First Day in the Wind Rivers 2021

One day years before this, I heard about the Wind River Range and I immediately wanted to go.  I even planned a trip with Leo to go backpacking there the first week of September 2020--but alas, that was not to be since a massive snow storm blew in.  So we went elsewhere.  I regrouped, strategized and made a new plan.  I invited all my brothers and sisters and their spouses on WhatsApp to go backpacking with me to the Wind Rivers in 2021.  My plan was highly successful, although not without a few hiccups--I had a devil of a time convincing Megan that the route Leo and I had meticulously planned would be the best.  Actually, Leo's friend who goes up there all the time, lent us maps and basically planned our route for us once we decided to go to the Cirque of the Towers.  I'm so glad we listened to him though, because the random route he suggested for the first day was not on any blog/Alltrails/recommended-by-anyone-else that I found (and I did do a ton of research), but it was all of our's favorite hike.  Anyway, towards the end of August, Megan and Jared, Kayli and Brett, and Leo and I started off on a 4 day backpacking trip.  The first day was just spent driving there, we met early afternoon at the Big Sandy Trailhead and then hiked in to camp just past Marms Lake.  Look at us all fresh and excited!

Our good friends, Bekah and Chad Hughes, lent us our backpacking gear.  Since falling in love with backpacking on this trip, I've bought my own.😏😉 Not as happy, I brought my OLD pair of Chacos to wear around camp, and my getting old hiking boots for hiking (obviously), but I'd already had cortisone shots twice that summer for plantar fasciitis, and anyway, the first two days on my feet were no bueno.  Although the last two were fine. I threw both pairs of shoes away when I got home.  

This is the only day that isn't going to be picture overload.  Okay, and the day we hike out.  But seriously, I'm warning you, LOTS of pictures coming.