The Source, with a small stream trickling down from the snow fields coming in on the left.

While the four mile trip up had been lovely, the return trip was a grind. The wind, dead ahead, built to a steady eight to ten miles per hour. Doug and I put our heads down and slogged along. What else could we do, with all of our food and camping gear back at the campground, and the sun sinking? It took twice as long to get back as it did to get up, but finally we landed at camp, rested, ate, and prepared our gear for the first day on the Green River below the lakes. From here to the salt water at the Sea of Cortez, a drop of water has 1,400 miles to go and countless dams, diversions, and extractions to evade or surpass.