The week of August 18-24, 2008 Lise Buyer, Scott Cook, Rich Cotter, Patty Kert Dailey, Lynda Daniels, Bill Edwards, Jay Helms, John Selling and Ann Waters back packed in Wyoming's southern Wind River Range between Pinedale and Lander, Wyoming, about 100 miles southeast of Grand Teton National Park.  They followed a 36-mile loop trail through the Bridger and the Popo Agie Wilderness areas, crossing the Continental Divide twice.

The route began at Big Sandy Opening and took the Fremont Trail north across Hailey pass to stunning Grave Lake, which is surrounded by granite monoliths and requires crossing an extensive boulder field.  The most difficult day was a long and largely cross-country traverse from tranquil Valentine Lake to the south on the Lizard Head Trail across desolate Lizard Head Plateau, which extends for some four miles at nearly 12,000'.  Passage is made more difficult by gale-force winds which simply never stop and which constantly threaten to send one flying.  Fortunately we had a clear blue sky because this exposed route, which offers only one sheltered rock outcropping through its entire length, would have been impassible in even mildly inclement weather.  The reward for this was an unbelievably beautiful layover day in Lizard Head Meadows below, where the meandering North Fork of the Popo Agie River, with hidden sand bars and lush greenery, is surrounded by the Yosemite-like granite splendor of the Cirque of the Towers, far from civilization.  The exit was through the Cirque and back over the Continental Divide at Jackass Pass to the starting point.

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