Nuisance bear in southern Winds

Just returned from a week in the Winds.

On the way in to East Fork Valley (Mon. 7/18), a forest service trail crew warned us that a black bear was raiding camps around Big Sandy Lake, the Cirque, Clear/Deep Lake, and other areas in the southern winds.

A party was camped near the Washakie Creek crossing of the Pyramid Lake trail. On saturday 7/23 the bear attempted to raid their camp three times but they managed to finally scare it off. It never approached our camp that night, about 300 yards upstream. This puts it potentially on the west side of the cirque at Shadow Lake.

This means the bear has a range of around 10 miles and could be a problem for any of the areas accessed from Big Sandy Trailhead. The bear is obviously associating people as a potential food source.

Just a heads up to take extra care in bear precautions with food storage and prep!

As an aside, the forest service trail crew is politely enforcing camp rules - proper food storage, camping 200 feet from streams, 200 feet from trails, etc.

Thanks for the head's up. How does the snowpack look on the approaches to climbs on Raid and the Ambush Peaks?

Man, what a bummer. This bear has obviously gotten into poorly stored food. Sounds like a dangerous situation. Safe travels for those in the area and I really hope this doesn't end up badly for the bear.

losbill wrote:Thanks for the head's up. How does the snowpack look on the approaches to climbs on Raid and the Ambush Peaks?

Thanks for the update on the pesky bears Arlo. Headed that way tomorrow. How were the nuisance mosquitos by the way.

Mosquitos were definitely present, even when making breakfast at 5am. I think if you stay higher up, away from lonesome lake they're not as bad.

I was in the area less than a week ago, about 20 miles outside of Pinedale. Not quite IN the Winds, but close. The mosquitoes were the worst I have ever experienced in my entire life.

I have experienced "the worst mosquitos in my life" several times in the winds.

I've seen them way worse than on this trip (Scab creek entrance from about mile 2 to Divide lake), and it depends on your experience in the Winds. If you have never been to the Winds you would say they were plentiful.

However, if you have been to the Winds this time of year I would say less than average. If you avoided being outside at dawn and dusk then you miss the worst of them. Also, our choice in campsite had a nice breeze most of the time which kept them hunkered down.

But after going into the Winds for over 40 years I've developed "mosquitoe zen" where I tune them out...

AND saying they are below average could just be a ploy to keep those who say "the worst mosquitoes ever" from ever coming back to the Winds...lol.

Thanks, going in in a week and was already planning on taking a bear canister for the first time. May take spray as well.

I have been hiking / climbing in the Winds since 1990... this past weekend my mind was blown when a Wolverine walked within 20 feet of us, stood on his haunches and checked us out before continuing on his way... man, i am still floored by this !!!!

Cannot believe how blessed/fortunate I feel to have seen one of the worlds most elusive mammals in one of the worlds most beautiful places... wow..

You need to contact Wyoming Game and Fish and report the sighting - they keep track of the sightings.

I've been going into the Winds since the early 1960's, and had never seen a wolverine. However, last year I sighted one the second week of August below Deep lake. I woke up early and was going for a walk but didn't have my camera. Since the valley here is either granite slabs or grass, I couldn't find any tracks to take pictures of to send to Game and Fish..

Arlo - i have contacted two wyoming dnr guys , one in pinedale- one in lander. Both very excited as were we! I was told there have actually been 5 sightings in the past two years - yiurs included im sure. I am more than stoked!!!

was in for six days and just got out a couple ago. saw what looked to be a marmot from a distance sitting on a rock, but when we approached, it got up and walked over and went into to a hollow at the base of a large old tree. the wife and i agree that it was not a marmot. it seemed more like a pine marten, which we have seen multiple times, but larger. we have both pine martens and marmots living in the mountains within miles of our house, so we are very familiar with these critters. it is very exciting to hear of your sighting. i hope what we experienced was the one you saw! we were in the southern part of the range.

BackAtItAgain wrote:

Where was that taken?

On top of Lester Pass....the animal got really close to us - stood up on its haunches at about 20 feet.. by the time the camera was ready, he was maybe 100 feet away, lucky to get the shot at all, plus lucky to get the look of a lifetime !

Awesome!

Be sure to report this to Wyo game and fish - having a photo will be very useful to them!

And they can verify if it is a Wolverine.

Arlo F Niederer wrote:Awesome! Be sure to report this to Wyo game and fish - having a photo will be very useful to them! And they can verify if it is a Wolverine.

Wow! Congrats!