Elk Fork Outfitters

Just west of the town of Wapati Wyoming, the Elk Fork trail sits at the bottom of a wide canyon.  Rising up above the Elk Fork River, cottonwoods thread a fall-colored yellow line following the river southeast up to the snow covered mountain ranges separating this valley from the Yellowstone Thoroughfare.  Foothills, softened by time, make up the next level of topography along this river trail.  Covered in six inch yellow grasses, the brown foothills wear a cloak yellow looking somewhat like a mink coat over their softened shoulders.  Sheer brown cliffs rise above these foothills in various monolithic formations carved by water, weather, and time into spires of rust and brown.

The valley is wide and the trail trades sides with the river, meandering from east to west staying low and flat most of the way.  Our horses and mules amble along, not working too hard with their loads of gear, food, and camp supplies.  The layer of fallen leaves which get stomped into the dirt on the trail smell of fall decay, sweet and musty and organic.  There is a slight breeze which rattles the drying leaves still holding onto the tree branches above. 

We work our way down the trail and ride into the Cabin Creek Camp about three and a half hours from the trail head.  Sunlight shines down on a yellow grass filled meadow punctuated with white canvass tents.  The creek flanks the camp and provides easy access to clean cold water.  Easy, clean and ample water is a bonus for any remote camp.  The abundance of stock grass is another and there are meadows upon meadows here, blocked at a narrow point below by a drift fence, keeping all stock from considering a run out to the trail head.  Dead and dried trees litter the ground and there is plenty of firewood to harvest.  

This is Seth and Alden’s new outfitting camp.  Summer trips and fall hunts will be how they prioritize their lives as they begin to build their livelihood around this wilderness retreat.  Outfitting is not easy business.  It requires a big investment; horses and mules, saddles and pack saddles, tents and cots, stoves and saws to cut the wood for the stoves,  insurance coverage, trucks and trailers, barns to store all of this when winter arrives, and lots of lots of work.  This is their summer and fall home.  There is no where they would rather be – and it is a fine, fine place, indeed. 

The story of the hunt will come later.  This place, set deep in the wilderness, is magical and unique.  Check out their website at Elk Fork Outfitters