alana
Trail Wise!
Posts: 15
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Post by alana on Jan 8, 2017 7:24:02 GMT -8
I would like to do a week long trip in Wind and would like a recommendation to be able to hit as many highlights as possible. We will have a small group and are very experienced. I'm also looking for recommendations on the best time of year for the hike. Right now I'm looking at a range from the middle of August to the middle of September? I appreciate any help and hints other hikers can provide. Thanks in advance.
Alan
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Post by topshot on Jan 8, 2017 8:50:41 GMT -8
For an experienced small group, if you could extend your time I would do one of the high route options so you'll see the whole range. Some do a hybrid between the two. Adventure Alan's High RouteAndrew Skurka's High RouteMid-Aug to early Sep should be fine. More chance of snow once mid-Sep hits though you could get a foot at ANY time. My trip in the Northern Winds this summer covered small portions of both. From Green River Lakes TH, the former doesn't go high until you leave Three Forks Park. From there instead of staying on the Highline Trail to Vista Pass I went off-trail up Tourist Creek to Klondike Peak and past Yukon Peak. From there Skurka's route continues onto Downs Mtn and then drops off the eastern side, whereas I dropped down at Connie Lakes and went into Bear Basin and then over Osborne Mtn back to GRL TH. Here is a recent review of 3 women that did mostly Skurka's route. If you are stuck with just a week, then you need to decide northern (likely GRL TH), central (Elkhart Park TH) or southern (likely Big Sandy TH). There are great spots along the whole range though I've not been south yet.
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alana
Trail Wise!
Posts: 15
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Post by alana on Jan 9, 2017 7:21:22 GMT -8
Thanks for the information! I may have to see if I can work in a few more days and do one of the longer hikes.
Alan
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alana
Trail Wise!
Posts: 15
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Post by alana on Jan 16, 2017 14:53:40 GMT -8
I was wondering if you had any information on people that would help with a shuttle? Thanks in advance the area really looks interesting.
Alan
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Post by cweston on Jan 16, 2017 16:07:01 GMT -8
topshot -- how was the tourist creek route? That route has a pretty bad reputation, but it intrigues me because it leads to some pretty spectacular and lonesome country.
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Post by trinity on Jan 17, 2017 3:55:18 GMT -8
I was wondering if you had any information on people that would help with a shuttle? Thanks in advance the area really looks interesting. Alan Pretty sure The Great Outdoors does shuttles, and pretty sure trekkerman does seasonal work with them. With a week there are also some pretty good loop options in the Winds. I"d plan to hit Titcomb Basin, and plan to stay there for at least a couple of days.
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Post by larrys on Jan 17, 2017 11:37:41 GMT -8
Great Outdoor Store will help you with car shuttle. We like going in from Green River Lakes and hiking to Peak Lake. Your group would enjoying dropping into back of Titcomb Basin via Knap Sack Col. From there you can go up into Indian Basin and then to Island Lake. Have your car shuttled to Elkhart TH and from Island Lake you have a 5-6 hour hike out.
There are ways to extend this trip offtrail to get you up to a week if you need more days.
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Post by topshot on Jan 17, 2017 19:35:38 GMT -8
topshot -- how was the tourist creek route? That route has a pretty bad reputation, but it intrigues me because it leads to some pretty spectacular and lonesome country. cweston Not as bad as I was expecting. It looked pretty intimidating from across the Green. I chose to stay well right and above the creek for the most part until about 10000 when I correctly chose to go around rather than over a steep talus pile right before getting to lake 10090. That included going around all the huge boulders at the base. Seemed like it would be easier to go around to the right of those, and I had camped on that side already. I just added my youtube page to my profile so you can get a little better feel for it. That portion starts at 1:15. I noted that it took me 6 hours to get to lake 11085. Sure didn't seem that long. Must have been having fun. It seems the only other challenging areas were getting over to and then around the north shore of lake 10890 and climbing the headwall to the pass. The former was just a matter of route finding and figuring out where to best turn and the latter was just steep.
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Post by swimswithtrout on Jan 20, 2017 19:59:41 GMT -8
If you are truly experienced, "The Best of the Best" in the Winds are the completely off trail routes. Peak Lk to Upper Titcomb Gorge via Knapsack Col, Brown Cliffs /Alpine Lks into Bull Crk , Horse Ridge, and the best of all, the Continental Divide from Gannett Peak north.
Don't plan on big miles but do plan on a grand "Adventure" !
You could skip a shuttle and just do a loop from Green River Lks to Peak Lk, over Knapsack Col into Titcomb Gorge, than take the high exit from Island Lk to Wall Lk and then drop down from the higher col just north of Tiny Glacier. Stay high and head back N through the Brown Cliffs/Alpine Lks and down to Knife Point Glacier. Blaurock Pass to Gannett Peak, then up Gannett Glacier and essentially follow the Continental Divide all the way to Continental Glacier and drop back down to Bear Lk and out to Green River Lks.
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Post by topshot on Jan 21, 2017 5:30:43 GMT -8
You could skip a shuttle and just do a loop ... That would be a sizable loop for 7 days for most folks.
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alana
Trail Wise!
Posts: 15
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Post by alana on Jan 22, 2017 10:17:56 GMT -8
Thanks for all the advise! I'm working to put the trip together that will work with my group and everything that's been posted has helped. I was wondering if we spend 2 nights in Titcomb basin what would be a good day hike that wouldn't be technical? We have younger guys and older guys and need something we can all enjoy. Thanks again for everything posted.
Alan
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Post by trinity on Jan 22, 2017 11:29:51 GMT -8
I was wondering if we spend 2 nights in Titcomb basin what would be a good day hike that wouldn't be technical? An out and back to Indian Pass makes a great day hike. You can also just spend time exploring the upper basin, it's a huge area.
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Post by cweston on Jan 22, 2017 15:47:26 GMT -8
I just added my youtube page to my profile so you can get a little better feel for it. That portion starts at 1:15. I noted that it took me 6 hours to get to lake 11085. Sure didn't seem that long. Must have been having fun. Thanks for the pointer to the video--I really enjoyed that. So your route was on the west side of the continental divide the whole way? From your narration, it sounded like maybe there was a guidebook (or some such) where you had found a detailed description? If that's right, could you share the source? Looks like a very hale adventure. I've been thinking about Tourist Creek for a while, but the idea of descending by that route seems pretty distasteful to me--that boulder/talus terrain is usually a lot less awful going up than going down. Looping out by another way piques my curiosity.
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Post by topshot on Jan 22, 2017 19:38:15 GMT -8
I was wondering if we spend 2 nights in Titcomb basin what would be a good day hike that wouldn't be technical? My almost 8 year old and I went briefly off trail into Indian Basin to hit the Pass. Nice trip and area. If you checked out my youtube page, that would be the July 2014 trip. You could explore the upper Titcomb Basin more or cruise around Island Lake or off trail up to Wall Lake. So your route was on the west side of the continental divide the whole way? From your narration, it sounded like maybe there was a guidebook (or some such) where you had found a detailed description? If that's right, could you share the source? Looks like a very hale adventure. I've been thinking about Tourist Creek for a while, but the idea of descending by that route seems pretty distasteful to me--that boulder/talus terrain is usually a lot less awful going up than going down. Looping out by another way piques my curiosity. Yes, I was either on the divide or west of it. I mostly used Nancy Pallister's book/maps to plan my route with hints from other reports I found. A few spots were my own design like the ridge south of Crescent Lake. Like you, I MUCH prefer going up the really steep/nasty stuff. Coming down Osborne was a walk in the park compared to what Tourist would have been like even though it was very steep in parts since I missed the social trail that headed over to Mill Creek. I suspect most go out via Roaring Fork. One recent report I just read made it sound like that trail was not too hard to follow (though he was coming up the trail to Crescent). If it was decent weather, I'd do Osbourne again.
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Post by trekkerman on Jan 22, 2017 20:32:06 GMT -8
Yep. this is Trekkerman. I live in Pinedale in the summer. You can't go wrong in the Wind river Range. Two most iconic areas are Titcomb Valley out of Elkhart Park and Cirque of Towers area from the Big Sandy trailhead. (Although the Green River Lakes Area is also super spectacular.) Late August is very popular. But don't let the cars at the trailheads discourage you. By the second day you will begin to have a truly Wilderness experience. Consider going in at Big Sandy and going out at Elkhart TH. GOTCO can shuttle your group or your vehicle from one TH to another. (About $175) Two great loops, (no shuttle involved are: Big Sandy TH to Jackass Pass, to Lonesome Lake, over Texas Pass, down Shadow Lake and Washakie Creek to Marms's Lake and back to Big Sandy TH. Or Elkhart TH, past Seneca Lake, across Fremont Crossing, up to Peak Lake and down Knapsack Col to upper Titcomb then down to Island Lake then back to Elkhart. It's all "win win". There is camping at Elkhart Park TH and at Fremont Lake, and at Big Sandy Trailhead. If you plan on moteling it at either end in Pinedale make reservations now, not later. Pinedale is a busy town in the summer. Don't miss the Wind river Brew Pub. Showers in Pinedale at the Pinedale Aquatic Center if you are just passing through. Bottom line: The Wind River Range offers what may well be the finest backpacking experience in the contiguous USA!
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