Wind River High Route (Skurka version), Southern Half (75 miles) – 8/10-14-2016

[Austin Lillywhite]

After completing a 70-ish mile loop in Glacier NP, I came back to Boise, had about a day of downtime, and then took off with my father-in-law for a traverse of Andrew Skurka’s Wind River High Route.

Here’s a link to my video documenting the incredible journey:

Skurka’s line of travel is an absolute MASTERPIECE of high route walking in my opinion. It has the highest percentage of off-trail travel I have ever seen, the largest average of vertical change per mile, and is definitely the most alpinous route I’ve ever been on. Plus there are three mountain summits spread out perfectly through the beginning, middle and end of the route.

We had planned to do the whole thing, but unfortunately my father-in-law just wasn’t able to keep up with the pace I had set up for us. He was under-prepared for the intense level of steep, loose talus fields and class 3 ledges that Skurka’s route constantly navigates. Plus, he was coming off of a nasty broken toe, and a double meniscus surgery, so he hadn’t been able to prepare at all for the trip. He also had two scary falls on the trip and sustained some altitude sickness. He had a hard deadline to be back to work, and as a result, he had to pull the plug after we finished up just over half of the primary route (56 miles), and we did and extra 19 miles to bail out at Boulder Creek Trailhead.

It was still mile-for-mile the finest high route experience I have ever had, no doubt about it.

Full trip report and pictures are available at my website, austinlillywhite.wordpress.com

[John Vance]

You had a great trip nonetheless but missed the better northern half…IMHO.

[Austin Lillywhite]

@ John Vance

Haha, doubtless! That’s what I’ve heard and what all the pictures indicate which is why I’m already scheming so hard and fantasizing about the next soonest opportunity to get out there!!

[Brad Rogers]

Thanks for the trip report!  I am getting ready to head to WRR to do a off trail high route in the southern half of the park and did the northern half of the Dixson-Wilson High Route in 2012.  I will have to check out his route my next trip to the Winds.

[Steve S]

Austin, I live west of Boise, are you in fact now in Boise? I am always looking for someone to plan a hike with. If you have any interest in someone in the Boise area, please, drop me a line!

[Austin Lillywhite]

@ Steve S — Thanks so much for the awesome offer. Really wish I could say I was still in Boise (already miss it!). I’ve just left this month to start grad school in NY, so alas it looks like it’s not to be.

However, like I mentioned, I’m already scheming really hard to come back and do the complete WRHR next summer, about the same time of year, and I’ll definitely keep you in mind!

Happy trails,

Austin

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