Must see locations in the Wind Rivers, later August?

[Curtis B.]

What spectacular views/locations would you recommend in the Wind River Range, accessible from the west central side (ie. within 50 miles of Pinedale)?

Last year, a number of people recommended a couple of highlights in Yellowstone that we were able to create a trip around and ended up doing 55 miles in 4 days. Looking to do the same this year.

I'm planning a 6-day trek in August with my family of five (wife, two honkin' teen boys, and active 20yo daughter). My boys are eager to outdo last year's mileage, but I think the more intense elevation might change their minds.

I bought Pallister's "Beyond Trails." How conservative are her travel days? One hike (not one I'm considering but as an example) is #33, High Lakes of the New Fork Plateau, that calls for 7 days, 42 miles, 36% off-trail, but it looks like it is all "G" rated off-trail.

[Chris S]

Which days will you be there? I'm looking for pretty much the same thing at the same time. I'll be there Aug 15-19. The question I posted about it is here.

In that thread Mary D mentioned the same trek you mentioned (#33) and David Noll provided a link to his photo album, which included Titcomb Basin. There are also references to some trip reports that I found useful.

What I'm thinking for my trip is starting/ending at the New Fork trailhead and combining Pallister's trek #33 with a diversion over to Titcomb Basin via Knapsack Col then looping back past Island Lake. She lists another trek in that same section (maybe 31 or 32?? — I don't have the book with me right now) with some of the details, although I think she exits the basin via Knapsack Col rather than entering. Andrew Wolff entered Titcomb Basin via Knapsack Col in his trip report.

I'm just not sure what the conditions will be like at Knapsack Col this August and if it ends up being too technical we might alter our route. I still need to look into that a bit more.

Edit: And if I hadn't seen Ronald's trip report that I mentioned in the other thread, then I'd probably just start from Elkhart Park and plan a route centered around Titcomb Basin. The pictures around Lozier Lake Basin and views of Clark Lake are right up my alley, which makes incorporating trip #33 especially appealing.

[Ben Wortman]

If there is any chance of snow being present, it would be better in my opinion to go "into" the titcomb basin via the col, vs "exiting" via knapsack. There was no snow on the west side in mid august a few years ago, but we tobogganed down several hundred feet of snow on the east side. It would have been very difficult to climb up that snow on the east side. It was rather mushy when we were there.

[Al Nichols]

We were there last August. We did the entire length, north to south.
The northern part is much more rugged. It took us about 8 days. The altitude was a BIG factor for me. If you're from flatland I'd give at least a few days to acclimate. I think that entire Winds is beautiful, the north has some really good views and the south is more of a sweeping kind of panoramic feel to it.

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