Almost 35 years ago, I was in the Navy and came home to elk hunt. My brothers and dad had already gone on a week long hunt the season before. I had a limited amount of time so dad decided to do a quick, lightweight spike camp with with me in a Wilderness area at timberline. There was no established trail up the drainage so we decided to lead one pack horse and hike up.
Day before season started we arrived at timberline after a three hour hike. While unloading stuff dad realized he forgot the pots and pans.
We cooked Dinty Moore Stew in the cans over the fire the first night.
In the morning I went hunting while dad hung close by camp and kept an eye on a big opening in the basin. About mid-morning a couple hunters came up the trail into the basin. Dad recognized one and they began talking, and dad mentioned he had forgot pots and pans.
His friend said he had camped in this basin about 15 years ago and had stashed a couple pots under some rocks in the scree field 50 yards from our tent. I came strolling into camp just in time to see dad's friend lift up a rock to reveal two pots.
What are the chances at 11,500 ft in altitude in a Wilderness area?
Casey
