July 2021 - 34

Most people remember what they were doing and where they were
when they learned of the terrorist attacks on the United States on
Sept. 11, 2001.
Game Warden Tim Fagan was at the Thorofare cabin and had no
idea what happened on the other side of the country. However, his
journal log from this day showed that he - like most Americans -
had a tough day.
The Wyoming Game and Fish
cabin in the Thorofare is nestled
in the most remote wilderness
in the lower 48. (WGFD photo)
September 11, 2001
This day started at about 12:30 a.m. with a grizzly bear pushing and
pulling on the front door!! Luckily I had closed the outside shutter as just
the screen door is on. After about a minute of him carrying on, I hollered
and turned on the flashlight. I could see him from out the east window
and then the front window as he walked back to the trail and headed west.
Found my saddle horse dead tonight when I went to get him in for the
night. Will walk out with the mules tomorrow. No good thoughts tonight.
In 2005 the cabin turned 50, and in August several people gathered
for a celebration. Here are two excerpts from that event.
August 12, 2005
What an experience. The cabin, friends and laughs are not to be topped.
Thanks for keeping a time in history alive.
- Ron Lovercheck, Wyoming Game and Fish Commission vice president
in 2005, Commission president in 2006 and Commissioner from
2003-09. Lovercheck, who is from LaGrange, passed away at age 74 on
May 28 of this year.
August 12, 2005
What a trip. Eight days and nowhere near long enough. Met the best
people in Wyoming here for the 50th. The pride of the Wyoming Game
and Fish Department is very evident. Hope that it isn't 15 more years
before I get back.
- Bill Skelton, Riverton
Most of the journal entries each year begin in the summer, and some
later than others depending on weather and snow pack. In 2011, Fagan
did not reach the cabin for the first time until Aug. 20. But in 2007,
Fagan, Mark Bruscino (former game warden, trophy game conflict officer
and large carnivore services supervisor for Game and Fish) and Doug
McWhirter (current Game and Fish wildlife management coordinator
in Jackson) used cross-country skis to traverse to the cabin in early
March to re-run some forest carnivore surveys that were first done by
Game and Fish nongame biologist Dan Stevenson. In 2007, the use
of trail cameras was a relatively new addition to such work. The trio
started on March 3, left the cabin March 15 and logged a total of 143
miles on their skis. Each journal entry documented how many miles
they had covered to that point. Here are some entries from that trip:
34 | July 2021
July 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2021
