Backpacker - Scott's Shuttle Service

t
BigSandyTrailHead-DeepLake
Miles:13.03 ElevationGain:3926
h
e
r
o
u
t
e
PyramidLake-BewmarkLake
Miles:10.54 ElevationGain:3036
BewmarkLake-GoldenLake
Miles:12.36 ElevationGain:3275
GoldenLake-BoulderLakeTrailhead
Miles:22.15 ElevationGain:2404
DeepLake-PyramidLake
Miles:14.92 ElevationGain:3943

THEMANBEHIND
GREATEST

BACKPACKING’S
ACHIEVEMENTS
StorybyClintonCook
PhotosbyJefPalmer

It’snoteverydayItelsomeone
tolistentotheweatherman,in
fact,Ioftentelthem,
“Don’tletJim Cantoretelyouhow
toplanyourday,especialyinthe
mountains”

saidScottDouglassofScott’sShuttleServicewhen
describingthedayhemayhaveverywelsavedthreemiddle
agedfelow Alabamiansfrom adangeroussnow storm inthe
W yomingmountains.
It’snotuncommonforsuperherostodrivecars.Batman
drivestheBatMobile.ScoobyDoohasthemysterymachine.
andScottdrivesa2021KiaTeluride.It’soutfittedwitha
RiverQuiver,specializedweatherequipment,GPS,aThule
cartopcarrier,andaminimum oftwocasesofbottledwater.
Scottemphasizeshowever,themostimportantfeaturesare
theheatedsteeringwheelandhisRandMcNalymaps.

Scotisnotyourtypicalshutledriver
andwouldnotdescribehimselfasa
superhero,butinsteadadoctor.

Onatypicalday,Scottoperatesa
multinationalengineeringfirm
headquarteredinaquainttownon
Alabama’sgulfcoast.Hisfirm paysforno
lessthan4iPaddataplansforthe2iPads
thefirm currentlyutilizes.W henasked
abouthaving4dataplansforjusttwo
iPads,hethinkshemighthavethrown
theotheriPadsawayorisbeing
bamboozledbyhismiddle-agechildren.
Hisfirm singlehandedlycreated
designguidelinesforengineerstofight
sealevelrisecausedbyglobalwarming.
Heisanaccomplishedwelrespected
engineer.
Astheeffectscausedbyglobalwarming
havemadehistownunbearablyhotin
summers,hespendshistimeplanninghis
nextescapetothebeautifulviewsof
mountainsnow frequentlyshroudedwith
hazyleftcoastsmoke.Thedesireto
spendsummersinthecoolermountains
safefrom sealevelrisedrovehim to
createhispassionproject,Scott’sShuttle
Service.Hehasbeenprovidinglogistics
planningservices,guidedfishing,shuttle
servicesandevacuationextraction
servicesformanyyearsnow andhasbuilt
aRolodexofobscureclients.

Likemostsuperheroes,his
dayjobisjustamere
diversionfortherealand
oftenunappreciatedtasks
ofsavinglivesandsafely
deliveringhisclientstothe
mostremotewildernesses
inthecountry.
Hecantelyoufrom firsthand
experiencethattheinternetis
notalwaysareplacementfor
reallifeexperience.“Atone
time,Ibelievedtherewereno
bearsinsouthernColorado.
Turnsoutthereareandthe
internetisnotalwaysright.”
Onthisparticulartrip,
Scotwasaskedtoshutle
threeAlabamamenwho
hadbeenreadingabout
themountainsofWyoming
ontheinternet.Themen
hadplannedasouthto
north,of-trailtraverse
acrosstherange.
Thesethreemenengaged
Scot’sShutleServiceto
plangroundlogisticsand
providebasecampservices
forthem.Whilestilalitle
apprehensiveduetotheir
internetreferencesandlack
ofrealexperience,Scot
reluctantlyagreed.Thisis
“ Youalwayshavetobealitleconcerned
aboutthoseclientsthatonlyreference
internetarticlesthattheyhaveread. ”

notthetypeofprestigious
andeliteclienteleheusualy
books,butinthiscasehe
madeanexception.
Onceheconfirmedthedates
andhotels,Scotimmediately
beganworkonliningupthe
finestaccommodationsfor
thebunch.Hequicklyfound
theonlyHolidayInninthe
UnitedStatesthathad
exteriorfacingroom
doorswhichalowed
him todropofhis
clientsmere
stepsfrom theirbedsthe
nighttheylanded.Hisclients
requested4ozwhitefuelcans
butduetoagasshortage
storesonlyhad8ozcansso
hedroveacrosstwostatesto
findtherequestedsize.This
iswhatScotprideshis
shutleservicebusinesson;
nodetailisleftout.

Deliveringhisclientstothehotel
wasonlythebeginning.Scot
hadalreadyspentweeksahead
oftimescoutingtheroadsand
readingbooksonthearea’s
historysohecouldinform his
clientsofwhathelearnedduring
thedrivein.
Hehadanearlymorningwake
upcalandfueledhisclientswith
aBurgerKingbreakfastwhere
theycould“Haveityour(their)
way.”Itwasafinetouch.
Nexthehadtonavigatehis
clientstothetrailheadbydriving
hoursalongtechnicaldirtroads.
Beforeleaving,heconfirmedthe
client’splansandestablished
thathewouldbeon-the-ready
toprovidecriticalweather

updatesand(onrareoccasions)
anevacuationservice.
Givenhisskepticism oftheir
internetplan,Scotwastheever
vigilant“bigbrother.”Scotkept
aconstanteyeontheirprogress.
Asthedayspassed,hebeganto
grow moreconfidentinthe
backpacker’sabilitiesasthey
mettheiraggressivetripplan.
TheAlabamabackpackershad
reachedacriticalpointintheir
journeyandneededconfirmation
ofaclearweatherwindow to
traverseoneofthehighest
passesonthetrip.They
requestedanupdatefrom Scot,
hisresponsewasprofessional
butsuccinct,“Itsucks.Abig
coldfrontisblowinginandyou
wilhavemuchcolder

temperaturesandlikely1-3”of
snow atyourelevation.Youneed
togettoalowerelevation,and
quick!”
Thoughapprehensive,the
backpackersknew thattheyhad
enlistedoneofthemostelite
basecampservicesinthecountry
andthatignoringsuchadvice
couldleavethem inadangerous
placeorworseleavetheirwives
widowedandchildrenfatherless.
Now wasnotthetimetogoona
diatribeaboutweathermansuch
asJim Cantore’sinabilityto
projectanaccurateforecast.It
wastimeforthem tolisten.
Giventheircurrentlocationdeep
inthewilderness,theyhadonly
oneoption:takethelower,but
stilveryhigh,unmaintainedHay
passtothesouth.Itwasa22
milehiketothenearesttrailhead
andthehikersknew theyonly
hadhoursbeforethe
temperaturesdropped.They
messagedScotin165characters
(orless)thattheyneededan
evacuation.Scot’syearsof
experiencekickedintogear,he
rearrangedhisscheduleand
confirmedhecouldaccessthe
proposedtrailhead.Inaddition,
attheriskofbeingpublicly
criticizedbyBudda,heralied
crowd-sourcedtraildatafrom a
localWyomingFacebookgroup
toconfirm thatthechosen
evacuationroutewasclearedof
blowdown.Knowingotherswould
beevacuatingthewildernessand
filingthehotels,hebookeda
QualityInnhotelforthethree
tiredbackpackers.Oncelodging
hadbeenarranged,Scotknew
hisclientswouldbehungryatthe
trailheadsohestoppedbyagas
stationandgotthem eachacold
roastbeefsandwichforthelong
ridehome.Scotdoesn’tleave
outanydetail.Heknowsthatthe
presentationoffoodispartofthe
experiencesoheaskedthe

atendanttoserveitinaredcheckeredpapertrayand
haveaminimum oftwowrapsofSaranWrap.“That’l
presentwelandkeepitfresh!”
Simultaneously,thebackpackersbegantheirlong
journeytowardthetrailhead.Theyprovidedupdates
alongtheway.AsScotwaited,hepuledoutarodfrom
hisRiverQuivermountedabovehisKiaTeluride,and
begantoefortlesslycatchfishfrom Bouldercreek.With
eachcatchachildish,contagiouslaughterburstfrom his
bely.SoonahikerpassedbyandaskedScotforthe
time,towhichhereplied“it’shoppatime,baby!”The
hikerlookedconfusedandwentonhisway.
ForScot,fishingistheessentialpartofexistenceinthe
mountainwest.Hecan’tpassabodyofwaterwithouta
looktoseeiffisharerising.Legendhasit,Scotcatches
hisageinfisheveryyearonhisbirthday(nosmalfeat
ashereachestowardseniorcitizenstatus.)

Asthehikersapproached,theycamewithinearshotofScot’s
laughter.Thesoundofcivilizationwasarelief,althoughnotthe
soundtheyhadanticipated.Roundingthecorner,theweary
hikersgazeduptoseetheirshutledriverparkedatthe
trailhead,tailgateupandwaitingwithnolessthantwocases
ofwater,asmuggrin,andthreeroastbeefsandwiches!

Thehikerswereextremelyrelievedtobebackincapablehands.
Astheybegantodriveawayreflectingontheaccomplishment
ofthatday’sevacuation,theyquicklycametoanabruptstop .
“Ialmostforgot!”Scotsaidashebeganintentlysearchinghis
phonewhilelookingovertherim ofhisglasses.“Aha!Therewe
go!”heshoutedashereachedtoturnthevolumeknobtothe
max.Whatblaredfrom thespeakerswastheheavenlyvoiceof
JohnDenversinging RockyMountainHighandawaytheyrode
intothesunsetwithnothingbutatrailofdustleftbehind.

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Back
OverlookingTempleLakenearsunset
Bobby&Clintonlookingwestfrom thesummitofEastTemplePeak(13,809ft)
ClimbingtowardsEuropePasswithMilkyRidgeSouthinthebackground
ThemoonrisesbesideMountHooker(August2019trip)
Bobby&Clintondescendthegraniteslabsfrom DeepLaketoClearLakeResevoir
Left:Clintonstandingonthe“divingboard”atopEastTemplePeak
Right:Jefreylookingdownatthenumeroustarnsbelow EastTemplePeak
Wilowssurroundasmal,unnamedlakethatfeedsGoldenLake
Bobby&ClintonwatchasthelightfadesoverBewmarkLake
Top:Night1campsiteonDeepLakelookingtowardsEastTemplePeak
Botom:TempleLake
Top/Botom:Bobby&Clintonwatchthedistantstormsfrom EastTemplePeak
Top:Bobby&ClintonpeerovertheedgeoftheEastTemplePeak“divingboard”
Botom:Jefreystandsonthe“divingboard”
Top:Bobby&Clintonrestonasaddlebelow EastTemplePeak
Botom:Bobby&ClintondescendingtoTempleLake
Top: AvibrantsunsetoverTempleLake
Botom:SunsetoverPyramidLake
Top:Clinton’stentsetupfornight2withPyramidLakeinthebackground
Botom:HikingtowardsRaidPeakintheearlymorningofday3
Top:HikingtowardsRaidPeakPass(1,650ft,left)
Botom:Awaterfalflowingfrom BonnevileLakesabove
Top:Theview from atopthewaterfallookingdownBoulderCreek
Botom:Bobby&ClintonbeneathMtBonnevilefacingSentryPass(1,380ft)
Top:Bobby&ClintonwithLeeLakeandMiddleForkLakebehind
Botom:Bobby&Clintonfilterwaterfrom BewmarkLake,ournight3campsite
Top:Anearlymorningalpineglow asweapproachPhotoPass(1,420ft)
Botom:Theview from PhotoPasslookingbacktowardsBewmarkLake
Top/Botom:Bobby&ClintonclimboneofthemanyhilsonthewaytoEuropePass
Top:Anunnamedtarnsurroundedbyperennialsnow at1,200ft
Botom:Bobby&Clintonbreakforlunchalongahigh-altitudestream
Top:BobbymakesthefinalpushtothetopofEuropePass(1,600ft)
Botom:TheridgeusedtosummitEuropePeak(12,259t),EuropePass(back/left)
Top:AnunnamedlakejustaboveGoldenLake,ourcampsitefornight4
Botom:BobbytryingtocatchaGoldenhe’dseenintheGoldenLakeoutlet
Top:TempleLake Middle:PhotoPass Botom:EuropePeak
SunriseoveranunnamedlakenearPyramidLake,lookingtowardsRaidPeak