Bench Trail, Bighorn Mt Range

[JPGLSG1234]

Linda and I did this 10 mile hike back in 2014, we started form the Ranger Creek end and it was all down hill from an altitude of 7649 feet to 5200 feet a piece of cake. This year we started at the 5200 foot level and worked our way up. We made it to the 4 mile mark at 6400 foot level and asked ourselves had we lost our minds. We started very early in the morning but it seemed we'd be doing the 10 mile mark in the middle of the night. Our ride back to the trail head would have long since given up on us and call the rescue squad reporting two crazy old people were lost on the trail. We did the right thing and turned around and enjoyed the trail back.

If any of you are ever in the area the drive between the mountains of the shell canyon is stunning.

A little side note, I'm never in favor of sign shooting of any kind. Looks like some moron was taking target practice at the trail head sign, look closely at the hypothermia section and the Forest Service D of A.

 

[John in WYO]

When folks come to Wyoming from lower elevations I always encourage them to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. 6200’ at my old home North of Cheyenne.
When I’d hunt south of Laramie above 8000’ I’d sometimes get a “hang-over” type headache. Yep, altitude sickness. Water helped.

 

[JPGLSG1234]

When folks come to Wyoming from lower elevations I always encourage them to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. 6200’ at my old home North of Cheyenne.
When I’d hunt south of Laramie above 8000’ I’d sometimes get a “hang-over” type headache. Yep, altitude sickness. Water helped.

John

Linda and I learned years ago being low landers and loving the out west mountains that the Boost O2 canisters were our friend.

 

[John in WYO]

Did you see any black bears on/along the trail?
Season is open and all I am seeing are grizzlies near Cody…

In the above photo, the sow and cub were about 275 yards away and responding to my injured fawn distress calls while calling coyotes in the area. My GF and I left the area when the griz’ responded.


What Ruger revolver did you carry on the trail?

The first time I was in the BigHorns hiking I carried an OM .45 Colt.

Outside of Cody, Bisley Blackhawk .500 Linebaugh by John L. (RIP)

Glad you and Linda had a safe trip.

 

[JPGLSG1234]

Did you see any black bears on/along the trail?
Season is open and all I am seeing are grizzlies near Cody…

View attachment 31218


What Ruger revolver did you carry on the trail?

The first time I was in the BigHorns hiking I carried an OM .45 Colt.

Outside of Cody, Bisley Blackhawk .500 Linebaugh by John L. (RIP)

Glad you and Linda had a safe trip.

I've got a Ruger Redhawk Alaskan 454 with some hard cast bullets in a center chest rig.

Linda said see caught a glimpse of a mountain lion but I was looking else where and didn't see it. We ran across a hunter that said he saw an emaciated lion while blowing his elk horn and we should be ware. The mountains were full of elk and the bow hunters were out in force. I had heard that the Grizzley were getting way outside of the park in the Cody area.

We got closer than I ever wanted to be to a grizzle while hiking in Glacier a few years back. I was drawn and ready to shoot but it went on by. I swear it was the size of a VW beetle and huffing at us the whole time while in sight. We had just arrive at the bottom of Hidden Lake trial.

 

[John in WYO]

We have a 50 mile “buffer” between YNP and Cody. Grizzlies are definitely east of THAT buffer.

These grizzlies are North and East of Heart Mountain.

 

[Robb Barnes]

I have a friend who lives outside of Cody and runs cattle on Heart Mnt. He has had a couple of young grizzlies pestering his stock most of the summer. He has sent some pretty good photos to me showing me how brazen the youngsters are.

 

[Bullthrower338]

When folks come to Wyoming from lower elevations I always encourage them to drink lots of water to stay hydrated. 6200’ at my old home North of Cheyenne.
When I’d hunt south of Laramie above 8000’ I’d sometimes get a “hang-over” type headache. Yep, altitude sickness. Water helped.

My house in Houston was 40’ elevation, I thought I would die every year when I’d come home to Montana to hunt above 8k

 

[John in WYO]

 

[John in WYO]

Robb,

The above video is likely the same the pair your friend was having trouble with.

We believe the red colored sow in the picture above is their mom with her new boyfriend…taken through a spotting scope with a cell phone from about 3/4 of a mile away, several miles west of where the two 2 year olds were videoed

 

[John in WYO]

PS: “I” took the photos and video posted above.
Dustin Linebaugh was with me.

Oops, sorry for the thread drift.

BTW, Shell Canyon is beautiful!

 

[Durango Dave]

Thanks for sharing. I love the mountains. I've ridden my Harley through the Bighorn mountains a couple of times. Not highway 14 where you were. I've been across highway 14A to the north and highway 16 to the south of your hike. Beautiful.

 

[BearBiologist]

Saw grizzly dropping east of Thermopolis while hunting deer.

 

[HAWKEYE#28]

Part of the reason for the invention of coffee table books.......God bless you hikers........I do have some superb memories and proud to be 84+.............