Greetings from Jackson, Wyoming!
Today, we made it out of the backcountry and headed back into civilization. After a long stretch of hiking, we are thrilled to spend some time relaxing in the front country and enjoying the mountain views before heading home.
The backcountry treated us incredibly well. We hiked hard and traveled well over 60 miles throughout the week. Our base camp was 25 miles deep in the wilderness and gave us access to quite possibly the best cutthroat trout fishing in the world. We spent time fishing lakes, rivers, and creeks, catching fish every step of the way.
On our first day, we hiked roughly 20 miles and crossed the Continental Divide. The day was long and pushed us hard, but arriving in camp was incredibly rewarding and demonstrated the strength of our group. The next day, we hiked another five miles and arrived at our base camp, where we stayed for four nights. Arriving felt incredible, and we all enjoyed a hard-earned chance to sleep in.
After our first night at base camp, we split up to check out some remote fishing spots. A few of us headed to a new spot on a lake, and the fishing was incredible. Our campers collectively caught 100 cutthroat trout. The river fishing proved more challenging, but it rewarded our anglers with opportunities to catch migratory fish of a lifetime. That night, we returned to camp, ate chicken pasta, and planned for our next day of fishing.
After some more hard-earned rest, we headed out again. Each group explored new water and had an incredible time enjoying some of the most remote fishing available in the continental United States. Both the lake and the river continued to fish well, and everyone came back to camp smiling, laughing, and reliving new memories of special places and unforgettable fish. We ate dinner and settled into bed with two more days of fishing to go.
The next day, a couple of groups returned to the lake and absolutely hammered fish. The fish were aggressive, abundant, and felt truly wild. I cannot reiterate enough how incredible this fishery was. Another group headed to the river in search of big, tricky fish. Smiling and successful, we made dinner, saddened by the thought that the following day would be our last.
The next morning, we got up and split up evenly. Two groups went to the river, while another headed to the lake. The river groups searched hard for challenging migratory fish. After many miles of walking the river, everyone connected with and landed the cutthroat trout of a lifetime. That night, we prepared for our hike home and recounted the incredible memories made on an unforgettable trip.
We got up early the following morning to hike back toward Jackson. We stopped by our favorite waterfall for lunch and took some time to look around. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we made it to camp on the Buffalo Fork River in time for dinner. We were all in awe of the views, what we had accomplished, and the time we had spent deep in the wilderness.
Today, we hiked our final five miles and made it back to the van. We headed into town and picked up some tasty snacks and pizza. After eating, we went to the Jackson Rec Center, where we swam, enjoyed the waterslide, and showered. The water always feels so good after getting out of the backcountry. Everyone is thrilled about an incredible trip, and leaving feels bittersweet.
It is hard to explain just how special the fishing was on this trip, and we cannot wait for all of you to hear the countless fish stories your kids will bring home. It truly was one for the history books.
All the best,
Owen, Evan, Charlie, & the guys
