Jax Turns 12

According to Jax's medical records he was born on February 4th so we spend the day hiking out behind Last Hurrah looking for more loops we can hike with guests. Jax is 84 and I'm 73 and he smokes me every time we go on a hike. He is unbelievably fit still. His first couple years he was in and out staying here as his mother Michelle was always on the go. Most if not all of the last ten yeaars he has lived here. He's pretty much feral now and rarely listens to any direction I give him. I'm beginning my 20th year here. Never imagined that was even possible when I moved out here. I was unbelievable fat having spent twenty something years working at indoor soccer facilities, eating out of the snack bars and sleeping in the office or bleachers. Out here I settled in at around 210 bouncing back and forth a little but not much and felt very healthy. Over the summer I got the stomach illness and lost 28 pounds is 60 days. It's mostly solved now but when I went and saw my doctor last week I told him I was still losing weight but not much and was down to 180. Should I be concerned? He took my height and stuck it in some chart and said I'm still six pounds overweight so don't worry about it.

Those charts don't really measure fat versus muscle to can be misleading though probably not in my case. I lost most of my endurance during the illness but I'm out every day working to get it back. In a perfect world I'll get 20 more years out here.

Anti Cline Shelf

Teresa beginning her fifth year here brought in a friend from Rochester to work for three months during the busy season. She's had much better luck bringing in people from Rochester than I have had hiring them locally. Teresa, Jax, and I are going to hike the lower shelf of the Anti-Cline and find a way down one of the canyons to the Wind Caves and return to the lodge. Jerry says he'd like to go with us.

we can see the Wind Caves down below so heading down a canyon to make our way over there and then return to the lodge. Should be about a six mile loop.

What a beautiful hike.

Return

We never found a way down so maybe from the upper shelf to the road. We found it but it's a long and difficult hike. Jax ran us through the tamarisk which is easy for him but I'm constantly getting hit by sharp branches in the upper body until we finally get out. Then we have to climb a couple ridges to get back to the road.

More Search

A few days ago Jax and I searched the lower shelf going up the river trying to find a six or eight mile loop we could take guests on but never found a way up from the lower shelf to the upper. On this day we're searching the upper shelf for a way down and if we find it we'll do the loop in the opposite direction. We come across the San Juan County and Grand County line.

Good view of Jackson Butte and the Pot Ash plant.

We're getting closer to the Pot Ash Boat Ramp. If we don't find a way down by the time we get there then I'm afraid there isn't one and we'll have to look for a scenic loop elsewhere without covering the same ground on the way out and the way back.

Prommel

There was to be a second oil well over by Prommel Oil Well #1 on the way to Jackson Hole. They cleared a pad for it and a rough road to it but never got past that. Jax and I spend a day hiking around that area.

Search

I'm looking for about an eight mile or so loop out to Jackson Hole where I can occasionally takes guests. Jax and I hiked along the river trying to find a place where we could join the Jackson Hole loop rode to come back on but never found a way over the ride above us. Picturesque hike however.

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