BTW #40 Back to the West Journey Tracks of the StoneBear
Monday July 20, 2012
Saratoga, Wyoming 3 Hot Sulfur Springs 1st DRAFT pix are coming and they are good!
You never drink twice from the same stream.
StoneBearTracks Copyright MMXV ALL blog posts and photographs ALL Rights reserved
Already established that Saratoga is one of my favorite small towns. Pop; 1,726. The uniquness of this 6,889' elev back-range gem is a diamond in the rough.
While putting around in the Saratoga city museum which is a fantastic place, met and talked with old Marine jarhead Leon. Judge Leon was an eccentric old coot and he directed to go down to the hot springs. After seeing some of the town, hang a right on 2nd street, out 3 blocks to one of the greatest places in the world.
The city of Saratoga, Wyoming has provided a free hot springs to the public. Thank you Saratoga! I've recently traveled through Glenwood Springs, and Hot Sulfur Springs, Colo --- and they wanted $17.50 an hour to soak in the pools that were the lords gift to us. They thought they "owned" the hot springs, -- the earths bounty-- as their right and could charge for them. Those Bastards!
The City of Saratoga knew different and provided -- recently built at city expense-- a world class pavilion for the hot springs pool open to the public. At least a few people have not lost their minds as to taking a pristine natural resource and thinking they could charge money for it... ?Who could charge their own citizens to soak in mother natures bounty of hot springs? I guess absolute bastards that thought the "owned" natures bounty / gift. There are bastards that think like that; the "we own nature" mentality. They think they "own" the Rockies... or Glacier np.... They wish they "owned" the Grand Canyon...
There are bastards that if they could charge for a breath of air at the Grand Canyon... they would do it. Then there are the few wise folks ,... the Shoshone Tribe at Thermopolis, Wyoming,.... and the city of Saratoga, WY folks that understand that this great wonder/ bounty of the earth that they are the guardians of... is not owned. It IS a gift of mother earth and they are the wise stewards that helps / assists their brothers and sisters / citizens a place to enjoy it. Thank you !
Here at Tracks of the StoneBear, natural hot springs are special places... they're not just special; they are magnificent places, which is why I speak so adamantly about them. In the Tracks of the StoneBear journey of a lifetime I've been privileged to enjoy these gems.... from Hot Springs, Arkansas --- where you were inside a building. This one out in the open air.... at night you can see the stars.... western sky stars. There's too much city lights around, ... it's still good sky. I remember a long ago journey to see Son Lee at Camp Pendelton, and down in the desert near EL Centro, CAlifornia... enjoying the hot springs and viewing the stars in a western black sky. Those are great memories. Here is good too in the open air night sky.
Go down to the Saratoga, WY city municipal pool,... and Hot Suphur Springs complex. The call it the "Hobo pool" 'cause there is NO CHARGE for the hot springs pool. There's a new bathhouse... ?is this a great country or what? ... overlooking the hot springs... benches above, concrete steps down to the main hot springs pool. About a 40 x 40' pool, clear water.... some greenish / black looking algae in places... turns out that this algae is a mutation that has evolved to live in this main pool of 112* water.
Wade into the main hot springs pool... whoa... slow here. get the legs acclimated.... this IS hot ! My god is it hot water... about 112* in the main pool. Wade in slowly and eventually submerge. My god is this hot! Burning hot... exhilarating! After 15 seconds you begin to get used to it and your body reaches a level of calm. The smell of sulfur is secondary; HOT is primary. The pool is about 3' deep and you kinda ball up, fetal position.... and somewhat float.
The bottom is a black granuals... not sand and is hot to stand on. You keep your feet up and bob along. You stand up and wade -- crotch deep a few seconds...cool off for a few seconds in the cool air of 6,889' elev and dip back in ... in feels good now. and float, bobbing for a few minutes.
There are small percolating bubbles,... kinda in a row across the pool. You walk over and slide your feet in the sand where the bubbles are percolating up... MOVE away. It must be 150* thermal heat coming up -- to the surface. Move to the cooler 112* part of the springs. This is an amazing place!!!!!!
Walking down the steps there is some green slippery slime... not unusual.... most of the rivers and streams that I stop and wade in are like this. ... an algae built up on the rounded, eroded rocks in the stream. You just need to be sure footed when you wade.
There is some green/ black half inch pods of algae floating in places. At first, it seems yucky... almost like some fecal matter floating in places. Then learned that this is a natural algae that has adapted and actually grows in this 115* sulfur spring... amazing.
About 15 minutes in this hot sulfur spring is about the limit. Up onto the steps and cool off some... the 2nd pool ... the perifery pool... the runnoff pool.... is 104*,... is much more tolerable to float in. It's interesting... there are more people in this pool. it's more tolerable for the temperature.
Then there is the 3rd Pool... the runoff from the hot springs -- which as Leon said,... the hippies have built a rock ring ... a runoff warm pool in the North Platte river. You can straddle the rock ring and have one foot in the hot/ warm springs, and a foot in the cool North Platte river. An amazing place!!!
Saratoga, WY is a great, unique small town. Stop and spend a couple of days there. The town folks are nice and hospitable. Great trout fishing in the North Platte. And if you want to eat good... go down the street past the Wolf Hotel (the dining room of the Wolf is good food too) over the North Platte River bridge and on the left, across from the American Legion, is the Chickenshack. Let me tell you... Southern boy here got a whiff of Bar-B-Que... and I said... we're eating here. The Chickenshack has a dry rub rib BBQ that will knock you down it's so good. If your in Saratoga to trout fish, tell Shane ahead of time for some go-box lunches and you won't be sorry.
You never drink twice from the same stream.
StoneBearTracks Copyright MMXV ALL blog posts and photographs ALL Rights reserved
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