Savage Run Wilderness

Hardly slept because of elk bugles in the distance—kept waking to keep tabs on the moving feast. Around 4 o’clock I decided to get myself in front of the herd as they moved back to cover after the night’s foraging.

Plunked down near a small meadow that seemed the path of least resistance. I could hear the bugles coming closer and now the cows. Quite a big herd—moving pretty slowly.

It was well before shooting light. It was truly still the night. There was just a shiver of light, which caught on the edge of my sight. Rippling fur behind a downed log. Folks that have cats know how the ruff of fur between their shoulders crumples and ripples just so when they stalk—it looked like that.

I jumped up fast and chambered a round in my rifle thinking I was about to be way too close to a lion. The log was about 12 feet away and the fur had disappeared from view behind it. Scope at 4.5x and both eyes open, waiting.

A buck-tooth grin attached to a bad hair cut popped up. It was a porcupine.

After a good chuckle, I sat back down and the little dude walked right past my feet. A cow and a calf crossed the meadow in front of me to join the herd. Right about then the herd veered up hill unexpectedly. It was first light. They hadn’t winded me, but I had misjudged the path of least resistance. That is hunting.

Shortly afterwards, I noticed two moose on the edge of the meadow, presumably having bedded down there. They browsed and lazily bashed their antlers together, just to wake up. Then they got a bit more into the action and attracted another moose, this one a bit bigger. All three cracked antlers together at once. Then, another moose wandered down, the biggest yet. All four had a nice communal bout and then the two big ones squared off and the two smaller ones did likewise. I watched all four spar for the next hour.

This is why roadless wild places are worth protecting.

Why is it called Savage Run

According to this page by Roger Ludwig, the wilderness is named after the brothers Savage who trapped this area for beaver and then became market hunters for Ft. Steele. This fort lies a bit north of the wilderness, on the plains and near the Platte River. Two of the brothers eventually settled in the Platte River valley. This all comes from Mr. Ludwig’s website and he cites a Saratogan historian Gay Day Alcorn as the source.

Access

Easy gravel road access to the edge of the wilderness. Sedan accessible if you pick the right roads. There are some side roads requiring high clearance in the general area, but the main roads are very good.

Safety

Almost the whole wilderness burned in the Mullen fire of 2020, so it can be somewhat tricky finding a place to camp where a tree won’t fall on you.

Infrastructure

None. There are some trails but they are not maintained very well.

Inspiration

Resources

• Savage Run Wilderness — Medicine Bow NF (USFS) — official USFS page
• Savage Run Wilderness — Wilderness.net
• Savage Run — Away From the Grind — A good trip and inkling into what the area was like pre-burn.
• Mullen Fire — the 2020 fire started inside the Savage Run, of unknown causes. Burned a large swathe of the Snowies.