JoshK Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Does anybody know where I would go about getting the best info on backpacking and climbing (low-grade stuff you could solo...so scrambling really) in Wyoming? I would be interested in BBSs like this, books, web pages, etc. I'm interested in the wind rivers, snow range, and anything else scenic. Also, I imagine the high country in the rockies melts out much faster than around here. Considering their summers are much hotter, do you think this time of year would be good for a visit? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnibmilc Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 winds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonthomp Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Hit the Tietons. There's plenty of moderate stuff that puts you to the top of many peaks. Plus, it's not that far of a drive really. Trail runs also to log lots of mileage. There is a guide book available. I've climbed there in June and July and trails were mostly melted out with snow higher up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj001f Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Also, I imagine the high country in the rockies melts out much faster than around here. Considering their summers are much hotter, do you think this time of year would be good for a visit? The Wind Rivers don't melt that much faster, necessarily. I was there July 4th weekend, and it was postholing hell. Get a copy of the Bonney guide to Wyoming's Mountains (older), Ortenburger guide to the TETONS, or the Kelsey wind river guide. There's some online info for the Tetons, but the winds don't see that much traffic (outside cirque of the towers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodchester Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 (edited) Does anybody know where I would go about getting the best info on backpacking and climbing (low-grade stuff you could solo...so scrambling really) in Wyoming? I would be interested in BBSs like this, books, web pages, etc. I'm interested in the wind rivers, snow range, and anything else scenic. Also, I imagine the high country in the rockies melts out much faster than around here. Considering their summers are much hotter, do you think this time of year would be good for a visit? thanks! The main season in the Winds and the Tetons is July and August. August is best, though June can be decent in some areas. September can be great or really bad. Keep in mind the elevation is considerably higher there than here. The Bighorns are decent and have some enjoyable scambles up 13,000 and 12,000 foot peaks. That said, the Winds are best and the Tetons rock. For backpacking, the Winds and Yellowstone are best. Tetons have many great class four scrambles. If you want to do some good remote mountaineering (basic ice axe/crampons snow climbs that are easy enough to be soloed by a competent mountaineer, try the northern Winds. Gannett, Dinwoody, Titcomb Basin area. Guide book for the Winds is Climbing and Hiking in the Winds by Joe Kelsy and if you can find it, the Field Book: Wind River Range by O.H. Bonney. Guide book for the Tetons is Ortenburger's book. . Edited June 7, 2004 by Rodchester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 i'm headed to the winds and perhaps tetons in Sept. everything i've read has a lot of stuff that would work for you. lots of easy climbing and scrambles to nice peaks. we're looking at more technical routes but there seems to be plenty at all levels. the book gnibmlic linked seems pretty good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lummox Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 winds and tetons in july = mosquitoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodchester Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Minx: From experience (having been in the area at least three Septembers), September can be pretty crappy. Good luck with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minx Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 yup! we know it. there's a back up plan in place an extra week in Yos wouldn't hurt my feelings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted June 7, 2004 Author Share Posted June 7, 2004 Thanks for all the info. So from what everybody is saying, it sounds like this time of year I am still going to find lots of snow? I like the looks of the terrain without the snow so I'm not sure I want to go and posthole around. Are there specific parts of the range I might wind what I want or should I just wait a bit? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ski_photomatt Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I can second lummox's "July = mosquitos" We were there in July a few years back (only time I've been to the Winds, we went to the Northern Winds) and they were swarming everywhere. We certainly were glad we had a tent to rest in to be able to get away from them for a bit. Thunderstorms are a real threat there in the afternoon, and best keep an eye out for them. I got caught high on Fremont Peak (standard class 3 route) in a thunderstorm, it just about scared the crap out of me. We were quite surprised as how not empty they were. There were quite a few other parties camped in Titcomb Basin and a good number of horse packers. Don't expect complete solitude in the more well known places unless you go in the off season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
griz Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 If you go to the winds in the early season then a good "snow on the trail" test is to drive up to the Elkhart Park trailhead(about 9,300ft?) from pinedale,wy. It is the highest trailhead in the winds with super easy paved road access. Check and see if there is snow there. If the trail is dry then you will have absolutley HUGE tracks of snow free hiking up and down the range. If there is still allot of snow around then look to the lower elevation trails like up around the green river lakes/square top mtn area. Also, keep in mind our snowpack here in the rockies is on the light side this year...30% on the light side. Anyway, I've spent a good 10+ months in the winds over the years and I think you should be in for some fine hiking/climbing with hardly a soul around if you hit it in the next few weeks before the "crowds" come later in the summer. Walking the Winds by rebecca woods is a good book for finding trailheads. Earthwalk Press makes the best maps(North and South)...REI usually will have them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysticNacho Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Went out there to climb the grand in middle of May. Avy conditions were bad, we were the only car in the parking lot. My impression was that summer was coming later to the rockies than the cascades, but hell, what do I know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeezix Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 I went into the Cirque of the Towers around July 1. The Forest Service lady in Pinedale said there would be tons of snow ...postholing, etc. There was no snow. Lots of mosquitoes. Cirque of the Towers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted June 8, 2004 Author Share Posted June 8, 2004 I went into the Cirque of the Towers around July 1. The Forest Service lady in Pinedale said there would be tons of snow ...postholing, etc. There was no snow. Lots of mosquitoes. Cirque of the Towers Was that this past year? If I knew the year maybe I could compare snow packs to get an idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexbaker Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Cloud peak is sweet non-technical ascent in the bighorns. Just a big slog from.. marion lake is it? there is also bomber mountain- it is just a hour long hike but there is an old superfortress up there that is pretty cool to check out. Also, as far as no-technical goes mt. mitchell in the cirque of towers is amazing. again, just a hike but the views are priceless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongo Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 I've been up Cloud peak too. Very nice slog to the top and it has a great view. However, it is a popular place to backpack -- saw lots of people at the lake at 10,000 feet. But, didn't see anyone hiking to or from the peak itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Last year I was in the Cirque from July 2nd through the 7th. No snow. In 1998 I was in the Cirque and Deep Lake area for about 10 days from June 21 through July 1. Lots and lots of snow, though it melted fast and we did lots of climbing. Darin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Does anybody know where I would go about getting the best info on backpacking and climbing (low-grade stuff you could solo...so scrambling really) in Wyoming? I would be interested in BBSs like this, books, web pages, etc. I'm interested in the wind rivers, snow range, and anything else scenic. Also, I imagine the high country in the rockies melts out much faster than around here. Considering their summers are much hotter, do you think this time of year would be good for a visit? thanks! You could probably call up the Wild Iris climbing shop in Lander; they seem like helpful and friendly folks. Probably have beta on the Cirque and stuff in the general vicinity of Lander, or be able to point you in the direction of good resources for more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fejas Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 Go to the WindRivers... July-augist sno will be subsided, and there are mosquitos in them thar mountains any time it is not freezing at night. Check out the green rive lakes area, or if your looking for less people activity go out of boulder lake; up the boulder creek trail. The trail will take you up to the divide and there are penty of smaller peaks you can pretty much scramble up. plus there are hundereds of unclimbed two pitch trad routes up there... The fishing is great too! None the less I prefer the winds to the tetons. During the thunder season, the tetons get hit with a ton of lightning... during a bad storm one summer we counted the strikes that hit just one out crop... 27 times, the outcrop seemed to glow red from all the strikes... The granite in the winds is looser than the washinton-Canadian granite, so be ware of the slabs.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upupandaway Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 you should roll into the NOLS Rocky Mountain Branch in Lander, WY (east side of Winds)before your trip. Not only do they have every piece of gear/food/topo you could need for sale, they also have tons of folks handing around who can recommend climbing sights for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnibmilc Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Check out the Cameback and Lizard Peak scramble in the Cirque... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Camelback? Damn another peak named after someone's sponsor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnibmilc Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 uh, okay maybe it was the camel's hump. well it was a hump to get over to the Lizard's Head. awwh hell it was something over there east of the Teton's but not the Shark's nose, nowhere near the moose's tooth, bear's tooth the devil's thumb nor any one's flag pole. but it was a good 4th class scramble and that's what the kid is looking for so, you know...close enough. btw, there are really nice tanks up on top of Lizard's Head that hold water for quite a while after rain/snow showers. i wondered if the tanks were man made as they didn't appear to be huecos or vesicles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szyjakowski Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 goto Lander. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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