 CLICK HERE to see a much larger version (1.4 M) of this photo. This shows a Gates of the Mountains tour boat stopped at the mouth of Mann Gulch on July 30, 2009. The large boats are unable to stop at Mann Gulch, but they do dock at Meriwether Canyon so tourists can use restrooms, stretch their legs, and look around. Although I do not recommend it, one way to visit the gulch is to hike from the dock at Meriwether Canyon. From there to the monuments and back is about 8 miles, and much of the terrain is very steep. This should not be attempted unless you have at least a 6 hour difference between the departure times of the first and last boat tours of the day (tour times vary by month) and you are in great shape. You will need to be back to the dock at Meriwether Canyon in time to catch the last boat of the day back to civilization. To find out what I think is a much more enjoyable way to visit the gulch, click on the Hot Link below titled, "Hiking Mann Gulch."  CLICK HERE to see a much larger version (1.3 M) of this photo. Above: This photo was also taken on July 30, 2009 less than a week after a fire swept through Rescue Gulch. The fire did spill into the monument area of Mann Gulch (see photo below). Rescue Gulch is to the left of Mann Gulch. The ridge on the right side of the photo is the one that separates Mann Gulch from Meriwether Canyon. That's the same tour boat shown in the photo at the top of this page. Meriwether Canyon is named for Meriwether Lewis who named the area just upstream from here "the Gates of the Rocky Mountains." Its been over 200 years since the Lewis and Clark Expedition traveled through here.
 Above: The fire of July 25, 2009 burned grass in the area where several of the crosses are. For reference, the "X" marks the approximate location where Dodge set his escape fire. CLICK HERE to see a much larger photo (1.2 M), showing the burned monument area.
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