One of the oldest ranges on earth, the Wind River Range runs from NW Wyoming to west central Wyoming for 150 miles. It contains the highest peak in the middle and northern Rocky Mountains . This mountain range is one of the most spectacular ranges in the world filled with cathedral-like, glacially carved out granite mountains, called "cirques". It has thousands of lakes formed by these glaciers. The sub-alpine forest is filled with lodge pole pine, limber pine, white bark pine, spruce, fir and aspen. It is a naturalists and fisherman's paradise being home to the golden, brook, rainbow, brown, cutthroat, and grayling trout. Mammals commonly seen are: moose, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, marmots, fox, pika, coyote, and an occasional black bear. We primarily travel on the east side of the Wind River Range in the Popo Agie and Fitzpatrick Wilderness of the Shoshone National Forest . The Wind River Range is home to the Shoshone and Arapaho Indian Tribes. The hiking is usually moderate to strenuous and progressive,  if 5 days or more, with one or two layover days. Trips 3 or 4 days run from a base camp. Elevations are 8,000 to 11,000 ft.

In terms of geology, the Absaroka Range is the only western range formed by ancient volcanic eruptions. This mountain range extends from SE Montana to NW Wyoming. We visit the SE portion of the Absarokas just north of Dubois , WY . It is lush with wildflowers, pine, and fir with wide open meadows in the center of the spectacular Pinnacle Buttes. The buttes contain beautiful purple, red and gray layers of ash sediment, known as breccia. Fantastic forms and sculptures have been left in the weathered stone. Because of its rich diversity and Dunior River running through the area, the Absarokas are a wildlife paradise! There is great fishing for cutthroat and brook trout. Numerous owls, eagles, hawks, mule deer, moose, elk, bighorn sheep, coyote, wolf, and bear make their home in the Absarokas.  The hiking is usually moderate, and typically from a wilderness base camp, although longer trips of 5 days or so may be progressive. Elevations are 7,500 to 10,000 ft.

   Located about 65 miles SW of Lander, Wyoming , the Red Desert encompasses the Continental Divide which splits to surround a basin that amazingly drains to neither the Atlantic nor Pacific. The Red Desert contains a variety of magnificent land forms such as red-buttoned desert lakes, barren areas of sheet erosion and painted badlands, volcanic necks and cones, shifting sand dunes with buried ice deposits and fossil beds from an ancient inland sea. The Red Desert is home to a desert elk herd, wild horses, thousands of antelope, coyotes, sage grouse, and one of the highest raptor densities in the U.S. The hiking is easy and trips are usually 3 or 4 days with elevations around 7,000 ft.

The beautiful canyon walls formed by the Sweet Water River which starts from the Wind River Range and runs south east and then east approximately 45 miles from Lander, just north of the Red Desert. The Sweetwater River has excellent rainbow and brown trout fishing!  Antelope, mule deer, desert elk, sage grouse, prairie dogs, badgers, hawks, and falcons are abundant. The entry to the canyon is rolling open sage county with the whole southern end of the Wind River Range visible. The hiking is easy, and trips are usually 3 or 4 days from a base camp. Elevations are around 7,000 ft.

Is the mouth of the Popo Agie river at the edge of the Popo Agie Wilderness in the Shoshone National Forest. It is a spectacular steep canyon gouged by the Popo Agie River. It is home to deer and moose, and occasional black bear. The Sinks Canyon trips will include a visit past the "Popo Agie Falls". It is sub alpine terrain with sage brush, lodge pole pine, and aspens phasing into wide open meadow parks where the river meanders before plunging down the canyon. There is fishing for brook and rainbow. Elevations are 7,500 to 9,000 ft. Hiking is moderate, and trips are 3 or 4 days from a base camp.

Time frame June 1 through September 15. July 1 through September 15 for fishing.

Note: Most all of the above trips beginning and ending time frames are the historical times of access. In any given year, in any given location, the time frame can be pushed forward or backwards as it depends upon winter and spring snow levels. So if you have a trip in the beginning or end of the time frame, it is slightly possible we would need to move the geographic location of the trip due to weather.

A 3 or 4 day trip, which would be 2 and 3 nights, would be going into one specific area and participating in day hikes and activities. We travel 5 to 6 miles, with the day hikes less. Day hike activities would include, exploring higher elevations and alpine meadows, fishing, wildlife viewing in early morning, wild flower identification, rock and mountain type identification. We usually pack a lunch, and return early to mid afternoon to base camp. If the trip has 6 or more people, there will be two guides, and day hike activities can be divided into groups if necessary.

A 5 day trip or longer would be primarily progressive, meaning we have a further distance to travel or cover and move 6 to 10 miles per day with 1 or 2 layover days in the same spot with day hike activities. These trips are usually in the Wind River Range, but can take place in the Absaroka Range. These trips get into the heart of deep high alpine backcountry.