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Show Bridger Hike Review Presented Editor's Ncte: The following article about the Bridges Hike last summer in the Windriver mountains of Wyoming, was presented last Thursday even, ing at the mid-winter meeting of Bridger Men and their part- By J. S. STANFORD As a fitting climax to the Bridger Bridg-er Hike last August the Bridger men and their wimmin' met Thursday for the big powwow at the Scout office to renew friendships friend-ships and review hardships (mild variety) on the rock trails of the Windriver mountains in Wyoming. Wyom-ing. With the help of movies in color, Kodachrome slides and verbal ver-bal reminders the Bridger men again tramped and toiled, fished and feasted, rode, waded, coasted on snowbanks and other actions that made up a big part of the trek. Starting again (as in 1939-'40) from Elkhart park, high above Fremont lake, the trail dipped sharply then led us up, with windings to 10,000 feet on to Eklund lake, of golden trout fame on south and east, winding dipping in and out of gulches, arriving footsore, backsore and empty at Pole creek. Fish quickly left the lake-stream below a fall and sought the frying fry-ing pans. Ah ! that aroma, and meal. A side trip next day to Cook's lakes, high in the mountain moun-tain tops, where golden trout played and succumbed to the Hunsaker lures (of dad and son) and Pole creek funished its quota of trout to other nimrods. In next day, crossing Pole creek by wading, wad-ing, riding seate horses or would-be would-be bronchos, on past Chain lakes to Baldy creek where several large native trout were coaxed to shore during the lunch hour. Camping at Fall creek we were joined by Preston Pond and Allen Bateman who came in on horses by another trail. On next day over Hat Pass Knob, coasting there on a snowbank, snow-bank, to North Fork lake for a two night's camp. Here the fish in three lakes begged to be 'took' and they were 'took' aplenty. Bridgeman Ricks states emphatically, emphat-ically, "There's no better fishing anywhere." And we agree. Rip-(plinger) Rip-(plinger) and his alpine men topped Victor peak but their altimeter al-timeter couldn't take it. With fish in packs we took the downward down-ward trail to George lake for the last night out. Hy dragged several brook trout out of this lake. Hy was prepared for "any" fish with his two poles and 99 lues. Last day, down, winding, including in-cluding a pleasant detour, then past Burnt lake and on, scaring a bear off the trail, on to the bus. A hard day but soon forgotten, for-gotten, smothered by memories of those days on 'high' (places). So we lived again those sunny-rainy days when new friends were made, old friendships grew stronger, strong-er, tender back- and feet got tough and appetities got longer. Preceding the pictures, a concise con-cise review of the life of Jim Bridger's tall tales, was presented by Bridgerman Joel Ricks. Mr. Ripplinger (1944 Jim Bidger) in picturesque garb, and gun, gave us some taller tales. Hy Hunsaker, Hun-saker, chief of the 1943 hike, reviewed re-viewed the history of the Bridger-men Bridger-men organization since the beginning be-ginning in 1936. Bill Bell, past Jim Bridger, gave a stimulating talk. Old man-of-the-mountain, Henry Cooper, led the group in singing. Pond, Coombs, Hunsaker, Stanford, Bell, Croft and Crookston, past Jim Bridgers, were present. After the pictures, refreshments were served. Having been well fed with words, pictures and nice things for the "inne man" men with wimmin' departed well filled. |