Now lets get wild. True happiness in the Cirque of the Towers. Thanks again dave. Im going to go back with something better than 10-lb test, which just wasnt enough for the trout in Cathedral or Middle Lakes. The walk down did provide a ton of places you could campwell, not at the time of year we were there, because they were covered in about 4-5 feet of compacted snow. Prepare for your next adventure by downloading maps. The issue was the amount of snowpack. Back at camp we packed up and headed toward Cathedral Lake. Pond? Historical Weather. We decided to leave our tent and only use my pack, and to head up for Mendarrin Lake to the west, not knowing what wed find. We heard some people and saw a couple of folks fishing at the west side, far from us. The trail is a bit rocky near the turnaround point, so trekking poles are suggested. This entire section of the CDT does not drop below 9,115 feet above sea level, so youll enjoy epic views from start to finish. As we descended, we smelled cooking food, too, so I think that these folks had been resupplied by the outfitters. (1), Southwest Arete Lost Temple Spire, IV, 5.10b. They liked my Red Devil spoon the best, but sadly one grabbed it, snapped the line, and spat out the lure! The trail is just a quick six miles in and out; so, you can focus on enjoying the outdoors. Trailhead Start: Big Sandy Trailhead Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 5 h 38 min to complete. We eventually got a reprieve and broke out into an area of dry shoreline, which was glorious to walk on. The Lake is more accessible and has a reputation for spectacular fishing than its surrounding lakes. Print/PDF map. Judging from a recent picture, it may go, but only in late summer. I have just connected bits and pieces of their suggested routes into an alpine traverse of the entire range. It has an elevation gain of 800 feet and takes six to eight hours to hike. From here, there is a maintained trail all the way to Big Sandy Lake. The Wind River Range Traverse (WRRT) is the finest non-technical alpine backpacking route in the lower 48 states. Great review and photos. Tyler Wildeck is a writer with a passion for all things outdoors. An extra day can be taken to climb Wind River Peak, the southernmost 13er in the range; definitely a worthy summit, with amazing views from what I've heard. The climb at the end was of course horrible and hot, and Im going to admit that we cut off some distance by going cross country for a bit. Glacier Trail hides Gannett Peak until you are 18.5 miles into this amazing wilderness. Every off-trail route, mountain pass, and glacier traverse along this route is detailed in the fine guidebooks I've had the pleasure of studying. Thankfully, Im a true pack-mule and had brought my Klymit Static V Insulated Ultralight (which I later gave away, as I dont care for the Klymits), which is much smaller than my moms Klymit Static V Insulated. Home to Wyomings tallest peaks and over 100 miles of the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range is beautifully wild. Eklund Lake sees very few visitors since most groups continue on to Seneca Lake, so camping here is ideal if you are looking for solitude. Anyway, at the intersection theres a park and a creek, so we again got water. Roaring Fork Trail is a true test of skill. This trail is typically tackled between three to four days. Was planning on going in this yr but life got in the way so maybe next yr. To old to walk it with 100 lb packs so going to use horses if we do it in the future. Many trails, such as the Cirque of the Towers loop require you to move off-trail to link up with the return trail. I would love to return to this lake at a later time, because its truly quite gorgeous, though Cloverleaf was nothing to sneeze at, either! Just beyond the crossing we found a very old sign announcing our location, as well as the trail proper. It is advised that you camp in either of these spots rather than at Big Sandy Lake. The trees were the sort that have annoying branches that stab and rib at you, and post-holing crotch deep did little to improve either of our moods. Moderate 4.8 (5039) Grand Teton National Park. As you hike out from Faler Lake, theres a steep section to get back down to the Roaring Fork Basin, but then its all downhill from there! YellowOvernight hikes, typically 2 nights. Faler Lake is 18 miles in, and the trail can be divided into however many days you prefer. When approaching from Temple Pass, avoid descending to Lake 10,839 by a messy traverse." We made our way back down the outlet looking for a use trail, but there was just far too much snow on the ground, so we did a bunch of slipping and sliding. I know that while backpacking its typically not advised to bring so many extra clothes, but since you will be camping at high altitude and in the cold, dry layers are necessary to prevent hypothermia. The Cathedral Lake is located in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. From this lake, continue southwest past Lake Kagevah to 11,290 foot Kagevah Pass. It is illegal to camp within 200 feet of a water source or trail. Mid-June through September is the best time to attempt this summit. The lower elevation of Dads Lake comes with a longer hiking season. They tended to Stay on the middlecathedral arm. The lakes were very pretty and it had the best fishing in the Winds! Attempts to repair my Trail Scout werent fruitful, but it still provided some extra loft, and it wasnt a really bad experience, as Ive had when an inflatable pad has had a catastrophic failure in other scenarios. Jenny Lake is a popular area and . Love your critique of the Smith Lake and Cathedral Trail trailheads appreciate the turn-offs for touri helps weed a few out. There is apparently a non-technical route that goes northwest from the pond that traverses the cliffs above Little Sandy Creek. Mom and I wanted to hike some of the reservation trails and didnt have too long to do it, so we picked Cathedral Lake. Be the first to submit input for Cathedral Lake. Drainages are intricate and minor obstacles abound, but by paying attention and consulting a map you can get where you're going without difficulty." 2.4 miles in we reached what would sadly be the lowest point of the hike (I hate having to do a bunch of uphill on the return of any hike, but even more when its ugly), but at least there was a little creek running at this time of year. Although the Wind River Range is not quite as tall on average as the Rockies, altitude is still a major consideration for backpackers and hikers alike, particularly at elevations above 9,000 feet. The 63 glaciers of the range are more than in any other range of the American Rockies and surpassed in the continuous USA only by the Washington Cascades. This would add about. Highway 1; Highway 101; Highway 270; Highway 70; . Stretching over 100 miles along the Continental Divide, the Wind River Range in Wyoming is an oft-missed treasure trove for backcountry exploration. On Lizard Head Plateau. Cathedral Peak is a (12,326-foot (3,757 m)) mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. They were bravely close to the water given the ranger vehicles at the trailhead! From the cabin, simply follow trails for less than a mile, crossing west over the Green River bridge, to the Green River Lakes TH. Camping near Halls Lake or further along at the Golden Lakes (just north of Hay Pass in the next section) would be recommended. The Glacier Trail is the classic route to the Gannett Peak summit. A map and compass are necessary while on this trail since route-finding can be difficult over rocks and snow. Continue northwest up the basin towards Lake 10,756, which is directly south of Hay Pass. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision), Review: Hiking Gorgeous Lost Twin Lakes, Cloud Peak Wilderness, Review: 12-Mile Day Hike to Slide Lake, Wind River Range, Rated R and 5 Stars: Septoplasty and More, The Pornography of Butterflies and Terry Crews, Resident Youth (15 thru 17 years old) $10. Date Hiked: November 16, 2019 Getting to the Trailhead Wind River Range. Shy of 5 miles we came to the weirdest littlecreek? The northwestern section of the lake had a small creek coming into it, as well as a large open clearing that people were utilizing for camping, though we didnt see any actual people (the entire day). From Upper Golden, head north up to Lake 10787, the east down the slopes, and then north to Camp Lake. You still must be in good shape and an experienced backpacker, be able to hike up to 12-mile days with thousands of feet in elevation gain, and be able to handle up to class 3 rock scrambling. After my excitement wore down, we had to find a place to camp. The solid granite outcroppings always put me into something of a trance, so I stared at them for a while, and then got to fishing. Some of our favorite day hikes are: Stough Creek Basin, Smith, Middle and Cathedral Lakes, Island and Thumb lakes in Silas Canyon, Lake Louise, and anything on the Middle Fork Trail, which starts at Bruce's Bridge at the end of Sinks Canyon, and takes us all the way to Wind River Peak. We climbed the granite knob easily and got a nice view of the drainage, but if youre not in the view, you should just stick to the trail. Dont forget your fishing rod and flies! _The Smith Creek Lakes and Cathedral Lake are accessed by either traveling directly east off-trail to Mendarrin Lake from the Lizard Head trail, or by wrapping east and north around the Lizard Head Plateau on trails from the Cirque of the Towers. The goal of the WRRT is to traverse the entirety of the Wind River Range in the most scenic and spectacular way possible. Head out on this 9.1-mile out-and-back trail near Moose, Wyoming. It made me hungry! RedLong-duration hikes, typically 5+days. East Fork Valley could be a great side trip. Continue climbing northeast, and ascend the south slopes of Atlantic Peak (class 2). A lot of camping locations dont have tall trees for hanging bear bags, so bear canisters are your safest bet. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. Temple Peak, the second-highest peak in the southern Wind River Range, is a class 3 scramble from the South Ridge route. FOR RESERVATIONS CALL: St. Matthew's Episcopal. If so, I believe only slightly, for I've done my research based on the authorities on the Wind Rivers. Mileage: 12 miles RT The route down the glacier is detailed in Pallister's book, and unless you are slightly crazy, you should plan to carry some form of light crampons and an ice axe. At 8:30, we found ourselves camping closer to the water than Id like, but snowpack in the trees left us no choice. I hope that we get to experience it for many years to come, and that she gets such great memories, as you have! I couldnt believe it! I wouldn't advise camping in the Cirque (according to guidebooks). After approximately 2 miles, branch off to the right and ascend for 1 mile to Baptiste Lake. As with Titcomb Basin, snowpack is often the determining factor in how early or late in the season you should aim to start your trip. This trail is also known as High Meadow Trail 712 and takes one to another trail that goes to High Meadow and Cliff Lakes. Why you should go: Work your way up through thick forest to gain views of the entire Wind River Range. From Baptiste Lake, head due east for approximately 1.5 miles, then north to the upper Grave Creek Cirque. View Wind River Range Traverse Image Gallery - 1 Images. Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. If you have any questions, comments, or anything else, feel free to post below. Also, this section is described in Pallister's book. Camping along this trek can be found at Shadow Lake, and then in and around the Jackass Pass area later in the trip. Started off MUCH worse got much better now is reverting to a seldom used trail. Depending on your experience and relative skill level, the Cirque of the Towers is another staple when it comes to Wind River Range backpacking. The night was quite cool and very quiet, with no wind. For speedier backpackers, Big Sandy Lake is a popular camping spot just under 6 miles from the Big Sandy trailhead. Among the best ways to explore the Wind River Range is to travel one of the spectacular trails through the region. Interested in Wind River Range backpacking but not going the distance in the Titcomb Basin? Considering taking a trip with your trail pup? Thankfully there was an awesome bridge over the marsh. Sheridan Region fisheries personnel recently sampled Long, Ringbone, Romeo, Martin, Willow #1, Willow #3, and Lame Deer lakes in the upper Clear Creek drainage of the Cloud Peak Wilderness. Anyway, dont let the beautiful valley ahead trick you. The trail itself continues by the lakeside for about 1000 feet and is also a bit steep, though you can find plenty of spots to put up a camp. Below are weather averages from 1971 to 2000 according to data gathered from the nearest official weather station. Adventure. Related Read:Crown Jewels: 14 Majestic Hikes in Glacier National Park. Though the sun was setting directly behind the peak, a huge cumulus cloud behind me was so brightly lit by sunset light that the bounce light from the cloud illuminated the peak with an orange glow. The majority of this land is maintained by the National Forest Service, so National Forest rules and regulations of backpacking and dispersed camping apply. At the top of the first hill you went off to the right and then down the golden stairsabout 1/2 mile straight down. Several trails leave from Jenny Lake ranging from easy to very strenuous. We crossed it and got our first view of Smith Lake at 5.4 miles. I might one day orienteer it over it Dutch Over Lake, if Im so blessed. According to the approximate route I traced on my phone, the total elevation gain is about 29,000 feet!! I waited until after dark to get naked and bathe, since theyd have eaten my bare butt alive prior to nightfall. To connect with the Fremont Trail, you will have to maneuver through Texas Pass which has been traveled for years but is not a designated trail. All Rights Reserved. Snow will add another element to route-finding. After walking through forests for a few minutes, we climbed to the intersection of trails about 160 feet above the lake. We had to go around one section of road when we were there, as it was completely trashed out, but USFS vehicle we saw did the same, as well as all the others. I have hope, however, that the Mammoth has receded enough that there is a possible non-glacier route following the southern edge of the glacier. _The Peak Lake Area. Its worth spending the extra day relaxing, fishing, and explore the area. Glen Aulin: This easy, 11-mile round-trip trail features numerous waterfalls and breathtaking vistas as it follows the Tuolumne River. Under most conditions, crampons are required. Following the partly maintained Christina Pass Trail starting east of the trailhead at Sweetwater Guard Station (not at the end of the 2-mile dirt road to the normal Sweetwater Gap TH), you hike approximately 3 miles to the intersection with the North Fork of Blair Creek. Some of them are minor, leaving the majority of you fairly dry, but a couple of them are not. She describes it as miserable. From Wykee Lake, travel 1 mile (on-trail) west to the south shore of Sonnicant Lake. _Bald Mountain Basin and Cook Lakes are accessed by descending south on the Hay Pass trail, the heading northwest passing Timico Lake, then on trails west to Baldy Lakes and north to Bald Mountain Basin. I would be honored if you used the picture as a reference, in fact. Daniell is a freelance writer based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. This picture is property of http://jessiestrails.blogspot.com, Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Adventure Traverse (GREAT), Images Experience this unique and remote high-elevation backcountry paradise by booking a ride with Cathedral Lakes Lodge up the 16 km (10 mi) private road. The better the secret the longer it remains ours. Getting over all that was a total blast. This trip is typically done in two days, as you hike in nine miles to Seneca Lake, camp here, then hike out. 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