WILLOW CREEK
Sublette County - Bridger National Forest - 36N-109W
September 29, 1960: The 60-year-old man became separated from a party of fishing companions Saturday afternoon as they returned from a hike to Glimpse Lake.
Rex Crews, who has a lung missing, said that "something went wrong with my breathing apparatus and I kind of blacked out." When he recovered, he discovered himself alone and off the trail.
His only food was a candy bar, his only protection against the cold was a light jacket. His shoes were light oxfords, hardly ample footwear for a 20-mile hike.
According to descriptions of the country given by Crews, former forest ranger Harmon Shannon said he hiked to within a quarter of a mile of Trapper lake, around Section Corner lakes and to the top of Willow Creek lookout.
Crews said he spent Sunday night below the top of the Lookout. Here he built a fire and looked up to the mountain above him. "Tomorrow morning I'm going to climb that mountain and find a way out of here."
Monday he reached the top of the hill from where he could see the sunlight reflecting off of something at a great distance. "It looked like a little ball," he commented. It was believed this would be the metal roof of some ranch building in the valley.
The Cheyenne man headed "as the crow flies" for the building. He crawled over down timber, rocks "which would make this house look like a pebble" and up and down hill, finally emerging at the Willow Creek guard station.
Shortly after the lost man arrived at the guard station he was discovered by Ed Osmond a forest service employee making a timber check in the area." (The Pinedale Roundup)
Rex Crews, who has a lung missing, said that "something went wrong with my breathing apparatus and I kind of blacked out." When he recovered, he discovered himself alone and off the trail.
His only food was a candy bar, his only protection against the cold was a light jacket. His shoes were light oxfords, hardly ample footwear for a 20-mile hike.
According to descriptions of the country given by Crews, former forest ranger Harmon Shannon said he hiked to within a quarter of a mile of Trapper lake, around Section Corner lakes and to the top of Willow Creek lookout.
Crews said he spent Sunday night below the top of the Lookout. Here he built a fire and looked up to the mountain above him. "Tomorrow morning I'm going to climb that mountain and find a way out of here."
Monday he reached the top of the hill from where he could see the sunlight reflecting off of something at a great distance. "It looked like a little ball," he commented. It was believed this would be the metal roof of some ranch building in the valley.
The Cheyenne man headed "as the crow flies" for the building. He crawled over down timber, rocks "which would make this house look like a pebble" and up and down hill, finally emerging at the Willow Creek guard station.
Shortly after the lost man arrived at the guard station he was discovered by Ed Osmond a forest service employee making a timber check in the area." (The Pinedale Roundup)
Removed