Anybody going to WY for the eclipse? (1 Viewer)

[EricG]

My son and I will be heading up - probably leaving Saturday morning (19th). Thinking about heading out toward the Shoshone national forest near Lander to camp, then drive north into the totality Monday morning:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5330186.pdf

Or maybe find a patch of BLM land in the area around Garfield Peak. I'm thinking the area around Casper & Douglas are going to be crazy with all the Denver/Boulder/Fort Collins/Colorado Springs people heading up I25

 

[Spadone]

@EricG Send me the coordinating instructions so I can post to the FB page. Where do you plan to meet up to convoy out? HAM/CB Channel? Projected camping sites, etc. Anything you think someone who might want to join would need to meet up with you for this event. I would never ask for cell, etc. but if you want to add it - great!

JB

 

[EricG]

A quick update since it looks like we'll be going solo. We're probably going to be in the vicinity of Garfield peak - the faint green blotch just below the 'I' in Wyoming on the map above. Probably head along 321 on the SW side of the mountains.

2M repeaters that might have coverage, in order of likelihood (Wyoming Repeater Coordinator Group):
Location Freq CTCSS Call Sign
Casper Mtn 145.46 (-) 110.9 K7PLA
Casper Mtn 146.94 (-) 123 W7VNJ
Casper Mtn 147.345 (+) KC7MJI
Casper Mtn 146.64 (-) 173.8 KD7AGA
Copper Mtn 146.805 (1) 100 W7BEQ
Riverton 145.115 (-) 100 N7HYF
Lander 145.445 (-) 110.9 KD7PPP

 

[CO_Hunter]

Looks cool, have a great time and wish I could go!

 

[EricG]

Had a great trip - totality was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen. There's another one in 2024, but not as close. Highly recommended.

We got a later start then planned on Saturday, and got up to WY321 at about 8:00 with the sun setting, so we set up in an area that had a few tents rather then driving up to an area further north that I had been looking at. There's alot of BLM land up there, but it's difficult to distinguish from privately owned land and some land is aggressively posted.

On Sunday we drove up and checked out the area I had planned on camping, and found a sign indicating that there was a locked gate on the road, and you could only go up with permission of a rancher up the road. There's clearly BLM land up that road, but access was blocked - I guess I'm not clear whether it's a public road? Anyway, we had a spot, so I didn't inquire further. We spent some more time following some trails trying to find a way over the mountains to Poison Spider Rd on the other side - the topo map & GPS showed routes, but we couldn't find them in practice, but did find some posted fence across areas where the routes might have gone at some time. Again, the ownership of the land and status of the trails was hard to determine - we stayed on the trails, respected fences and signs but I was a little worried. I did talk to one other group up there with a couple of UTVs scouting for hunting who had the same concerns. One of them said something about a "chip" for GPS receivers to tell you when you're on public land.

Finished out the day with some driving practice for Nate, and returned to find our encampment had grown to about 12 vehicles - not quite as isolated as I had anticipated, but it wasn't crowded.

On Monday we drove another hour north on dirt roads to get closer to the center. Saw a few vehicles along the way, but very sparse. You've probably read as much as you care to on the eclipse by now, so I'll just say it again - it was definitely one of the coolest things I've ever seen! Will post some pictures tonight.

 

[Fitzgerald]

We had the totality come through here in Columbia, MO. 2.5 minutes worth!

I too think it's one of the coolest things I've ever seen. Everything went dark, automated building lights came on, bugs started making their night calls, then BOOM the sun poked out from behind the moon. AMAZING!

 

[EricG]

Here's a few pics...
Start with totality - I think the point of light to the lower left is Regulus, the only star visible. I didn't notice it until I read an article this morning and went back to look. Venus was very clearly visible.

Partial pic through a filter - I have a whole series of these I might string together into a timelapse clip

Our observing location just north of Rattlesnake Hills

 

[EricG]

In the hills above camp

Dark skies!