Wind River Range – 5 days/4 nights

[Chris S]

I'll be in Wyoming this summer and should have 5 days/4 nights available for a trip in the Wind River Range. Does anyone have any route recommendations that hits some of the highlights of the area? The pictures in Ronald's Trip Report seem to be exactly what I'm looking for, so I'm thinking about starting from the New Fork trailhead. It also looks like this trailhead is at a lower elevation than most others, which should be beneficial for my friend that will be flying in from sea level. I'm not dead set on starting from this trailhead though and would love to hear any other suggestions.

I did just order the Beartooth Mountain Press map and I'm planning on getting Nancy Pallister's book. Anything else I should get? Or any links to useful info on the web?

Thanks in advance!

Edit to add: This will be in mid-August and I am looking for something in the 12-15 mile per day range, with the exception of the final day being shorter since I will need to travel home afterwards….so around 50-65 total miles.

[Robert Burke]

I too am interested in visiting the Winds at the end of August or beginning of September. Great trip report. I also saw this trip report by Andrew Wolff which looked mighty compelling. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=40071

[Chris S]

Bumping this question

I did get the map and it looks like there are a ton of different routes that I can put together. Just wondering if there are any specific trailheads you would recommend starting from (I'm liking the New Fork trailhead so far) and any specific spots that are worth making it a point to see. I've seen the Cirque of the Towers mentioned, but any others?

[Mary D]

Other trailheads: Elkhart Park and Big Sandy

Both are crowded (I counted over 100 cars at the Big Sandy trailhead when I was there), but there is a lot of territory for the crowds to disperse and disappear! For example, Island Lake, Titcomb Basin and the Cirque of the Towers are popular, and deservedly so, but you can take a look and then go to far less crowded areas. The "back side" of the Cirque of the Towers (Shadow, Billy's and Texas Lakes) is, IMHO, just as spectacular as the "front" and far less crowded. Plus you can go over Hailey and/or Washakie Passes, and/or take a side-trip into the spectacular East Fork Cirque.

Check out the New Fork Plateau trip when you get Nancy Pallister's book! She shows an easy off-trail trip which eliminates having to go back down the 2,000 feet you climb on Day 2. Thanks for the link to Ronald's report, which I missed.

[Al Nichols]

Never mind……….

[Chris S]

Thanks, Mary! I was looking at the map last night and it looks like with my time constraints I could do a trip that incorporates Titcomb Basin/Island Lake or Cirque of the Towers, but probably not both. Would you recommend one over the other for my first trip out there? Or do you think I can't go wrong either way?

[David Noll]

Chris,
I haven't been to the Cirque but you can't go wrong with Titcomb Basin. Here is a link to a trip I did there in 2010 with my wife and daughter.

[Chris S]

Very nice, David. Thanks for sharing. Looks like you went around the same time of year as I'm planning. Any issues with bugs?

[David Noll]

Very few. In fact,I don't think we even used our bug dope. We will be out there again this year around the middle of August except that we are going in on the Meadow Lake TH.

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