Exploring new terrain with a best friend, what could be better? Donnie and Hunter’s friendship began in Missouri, and I would say it was a friendship that was destined to be. Hunter has known Rue since her first days with us, and was a Best Man in our wedding. I always knew that Donnie’s friendship with Hunter would be one he would carry throughout his life, and that when our time in Missouri came to an end it only signaled that a new chapter was about to begin in their friendship. From duck hunting to mushroom hunting, fishing to turkey hunting-they’ve really done it all together. Even though adventures together aren’t anything new for these two, in July they had planned to go on their greatest one yet.
They had planned to go on a 50 mile roundtrip backpacking quest into the Teton Wilderness, into the Thorofare region to the headwaters of the Yellowstone River to catch Yellowstone Cutthroat. The Thorofare region is the most remote place and holds the highest population of grizzly bears and wolves in the continental United States. Sure to be a challenge, a trip like this certainly doesn’t just happen. With careful planning and research, Donnie and Hunter knew the route they wanted to take, where to camp, and even what flies to bring for their fishing rods. But despite precise planning and the best intentions, plans don’t always work out.
After camping at the trailhead, they woke up the next morning with their backpacks ready-the 25 mile hike to the Thorofare region would soon begin. However, no sooner than they could get started they quickly realized that although they were excited and eager for this long awaited journey together, it probably wasn’t in their best interest at this time. With 60 pound packs on their back, when finally reaching their destination they knew that they would be beyond exhausted, resulting in not being able to make sound decisions and adequately protect themselves. Simply stated, it just wasn’t the right time and may be more of a trip to take with a pack animal.
When Donnie and Hunter’s original plans did not work out they didn’t hesitate to adventure on, just in a different way. That’s when they discovered the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Cutt-Slam. The perfect challenge for these two outdoors enthusiasts! The Cutt-Slam was created to increase the appreciation of Wyoming’s native trout and to catch and release Wyoming’s four cutthroat sub-species in their native waters. Definitely doable but requiring motivation, they set out to complete the Cutt-Slam.
Tent camping in various campgrounds along their chase for the native Cutthroat in Wyoming, they truly had the best of time together. The first trout they sought after was the Yellowstone Cutthroat-found in Northwest Wyoming and Yellowstone National park. They caught this trout in the Yellowstone River, in Yellowstone National park after a 5 mile hike. The second trout on the list was the Snake River Cutthroat-the most unique to Wyoming. This trout was caught in Teton National Park after hunting around and finally finding some slower moving water. Third on their list was the Bonneville Cutthroat-which have the smallest range in Wyoming. This trout was caught in the Salt Creek near Afton, Wyoming. Finally, that left them with only the Colorado Cutthroat left. They caught this final sub-species in North Horse Creek in the Bridger National Forest.
It honestly isn’t uncommon for plans to change during an outdoor excursion. You can have all the plans made, but sometimes the great outdoors calls for something different instead. You really must go with the flow and be adaptable. For this trip, spending time with a best friend was far more important than the original objective. I know these two will have many more adventures together throughout life, and I am confident that someday they will make it to the Thorofare region in the Teton Wilderness.
Wherever you live, I encourage you to spend time outside. Sometimes, we don’t do this near enough. For Donnie, being outside is his true happy place. For me, being outside is grounding. If I ever feel claustrophobic from my own thoughts, anxiety-ridden, or slightly stressed-it is usually nothing that a simple hike can’t cure. I believe as human beings we are meant to spend time outside, more than just a rare occasion. I love thinking about life as an adventure. We can choose our path and make plans along the way, but that certainly doesn’t mean that everything always works out the way that we intended it to. Oftentimes, it doesn’t-and I’ve learned that this very fact can ultimately be a part of the beauty of it.
In the Spirit of Adventure,
Demie
Thank you for sharing Donnie and Hunter’s adventure!
Iowa Mom