DAY 5 - Leigh Creek Campground (Tensleep Canyon) to Sheep Mountain and Greybull, Wyoming
Tuesday, June 10, 1997

A Morning Hike to High Park Lookout Tower

	The previous evening we took a hike up the Tensleep Canyon along what seemed to be the remains of the old highway. This old road branched-off just above the fish hatchery. We didn't get back to Leigh Creek campground until after dark and soon settled in for our evening slumbers. This morning, we awake realizing today is our last day in the Canyon.
We have made plans to leave this paradise and head back to Greybull and Sheep Mountain today. But first, we decide to do some more sight-seeing further up the Canyon. We break camp, load the vehicles, and head up the highway several miles to the turn-off to the fire tower.
We exit the vehicles at a locked gate about a mile below the fire tower. We are off, huffing and puffing up through some pine trees, and come to a meadow clearing and catch a glimpse of the tower (photo). The air is particularly cool and brisk as we cross the meadow and stop for a quick rest among the sage (photo). We continue on and see some deer bounding away into the thick pines below the tower.

Continuing to cross the meadow, we examine the many wild flowers (photo). Finally, we arrive somewhat winded at a trailhead snaking through a canopy of pines (photo). The forest envelopes us in a warmth that shelters us from the wind. We hear bird songs as we step among patches of pine-needle laden snow. The trail now winds upwards along outcropping rocks skyward to the firetower. Our hearts pound with each step. We begin ascending a stairway partially cut into the limestone. A fossil unveils itself as we glide our hands along the walls of this staircase (photo).
Finally we arrive at the top, where the tower greets us (photo). We grab our water bottles to quench our thirst and wait for the stragglers to join us. It seems we have burned-off breakfast as a result of this labor, but fortunately Cooky pases out some Slim-Jims that we ravenously devour.
We climb the wood stairs to the tower deck and look out at the mountains and meadows as far as the eye can see. Cowpoke leans against a rail to gaze at snow-capped peaks (photo).We walk around the deck, capturing views from all sides and are awe-struck by the beauty and solitude of this place.
View 1 | View 2

Now it is time to explore the tower. Reynold goes under the deck and grabs his hand to a thick copper wire announcing that this must be a lighting rod cable (photo). Back up on the deck, Cooky and Bill lift one of the shutters for a peek at the tower interior (photo 1 | photo 2). Now just imagine bunking down in that place for a season, glass all around with a view like that.

Folks decide it is a good time to lay our weary bones down before heading back (photo). We notice the sky turns a bit menacing, signaling bad weather approaching. We vacate the tower and hike back the way we came. Cooky and Bill make a slight deviation that takes them past a outdoor chapel (St. Christopher's in the Bighorns). There, Cooky takes a moment to pray for better weather (photo). But his request is answered with a fusillade of ice pellets (photo). Guess his trail cookin has offended most everybody by now.

Finally, everybody is together at the vehicles where we break out crackers, oranges, and summer sausages. Somebody wipes Bill's knife on his jeans before he cuts the summer sausage. Suddenly KA-BAM!, a bolt of lighting strikes just over in the meadow. Lucky for Reynold a bolt didn't strike the tower when he was holding that lighting rod cable. He woulda been crisper that Cooky's bacon.

If you would like to view the USGS Topographic map of the hike area click here.