except one were taken. There was a lower lake that I think had just 1 tent, but there may have been collapsed tents (70 mph gusts the previous day, I heard) or bivvy sacks that I couldn't see. I think I saw 3 or 4 parties there (crowded -- a virtual climbers' ghetto!). On my last day out, which was a Saturday, there were 2 other occupied campsites along the trail, one with 2 tents. The day before, I saw 4 fishermen at the river, 2 women & their dog hiking in and 1 other person resting just down from where I took a lunch break. It was obvious that 3 or 4 horses had been in (though nobody at the TH claimed them) and turned the rocky sections into scree slopes. Oh, there was a party with 4 llamas, too.

 

[MonikaC]

Seen better years - pretty much like me