Need route ideas, Wind Rivers, 5 hiking days, Scouts

[Dave @ Oware]

Looking at a 5 day trip in August for group of 14 year old+ Boy Scouts.

(And a couple of 50+ year old leaders)

What route do people suggest?

Also any logistical ideas or concerns?

Good peaks to bag that are Scouting appropriate?

[George F]

There are a lot of Wind River hikers here, maybe if you gave some more details that would help. Experience, mileage, up for some easy off trail, that sort of thing.

[Lester Moore]

Your route selection would also depend on what you want to do, including fishing, day hiking, or just moving camp each day. For example, some locations predispose themselves to setting up a base camp and then doing day hikes for 2 to 3 days from there. And if solitude is a priority, you might bypass several of the most popular areas, such as Island Lake/Titcomb Basin/Indian Basin, Lonesome Lake area, etc.

As for scrambling peaks, there are many to choose from in the Class II – easy Class III difficulty range with no snow or glacier travel in most areas of the Winds. If you want to summit a 13’er, then that reduces the peak options more to certain parts of the range. One of my favorite peaks is Fremont peak – classic Class III summit with fantastic views of glaciers without having to climb any snow, but it’s in a fairly busy area (Island Lake/Indian Basin).

[Arthur]

Bring your water shoes.

Today, the Wyoming state reported that every one of their snow measuring sites (SNOTEL) were either the highest or second highest readings in the past 20 years for snow water equivalent.  All of the WRR sites were in the highest in 20 years category.

Avoid the week of the Eclipse.  Could be a zoo.

[Brad Rogers]

I recommend getting the Nancy Pallister(sp) book Beyond Trails – Off Trail in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming unless you want to stay on trail.  I have done two loops out of Big Sandy that might fit the bill and one in the Northern Winds out of Green River Lakes that might work.

I’ll try and post details later (time constraints now).

[John Vance]

With a little more detail on plans/objectives we could help better.  The Winds are spectacular and becoming more popular every year – I hope they don’t get loved to death.

[Kai Larson]

I’ve taken scouts on this loop 3 times.

Fun, challenging, beautiful scenery, good fishing on the later part of the trip.

Mosquitoes are horrific.  Bring head nets.

http://www.larsonweb.com/Bctry/TripReports/Backpacking/WindRivers.htm

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