Conditions? Guesses for July 12th+ and trip tips: Teton Crest, Wind River Range

[David Flaherty]

We’ve got a scout group heading to the Grand Tetons for 50 miles or so in mid-July. Conditions still look pretty snowy. We’re all experienced backpackers and we did the Teton Crest Trail loop in 2012. In 2012, the timing was perfect. Snow was generally only in pockets and on Paint Brush Divide. We altered course and came down Cascade to avoid carrying ice axes for the week.

This year the only ground conditions reports we can see make it sound like there is a lot more snow, and that we may have to slog through a lot of it and deal with it on multiple divides and passes.

Anyone been out there recently? If so, how’s it looking?

We are considering Wind River Range as plan B. Any great suggestions for 50 mile week in the Winds? We’re ok with off-trail, but need to avoid hand-over-hand climbing and ice axes due to health issue with a team member. “Beyond Trails in the Wind River Mountains” is giving us lots of ideas, but it’s always good to hear from those with experience.

Thanks!!

 

[Brad Rogers]

In WRR I have done a couple of Palister’s loops (slightly modified for more miles per day).  Here is a route I did a few years ago that I really liked.

https://caltopo.com/m/02MP

There were no snow issues in August on these passes either on this trip or the WRR I did last year which hits some of these passes.  I’m not sure how Bonneville/Sentry Pass would be if there was snow.

My suggestion would be to have planned contingency routes on trail and play it by ear.  On this particular route there is no other good way out of the Lee Lake basin if you couldn’t get over Sentry Pass but if conditions looked bad you could cut the northern part of the loop off and go over Hailey Pass or Washakie Pass instead.  You could also avoid Macon Lake Pass if needed by taking the Bears Ear Trail around Grave Lake.   If you needed to avoid Illinois Pass you could take the Bears Ear Trail to Catheral Peak and cross the Lizzard Head Plateau into the Cirque.

[Brad Rogers]

Also,  I will add that I would call the Great Outdoor Shop in Pinedale as you get closer for trail conditions.  They generally have pretty up to date and accurate reports.

[Lee]

I’ve done the Teton Crest Loop & about 1/2 of the route described in Brad’s post. I would say that Brad’s route is significantly more ambitious & challenging that the Teton Crest. That being said, it looks AWESOME. I would recommend against doing Raid-Bonneville Col if there is snow on the ground. The SE side of the pass is a large boulder field that I would only want to cross in dry conditions.

I have only done the Winds in late Aug/early Sept, so I can’t comment from experience, but folks say mosquitoes are pretty bad in the Winds in July. One advantage to Brad’s route is that many of the campsites are high/exposed, which should help with bugs.

[BlackHatGuy]

“I would call the Great Outdoor Shop in Pinedale as you get closer for trail conditions.”

They also have trailhead conditions and photos on their site that might be useful in pre-planning

[obx hiker]

Doug beat me with that link. Just FYI Miller Park is that big open meadow at  the turn to Miller Lake off the Pole Creek Trail at about 10,000 feet and 3.3 miles from the Elkhart trailhead. 2 feet of snow on the 21st and it’s a big flat wide open sunny area like a pasture….or a park. If there’s 2 feet there well…..anyway The Great Outdoor Shop is good at keeping the site updated and also have a twitter feed on trail conditions.

[David Flaherty]

Awesome! That looks like another Plan A for a future year. A lot of the elevation is over 10K and on the westerly slope, so I’m guessing the snow conditions there would be comparable to Grand Tetons.

Thanks!

Dave

[David Flaherty]

Doug and obx hiker, thanks for the Great Outdoor Shop connection.
Looks like under 9K is getting better, but really buggy. I’ll keep checking in.

Thanks!

[David Flaherty]

Thanks Lee!

[obx hiker]

Don’t forget stream crossings; wherever you end up. And hats off for taking Scouts out! They’ll remember these trips the rest of their lives!

[Author]

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