Wind River Range: Europe Peak

[Adam G]

I am going to attempt Skurka’s Wind River Traverse again, with the last attempt thwarted by altitude sickness. His standard route goes up the Europe Canyon Trail but diverges to head up Europe Peak, and then walks the wide plateau above to eventually join up with Hays Pass. An alternate route skirts the peak over Europe Pass and then descends to Milky Lake, and loops around.

Skurka describes the route up Europe Peak as class 3 to a knife’s edge and says something like, “Yippee!” I’ve tried to get some info on how sketchy this route is, and I’ve read widely different takes on it. Some people said it was class 1/2 on non-exposed ledges, which then wrap around a corner with a 15 foot class 3 climb with minimal consequence for falling. Other people describe it as absolutely terrifying class 5 terrain.

I am try to reconcile these. Are people getting off route? Does this just represent people’s comfort level with more technical terrain. I’d be interested on hearing people’s perspective who have actually done this.

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