Wind River Range 6 Day Backpack

Dates and Itinerary are confirmed! If you are interested in this backpack please add your name to the waitlist and complete this short form. The group is limited to 8 people. This trip is not first come first served. I'll choose people who I know or who I believe will form a compatible and cohesive group.

One of the most beautiful and wild mountain ranges I have experienced, the Wind River Range in Wyoming will Blow. Your. Mind. This backpack is not for beginners! We will be hiking about 8 miles per day, and will be bushwhacking through some of it. There may be some minor class 2 scrambling with full backpacks. But Oh! So Fun!

Weather in the Winds at this time of year is variable. It could be sunny and warm, thunderstorms with rain, snowy, or some of each. You need to be able to backpack in all conditions to be moved to the attending list. This isn't a speedy backpack, but you need to be competent to maintain a reasonable steady pace. And to be familiar with your gear! There may be black bears, so we will need to use precautions with food storage. Although this isn't usually grizzly territory, they are known to be present in the more northern regions of the Winds so bear spray isn't a terrible idea. No permits are required as we will stay out of Indian Reservation territory.

Here is the itinerary I have sketched out so far, with an extra day for travel. It's early and this is subject to change!

• Day 0 Wed Aug 28th – Drive to Big Sandy Trailhead and car camp
• Day 1 – Hike from Trailhead to Cirque of the Towers - 8.8 miles; +1900 ft / - 563 ft ; highest elevation ~ 10,600 ft; camp elevation 10,400 ft
• Day 2 – Our toughest day: Hike with some scrambly bushwhack to South Fork Lakes, with short side trip to Bear Lake; 7.9 miles; +2139 ft / -2037 ft; highest elevation 11,860 ft; camp elevation; 10,570 ft
• Day 3 - South Fork Lakes to Baptiste Lake outlet; 8.6 mi; +1663 ft / -1363 ft; highest elevation 10,870 ft; camp 10,870 ft
• Day 4 – Baptiste to East Fork Valley, with some easy bushwhack; 7.2 mi; +1583 ft / -1850 ft; highest elevation 11,180 ft; camp 10,600 ft
• Day 5 – East Fork Valley with some bushwhack to Dad’s Lake 8.2 mi; +1012 ft / -1861 ft; highest elevation 10,077 ft; camp 9752 ft
• Day 6 Tues Sep 3 – Hike out 5.4 mi; +310 ft / - 968 ft; meal in Rock Springs, drive home

Stats were obtained through CalTopo mapping and are probably close, but not necessarily accurate.

Totals:
Miles – about 46 miles
Total Elevation Gain – about 8,607 ft
Woo!