South to North traverse of the bench between the Continental Divide and the Green River
8/1/07 to 8/9/07
This is a trip I did before I joined HST and thought some of you would be interested reading it since we are in a slow period before all the 2022 trip reports will begin. Those who walk the CDT up the Green River Lake may not even aware of what lies just a few miles to the east! I pulled up the photos of this trip because I am considering going into some of the areas this summer and wanted to refresh my memory.
Between the headwaters of the Green River and the Continental Divide is a remote bench known for its difficult access. Few visitors travel this land of rock, ice, deep blue lakes and hidden pocket meadows lush with moss and wildflowers. One must be a master rock-hopper, excellent navigator and have solid glacier travel. The crux of the route is the descent of the Mammoth Glacier, where conditions change hourly. Depending on season and snow conditions the glacier can be outright deadly to moderately gnarly; snow or ice; frozen or dangerously melting. August of 2007 followed a very low snowpack winter of 2006-07.
7/31/07 Afternoon drive to Green River Lakes
An old friend with extensive mountaineering experience was as excited about doing this route as I was. After stopping for lunch in Pinedale we drove up the Green River Lakes road, first paved, then graded gravel and too soon the road became a sea of washboards. We found a nice dispersed campsite along the Green River, just short of Green River Lakes and began packing. Juan discovered that his rain jacket had not made it from his car into mine. He had a “water-resistant” wind jacket that would have to do. We would take crampons and ice axes. I added trekking poles for my old knees. Then we debated about rope or no rope, finally settling on no rope knowing we would have to retreat if the crevasses on the glacier were not totally open and crossable. Although this decision lightened our packs, it significantly reduced our chance of success and margin of safety. In 20/20 hindsight, I would not take that chance again.
Day 1: 8/1/07 TH to Three Forks Park. 13.1 miles, 2165 feet gain
Early the next morning we left the trailhead at Green River Lakes and started down the Highline Trail. A significant storm in the last week had washed out the trail where Elbow Creek crossed so we had to wade across some of the braided stream. We made it to Three Forks Park under overcast skies that spit on us off and on all day. If the Mammoth Glacier were unsafe, we would have to backtrack/detour and cross the Green River here where water was swift and high, or bail out altogether.
Day 2: 8/2/07 Three Forks Park to pond above Peak Lake. 6.8 miles, 3100 feet gain
On the second morning, in spite of the drizzle, we optimistically packed up and headed up the trail. At Vista Pass where we met a NOLS course that was re-rationing. The trail then dropped a bit and crossed the Green River, now a very manageable width and depth. The trail to Cube Rock Pass had been wiped out by rock fall years ago; occasionally we could find the remnants of the trail but most often we hopped rocks. Overcast and periodic drizzles continued. We dropped to the outlet of Peak Lake, crossed the outlet and hopped steep talus to the inlet. Travel became easier over grassy benches full of wild flowers. Although lush and beautiful, there were few flat spots with smooth ground. We continued upward to a small bench below the ferociously melting Stroud Glacier and set up on grass next to a small pond. Conditions deteriorated into a rainy night. We had come 20 miles in two days and now were perched at 10,900 feet and stopped in our tracks.
Day 4: 8/3/07 Stuck in Rain
We awoke to rain on the third day. Although it was only 4.2 miles to Scott Lake, we needed good weather for this, the crux, of the route. Disappointedly, we remained in the tent as the morning rain continued. By afternoon rain stopped so we headed up towards Split Rock Pass to check out routes. The newly rained upon Indian Paintbrush and grass in the storm lighting from the clearing skies were vividly painted only as nature can in the post-storm conditions. Back at camp there even was enough sunshine to dry out some wet gear. We retired for the night, anxious that we may have to retreat if anything but crystal clear conditions prevailed come morning.
Day 4: 8/4/07 Pond below Stroud Glacier to Scott Lake. 4.2 miles, 2100 feet gain
The fourth day dawned perfectly clear! We packed and were off at 7 AM. The view of the Stroud Glacier, back towards our camp, was impressive. The upper 200 feet was steep with about 50 feet of exposed climbing on broken rock adjacent to a dangerously wet gully. We reached the 12,500 foot pass in 2 hours. Once on the broad pass we scrambled up to a viewpoint above Split Mountain Pass to view our destination, Scott Lake, in the distance and try to find a non-glacier route. All alternatives looked more dangerous than the glacier.
Staying off the glacier as long as possible, we descended about 200 feet over rock yet dirty from recently melted snow before we strapped on our crampons and stepped onto the 25-degree dirty blue ice of the Mammoth Glacier. More than thirty years ago, I spent several days at a mountaineering base camp on the Mammoth Glacier which was totally snow covered, not a crevasse in sight. With the lack of winter snow in 2007 glacial recession, the Mammoth Glacier was drastically melted back, icy and riddled with crevasses. The glacier in front of us now was all debris covered blue ice and thankfully open crevasses (not covered with snow so although we had to cross, there was little danger of a surprise crevasse under snow).
Luckily we were still in the shade and the ice was firm and our crampons bit well. This was no place to fall as self arrest was out of the question. I found the trekking poles more useful than the ice axe to prevent a fall. Juan, who had several seasons in Antarctica under his belt, led us through a highly crooked route around about a dozen crevasses as we descended the steep upper glacier. The crevasses, about 50-80 feet deep, were about 4 feet wide but luckily pinched to about a foot in enough spots that we were able to cross. A fortuitous huge boulder had jammed in the longest and widest crevasse so we simply clamored over it! Ample piles of rubble on the glacier foretold of previous rock fall. We carefully but quickly descended, trying to beat the sunshine that would loosen rock from cliffs above us.
After about a couple hundred feet of descent the angle eased. On the lower part of the glacier we entered the sunshine and traveled parallel to numerous small rivulets on the surface of the glacier, avoiding moulins where we could hear raging water 100 feet below at the base of the glacier. After an hour we carefully exited the glacier to the moraine on the left only to realize that this would require crossing the highly braided melt-water stream that was now raging. We put our crampons back on and traversed the glacier’s snout and this time exited on the right side. It was close to noon and the clouds were already building.
We removed crampons and ate a brief lunch before heading down the outwash plain through virgin land that on the thirty-year-old topographic map was covered by the glacier. Looking back at our descent route, we agreed that we should have brought the rope and that our descent was very risky. Thankfully we were lucky. Although only a short distance to Scott Lake, we were unable to beat the rain. We were glad to be off the pass and down the glacier as lightening flashed and thunder boomed. Interesting, in 2014, I met a fellow on the trail who had descended the Mammoth Glacier and said there was not a crevasse in sight! Every year is different.
I had scoured the internet prior to our trip and found a report of some climbers of Russian origin who had come over via the Baby Glacier. Their route was very technical requiring rappels. They had encountered car sized talus, cliffs and a nasty river crossing to reach Scott Lake. There had to be a better way! I had studied the map and found a potential detour. As we spotted Scott Lake we were tempted to directly drop to the lake but stuck to the plan and turned northeast to ascend to a saddle that dropped into the beautiful drainage fed by the Minor Glacier.
Dropping to Lake 10,795 we traversed the steep grassy slope on the south side and walked up over the grassy west moraine at the outlet to avoid talus. Again we had a good view of Scott Lake and decided to find a campsite on the bench east of the lake, among beautiful alpine flowers. We surmised that the bench above Scott Lake, upon which we were camped, was once the shore of the lake as evidenced by the rusty residual bath-tub ring on the cliffs. Perhaps ice had blocked the outlet at one time and burst, dropping the lake level to its current elevation. Below our bench the terrain was glacial flour covered with blazing pink fireweed and a raging milky inlet creek. Scott Lake has cliffs on both sides to the outlet that precipitously drops 2,000 feet into the Green River. We waited out the remainder of the storm in the tent. Soon the storm ended and hiked to the inlet to explore and photograph.
Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
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Wandering Daisy
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Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
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Last edited by Wandering Daisy on Sat Apr 23, 2022 8:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
More Photos of Scott Lake
Day 5: 8/5/07 Scott Lake to Flagstone Lake. 3.4 miles, 1010 feet gain
Day five was another short mileage day to Flagstone Lake in order to position ourselves for the following day’s ascent to the Continental Divide. Scott Lake sits in a bowl so we had to first climb 625 feet to a pass unofficially called “Smirnoff Memorial Pass” by the Russian group (for a fallen friend, not the vodka). A landscape painter once hauled his gear up Tourist Creek and painted the scene shown below, that we now observed in front of us at the top of the ridge south of Lake 11085!
Then we traversed thick beds of flowers on the shoreline to the outlet. The route to Flagstone Lake was a delightful exercise in weaving through small cliffs, lush little micro-ecosystems of moss and grass and small lakes. Reaching the outlet of Flagstone Lake, where water dropped into Tourist Creek, we had to decide how to get around the lake. The right side was initially easy but unfortunately ended in cliffs. So we turned around and crossed the outlet stream where we found an unlikely route along the left side cliffs, at times walking a 3-foot wide ramp high above the lake.
The melting glaciers have left their mark on Flagstone Lake. A large flat area of ground shown on the map is now completely flooded. We set up the tent near a snowmelt trickle high up on a flat ridge top on the north side. Then we dropped to the inlet where we crossed and lay out on the flat rocks, sunbathing and washing. Clouds were building but so far it had been perfect weather.
We did not escape an intense afternoon storm that we thankfully were able to observe from inside the tent. After cooking dinner we noticed a sudden outpouring of muddy water into the crystal clear Flagstone Lake. Curiosity got the best of us so we went upstream high above the creek, to find the source of the mud. Several unstable talus cones formed the west slope of the Continental Divide and were evidently the source of the mud. Needless to say the next day when we ascended the gully to the Divide we stayed on the opposite side of the drainage! Luckily we had set up the tent on the safe bench away from the potential rock fall and mud slides now coming down from Flagstone Peak.
Day 5: 8/5/07 Scott Lake to Flagstone Lake. 3.4 miles, 1010 feet gain
Day five was another short mileage day to Flagstone Lake in order to position ourselves for the following day’s ascent to the Continental Divide. Scott Lake sits in a bowl so we had to first climb 625 feet to a pass unofficially called “Smirnoff Memorial Pass” by the Russian group (for a fallen friend, not the vodka). A landscape painter once hauled his gear up Tourist Creek and painted the scene shown below, that we now observed in front of us at the top of the ridge south of Lake 11085!
Then we traversed thick beds of flowers on the shoreline to the outlet. The route to Flagstone Lake was a delightful exercise in weaving through small cliffs, lush little micro-ecosystems of moss and grass and small lakes. Reaching the outlet of Flagstone Lake, where water dropped into Tourist Creek, we had to decide how to get around the lake. The right side was initially easy but unfortunately ended in cliffs. So we turned around and crossed the outlet stream where we found an unlikely route along the left side cliffs, at times walking a 3-foot wide ramp high above the lake.
The melting glaciers have left their mark on Flagstone Lake. A large flat area of ground shown on the map is now completely flooded. We set up the tent near a snowmelt trickle high up on a flat ridge top on the north side. Then we dropped to the inlet where we crossed and lay out on the flat rocks, sunbathing and washing. Clouds were building but so far it had been perfect weather.
We did not escape an intense afternoon storm that we thankfully were able to observe from inside the tent. After cooking dinner we noticed a sudden outpouring of muddy water into the crystal clear Flagstone Lake. Curiosity got the best of us so we went upstream high above the creek, to find the source of the mud. Several unstable talus cones formed the west slope of the Continental Divide and were evidently the source of the mud. Needless to say the next day when we ascended the gully to the Divide we stayed on the opposite side of the drainage! Luckily we had set up the tent on the safe bench away from the potential rock fall and mud slides now coming down from Flagstone Peak.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
Day 6: 8/6/07 Flagstone Lake to Baker Lake. 3.4 miles, 1700 feet gain
Our goal for day six was to reach Baker Lake, another short jaunt of 3.4 miles and 1,700 feet of elevation gain. The only information I had about the route up to the Divide was a brief description by Finis Mitchell who supposedly a walk up on snow in the 1940’s. The obvious gully was now snow-free and looked difficult and we were particularly leery after seeing that the entire east slope was unstable. We tried a few routes that avoided the gully but ended up back in it. We put on crampons to walk across a few icy patches in lower part of the gully. The slope steepened and reached a headwall. We turned right to traverse the steep talus before heading straight up to a lake that on the map was shown as a permanent snowfield. Looking back at Flagstone Lake we were amazed at the rugged and remote upper reaches of Tourist Creek. Walking on the almost flat Continental Divide, we observed many other shallow lakes that were once snowfields. The virgin ground smelled musty as we walked the crest meeting several mountain sheep.
By sheer luck I walked over to a perfect viewpoint to observe the Sourdough Glacier. The entire northeast wall of the glacier had pulled away from the 200-foot cliff the glacier had carved over the eons. The 150-foot high ice wall was a classic example of crevasses above the plastic flowing zone of a glacier. Unlike the Mammoth Glacier, these crevasses were treacherously covered by a veneer of snow. Our viewpoint also gave us a bird’s eye view of the glacier flowing into milky Iceberg Lake that strained out the silt before it reached Baker Lake, deep blue and clear.
We descended to the broad saddle containing Baker Lake, a large lake that literally sits on the Continental Divide, just in time for our regular afternoon thunder storm, which quickly passed. With renewed sunshine, Juan decided that he wanted to swim with the icebergs that filled Iceberg Lake where they were calving off the snout of the Sourdough Glacier. I alternatively, settled on a partial wash-up in the icy water.
We explored around the north shore of the lake finding a few nicer campsites, but decided we would simply put up with our wind-tunnel location because we did not want to bother to pack up the tent again. Cooking dinner in the wind proved challenging. Although windy, our campsite had a spectacular view. Juan waked east to a viewpoint to see the Grasshopper Glacier far below. I was not feeling up to this walk, and regret not seeing the view. Oh, so many “should have” “could have” moments! I had not even thought to give him the camera to snap a few photos.
Day 7: 8/7/07 Baker Lake to Bear Lake. 7.6 miles, 1415 feet gain
Fear of more foul weather convinced us to leave at 6 AM for one of our longer treks. The Divide climbs north about 1,000 feet to the summit of Yukon Peak. We climbed high enough to get above the icy snowfields to the northeast but decided it was best to keep moving so did not climb Yukon Peak (this was another “could have” because this was the first day that afternoon storms did not materialize).
The Connie Glacier at the head of Clear Creek is another anemic glacier barely clinging to the side of the mountains. Global warming may end this glacier’s life in a few years, although it was still persisting in 2018 when I passed by on another trip. The best view of this glacier as from the high grassy benches. We dropped several hundred feet to a couple of shallow lakes at the terminus of the glacier. Then more descent over lots of talus is required to reach Kevin Lake. Clear Creek then tumbles into Bear Lake where cliffs rise above the water on both sides. We stayed about 600 feet above Bear Lake on the northeast side in order to traverse towards the outlet of Daphne Lake.
At Rocking Horse Lake a shallow area of lake had been warmed by underlying rock, providing us with a perfect swimming hole. It was sublime to lie out on warm rocks, basking like lizards! Our lazy rest stop had to end if we were to reach our destination. Travel became more difficult, typically lots of talus hopping and intricate route finding through complex terrain. Knowing that camping at Daphne Lake would be windy, we chose instead to stop about 400 feet above the shores of Bear Lake and 250 feet below the outlet of Daphne Lake. Near the stream from Daphne Lake that tumbled to Bear Lake we found a perfectly flat little bench for the tent. To our surprise no afternoon storm materialized. This gave us an opportunity to hike up to Daphne Lake and view Bear Lake from the outlet. After dinner, we again hiked up to Daphne Lake to enjoy the sunset.
Our goal for day six was to reach Baker Lake, another short jaunt of 3.4 miles and 1,700 feet of elevation gain. The only information I had about the route up to the Divide was a brief description by Finis Mitchell who supposedly a walk up on snow in the 1940’s. The obvious gully was now snow-free and looked difficult and we were particularly leery after seeing that the entire east slope was unstable. We tried a few routes that avoided the gully but ended up back in it. We put on crampons to walk across a few icy patches in lower part of the gully. The slope steepened and reached a headwall. We turned right to traverse the steep talus before heading straight up to a lake that on the map was shown as a permanent snowfield. Looking back at Flagstone Lake we were amazed at the rugged and remote upper reaches of Tourist Creek. Walking on the almost flat Continental Divide, we observed many other shallow lakes that were once snowfields. The virgin ground smelled musty as we walked the crest meeting several mountain sheep.
By sheer luck I walked over to a perfect viewpoint to observe the Sourdough Glacier. The entire northeast wall of the glacier had pulled away from the 200-foot cliff the glacier had carved over the eons. The 150-foot high ice wall was a classic example of crevasses above the plastic flowing zone of a glacier. Unlike the Mammoth Glacier, these crevasses were treacherously covered by a veneer of snow. Our viewpoint also gave us a bird’s eye view of the glacier flowing into milky Iceberg Lake that strained out the silt before it reached Baker Lake, deep blue and clear.
We descended to the broad saddle containing Baker Lake, a large lake that literally sits on the Continental Divide, just in time for our regular afternoon thunder storm, which quickly passed. With renewed sunshine, Juan decided that he wanted to swim with the icebergs that filled Iceberg Lake where they were calving off the snout of the Sourdough Glacier. I alternatively, settled on a partial wash-up in the icy water.
We explored around the north shore of the lake finding a few nicer campsites, but decided we would simply put up with our wind-tunnel location because we did not want to bother to pack up the tent again. Cooking dinner in the wind proved challenging. Although windy, our campsite had a spectacular view. Juan waked east to a viewpoint to see the Grasshopper Glacier far below. I was not feeling up to this walk, and regret not seeing the view. Oh, so many “should have” “could have” moments! I had not even thought to give him the camera to snap a few photos.
Day 7: 8/7/07 Baker Lake to Bear Lake. 7.6 miles, 1415 feet gain
Fear of more foul weather convinced us to leave at 6 AM for one of our longer treks. The Divide climbs north about 1,000 feet to the summit of Yukon Peak. We climbed high enough to get above the icy snowfields to the northeast but decided it was best to keep moving so did not climb Yukon Peak (this was another “could have” because this was the first day that afternoon storms did not materialize).
The Connie Glacier at the head of Clear Creek is another anemic glacier barely clinging to the side of the mountains. Global warming may end this glacier’s life in a few years, although it was still persisting in 2018 when I passed by on another trip. The best view of this glacier as from the high grassy benches. We dropped several hundred feet to a couple of shallow lakes at the terminus of the glacier. Then more descent over lots of talus is required to reach Kevin Lake. Clear Creek then tumbles into Bear Lake where cliffs rise above the water on both sides. We stayed about 600 feet above Bear Lake on the northeast side in order to traverse towards the outlet of Daphne Lake.
At Rocking Horse Lake a shallow area of lake had been warmed by underlying rock, providing us with a perfect swimming hole. It was sublime to lie out on warm rocks, basking like lizards! Our lazy rest stop had to end if we were to reach our destination. Travel became more difficult, typically lots of talus hopping and intricate route finding through complex terrain. Knowing that camping at Daphne Lake would be windy, we chose instead to stop about 400 feet above the shores of Bear Lake and 250 feet below the outlet of Daphne Lake. Near the stream from Daphne Lake that tumbled to Bear Lake we found a perfectly flat little bench for the tent. To our surprise no afternoon storm materialized. This gave us an opportunity to hike up to Daphne Lake and view Bear Lake from the outlet. After dinner, we again hiked up to Daphne Lake to enjoy the sunset.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
More pictures at Bear Lake
Day 8: 8/8/07 Bear Lake to Crescent Lake. 3.0 miles, 860 feet gain
There are several routes to the trailhead at Green River Lakes from this point. We choose to go to Crescent Lake, climb over Osborn Mountain and then drop 4,000 feet to the trailhead. The few miles to Crescent Lake traveled through complex country mostly over grassy slopes and a few talus gullies. Route finding was the key to success and aided by all the little ponds and lakes along the route.
At Crescent Lake we were inundated with civilization after a week of complete solitude. We could have pushed it over Osborn Mountain but played it safe and camped near the outlet of Crescent Lake. Although only noon, a biting cold north wind was howling adding more reason to stay put. We set up camp and mingled with a Boy Scout troupe and several fishermen who caught and released a fish with every cast. There was plenty of time to wander around, finding a nice little lake to the north with a view of the headwaters of Roaring Fork. We talked to a young fellow from Idaho whose grandfather had gone directly down from Bear Lake via Clear Creek to Clear Lake. I will have to try that another time. This entire area has been used more in the past than it is now, yet many unexplored areas remain.
Day 9 8/9/07 Crescent Lake to Green River Lake Trailhead. 8.5 miles, 1355 feet gain
Staying at Crescent Lake made for a more rigorous last day over a 12,000 foot peak with a 4,120 feet knee-bashing descent. This seldom used scenic route requires a bit of class-2 scrambling; most backpackers get to Crescent Lake via a trail up the Roaring Fork. As we ascended we looked back at Native Lake, still in the shadows. After some scrambling to the top of the first sub-peak, we dropped and traversed a flat saddle with steep side drop-offs, then ascended to the top of Osborn Mountain. As we stopped to view Forlorn Pinnacle we spotted several mountain sheep. Forlorn Pinnacle has a few climbing routes on it.
It is easy to get disoriented up here so, although longer than a direct line, we used landmarks, first heading for a small lake on the top of Osborn Mountain and then down a shallow gully where we would eventually see the “Red Saddle”. The saddle where we would turn right and drop into Mill Creek was easy to find due to its red color.
From the saddle a use-trail continues to Mill Creek, crosses and stays on the north side of the deeply incised creek below. The last 2,000 feet was a very steep knee-killer. The trail then became faint so we followed a fence line dropping to the sagebrush where we intersected the CDT to Green River Lakes Trailhead reaching the car at 1PM. We stopped at “The Place,” a rustic bar favored by locals, and had a couple of cold beers before continuing to Pinedale for a late lunch.
I was thrilled that the route, mostly configured from pouring over maps, worked out so well. The crux was the Mammoth Glacier and there certainly would be times when a rope and glacier travel gear would be required and other times when the route may simply not be safe. I regret that we did not have time to climb peaks and explore more. I returned in 2014 and 2018 to further explore and enjoy this hidden treasure of the Wind River Mountains.
Day 8: 8/8/07 Bear Lake to Crescent Lake. 3.0 miles, 860 feet gain
There are several routes to the trailhead at Green River Lakes from this point. We choose to go to Crescent Lake, climb over Osborn Mountain and then drop 4,000 feet to the trailhead. The few miles to Crescent Lake traveled through complex country mostly over grassy slopes and a few talus gullies. Route finding was the key to success and aided by all the little ponds and lakes along the route.
At Crescent Lake we were inundated with civilization after a week of complete solitude. We could have pushed it over Osborn Mountain but played it safe and camped near the outlet of Crescent Lake. Although only noon, a biting cold north wind was howling adding more reason to stay put. We set up camp and mingled with a Boy Scout troupe and several fishermen who caught and released a fish with every cast. There was plenty of time to wander around, finding a nice little lake to the north with a view of the headwaters of Roaring Fork. We talked to a young fellow from Idaho whose grandfather had gone directly down from Bear Lake via Clear Creek to Clear Lake. I will have to try that another time. This entire area has been used more in the past than it is now, yet many unexplored areas remain.
Day 9 8/9/07 Crescent Lake to Green River Lake Trailhead. 8.5 miles, 1355 feet gain
Staying at Crescent Lake made for a more rigorous last day over a 12,000 foot peak with a 4,120 feet knee-bashing descent. This seldom used scenic route requires a bit of class-2 scrambling; most backpackers get to Crescent Lake via a trail up the Roaring Fork. As we ascended we looked back at Native Lake, still in the shadows. After some scrambling to the top of the first sub-peak, we dropped and traversed a flat saddle with steep side drop-offs, then ascended to the top of Osborn Mountain. As we stopped to view Forlorn Pinnacle we spotted several mountain sheep. Forlorn Pinnacle has a few climbing routes on it.
It is easy to get disoriented up here so, although longer than a direct line, we used landmarks, first heading for a small lake on the top of Osborn Mountain and then down a shallow gully where we would eventually see the “Red Saddle”. The saddle where we would turn right and drop into Mill Creek was easy to find due to its red color.
From the saddle a use-trail continues to Mill Creek, crosses and stays on the north side of the deeply incised creek below. The last 2,000 feet was a very steep knee-killer. The trail then became faint so we followed a fence line dropping to the sagebrush where we intersected the CDT to Green River Lakes Trailhead reaching the car at 1PM. We stopped at “The Place,” a rustic bar favored by locals, and had a couple of cold beers before continuing to Pinedale for a late lunch.
I was thrilled that the route, mostly configured from pouring over maps, worked out so well. The crux was the Mammoth Glacier and there certainly would be times when a rope and glacier travel gear would be required and other times when the route may simply not be safe. I regret that we did not have time to climb peaks and explore more. I returned in 2014 and 2018 to further explore and enjoy this hidden treasure of the Wind River Mountains.
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Last edited by Wandering Daisy on Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wandering Daisy
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Re: Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
A few more photos.
This one is for Harlen, who has met Juan, my crazy climbing friend.
This is a typical small moss and flower feature that was widespread along the route.
Typical rocky travel, like getting to Kevin Lake
This one is for Harlen, who has met Juan, my crazy climbing friend.
This is a typical small moss and flower feature that was widespread along the route.
Typical rocky travel, like getting to Kevin Lake
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gary c.
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Re: Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
Such beautiful country!! You have been on so many great hikes and I so appreciate you taking the time to share them with us.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
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Harlen
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Re: Old TR 2007 Northwestern Wind Rivers
Swimming with icebergs.
Thanks for adding this great TR Daisy, I reckon this is one of your very best. I didn't know there were other great glacier areas in the Winds. Hope to get there too this summer.
Oh my! Yet another wild thing that Juan will do. He can keep his frozen swimming holes to himself.... No thank you!This one is for Harlen, who has met Juan, my crazy climbing friend.
Thanks for adding this great TR Daisy, I reckon this is one of your very best. I didn't know there were other great glacier areas in the Winds. Hope to get there too this summer.
Properly trained, a man can be dog’s best friend.
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