Chip
Well-known member
Some hikes are not long, arduous slogs that you're (secretly) happy are over. Some involve locations, scenery, wildlife and friends that you wish wouldn't end. This was one of those.
Beginning in Junior High and through High School a few teachers took a few of us students hiking. If you hiked well you got invited to go camping. If you camped well you got invited on winter peak multi-days in the Adirondacks. Then there was some rock climbing thrown in. Gene Shea was one of those teachers. I blame him for any desire I have today to get outdoors
. He and his wife are now recently retired and spend their summers managing RV parks in Alaska and Yellowstone. He's the Big Cheese at Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone this summer.
He had off the 28th so I planned to meet up with him and do something. I was travelling with my family (wife and 2 boys) and my friend Mark's family (wife and 3 girls). Me, Mark and Gene decided to hike Mt Washburn out of Dunraven Pass while the wifes and kids toured Canyon.
Early in the trip we spotted a decent sized Grizzly grazing near a stream. He appeared to be non-collared and unaware of our presence. The "trail" up Washburn had originally been a road cut out to accomodate cars. Old Model T's supposedly backed up the entire way due to gravity fed fuel pumps . At the summit is an active Fire Tower with a resident ranger and viewing platform.
Near the summit we turned a corner and were stopped by several Longhorn Sheep. I was able to walk up quite close and snap a personal favorite trip photo of one of them. Looking back down the trail we spotted the rest of the herd lounging in a snow field on this warm summer day.
We took a lunch break at the Fire Tower with the obligatory summit portraits. We were soon heading back down the trail at a slower pace as none of us felt a need to end this hike early.
I owe alot to my former teacher and friend, Gene Shea. I let him know it and plan to hike with him again before another 30 years flies by.
Beginning in Junior High and through High School a few teachers took a few of us students hiking. If you hiked well you got invited to go camping. If you camped well you got invited on winter peak multi-days in the Adirondacks. Then there was some rock climbing thrown in. Gene Shea was one of those teachers. I blame him for any desire I have today to get outdoors
. He and his wife are now recently retired and spend their summers managing RV parks in Alaska and Yellowstone. He's the Big Cheese at Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone this summer.He had off the 28th so I planned to meet up with him and do something. I was travelling with my family (wife and 2 boys) and my friend Mark's family (wife and 3 girls). Me, Mark and Gene decided to hike Mt Washburn out of Dunraven Pass while the wifes and kids toured Canyon.
Early in the trip we spotted a decent sized Grizzly grazing near a stream. He appeared to be non-collared and unaware of our presence. The "trail" up Washburn had originally been a road cut out to accomodate cars. Old Model T's supposedly backed up the entire way due to gravity fed fuel pumps
. At the summit is an active Fire Tower with a resident ranger and viewing platform. Near the summit we turned a corner and were stopped by several Longhorn Sheep. I was able to walk up quite close and snap a personal favorite trip photo of one of them. Looking back down the trail we spotted the rest of the herd lounging in a snow field on this warm summer day.
We took a lunch break at the Fire Tower with the obligatory summit portraits. We were soon heading back down the trail at a slower pace as none of us felt a need to end this hike early.
I owe alot to my former teacher and friend, Gene Shea. I let him know it and plan to hike with him again before another 30 years flies by.
Last edited:
