August 15, 2021

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My mother worked at the CM Ranch in the 1970s as their camp cook for guest pack trips to the Simpson Lake Cabins. I was 12 years old right before we moved to Dubois, Wyoming where my parents would manage that same ranch, and I visited the cabins for the first and only time, up until a few days ago. It’s been 25 years and I finally see why Simpson Lake is my mom’s favorite place in the world. I was able to share it with my nieces who are about the same age when I first came to this wild place, and it flooded me with memories of catching fish and running as fast as I could down the trail (in grizzly country) ahead of my family.

 

Their laughter and awe, while we fished into the late afternoon, overcame me in the most joyful way on that very special trip.

 

I thought when we left the ranch that I’d never have a real childhood home again, but I realize now that there are things even more special and this is our family’s “place” - it always has been! My parents gifted us with this treasure, and I hope 25 years from now, Claire, Lyla and Addison bring their own children here so they can cross Cabin Creek and feel the magic of the cabins that have stood for over a century underneath Squaretop Mountain.

 

On a side and more historical note, if you want to know more about the Simpson Cabins, this website is a great resource. My fearless mother and countless others, worked tirelessly to raise funds and volunteers to restore and stabilize the cabins. Had this not happened, they would have been taken by a wildfire a few years ago and fallen into irreparable decay. Check out some of the photos of the cabins in their prime and the incredible volunteer work that has been done in the last several years. History matters and those who work hard to preserve it are the gatekeepers of our most cherished memories!