Wind River Ranging

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 15 [5% Chance]

We began the day by seeing the storm roll in. (This was the same general viewpoint as the last photo.)



The snow started falling around 6:30 a.m. There were a few breaks, but visibility was 100 yards or less most of the time.



I left my tent and went to the other tent for a council about what to do. We made the decision to wait it out in our tents. Lester Pass was not a high, dangerous endeavor in fair weather. But going over it in a near whiteout was not an option for us. We also had concerns about how long this storm would last. We did not want to get cold, wet, and lost in this setting.


The next thoughts were about the rest of the trip. We were going to lose a day riding out the snowstorm. We were back in the Winds to hike through Cirque of the Towers. We were supposed to be there near the end of the hike. But losing a day could very easily mean losing Cirque, and forcing us to shortcut out to the ending trailhead. Disappointment was setting in.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 16 [After the Storm]

The snow let up after four hours and four inches. We saw our first glimpse of blue sky.









Filling up the water bottle.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 17 [Decisions]

It looked like there was a chance the weather was going to clear up. But we were also concerned about the condition of the trail, and whether or not we would even be able to see and follow it under the snow. We weren't out of the woods yet, and we weren't out of the woods yet. (My humble version of Leslie Nielson's, "I'm a locksmith, and I'm a locksmith." No applause necessary.)


We walked up the trail a couple hundred yards to scout out conditions.












Another group had been camping about one-half of a mile up the trail from us. They came hiking down. They had decided to take a lower route past Seneca Lake instead of going over Lester Pass. We decided we would wait until noon to monitor the weather. We would continue with our planned itinerary if the weather still looked good then. We would stay at camp otherwise.


The weather was improving. The sun was out. We packed up from snow camp and headed out.

 

[ITTOG]

So cool to have snow. So concerning to have snow.

Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

 

[TripLeader]

So cool to have snow. So concerning to have snow.

Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk

Exactly!

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 18 [Lester Pass]

We pushed ahead and went for it.












"Lester Pass Elev 11,560"

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 19 [Afternoon Hiking]

We had been descending on the south side of Lester Pass. We knew we had made the right decision as the air warmed up and the snow melted. But it had been uneasy for a time.









We hoped to make some good miles that afternoon to make up for our lost morning.












The Highline Trail intersected with the Fremont Trail after the water crossing at Pole Creek. We took the Fremont.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 20 [A Salvaged Day]

The Fremont Trail was our old friend from our previous trip. But we had not been on this stretch of it.

Looking back over the unnamed lakes below Spider Lake as we hit an unnamed pass below Mount Baldy.


















We made our camp that evening near the intersection of the Fremont Trail and the Timico Trail. We had put in 10 miles. The day really turned out to be a good one. The snow had put us in a spot. But with the hindsight of a warm, sunny campsite, we could finally really appreciate it all. Our day's mileage still had us on track for Cirque.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 21 [Breaking Camp]

The days were generally pleasant, with highs in the 70s. The nights were generally cool, with lows in the 30s. That caused some condensation on the tents.






We set off on our fourth day on the trail.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 22 [Along the Fremont Trail]

We went over Hat Pass, at something like 10,750 feet.



We had lunch at August Lake.



Examining the routes at the intersection of Victor Lake Trail and the Fremont Trail.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 23 [Oh, the Things You'll See]

We were in a wooded section and came upon this train before we could comprehend it. This group had packed their goats for their 10-day fishing trip.






We chatted with them for a bit and then continued on our way.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 24 [Sandpoint Lake]

We made the water crossing across Middle Fork Creek which dropped us off at Sandpoint Lake.



We found a campsite.



A couple of us took baths.



We were always considering the mileage and the route. Our pre-planning had been to cut over to the High Route at Europe Canyon, which we had passed earlier in the day. However, the mileage, time, and difficulty had prescribed that we would stay on the established Fremont Trail. So no WRHR for this trip. It was disappointing to miss out, but not unexpected.



The evening light at Sandpoint made for one of our most relaxing campsites. We had the lake to ourselves.






I sat at my open tent door until after sunset.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 25 [Last Day on the Fremont]

The morning light glowed at Sandpoint Lake as we started our fifth day, but it was nothing like the sunset light had been.



We hiked out on the Fremont. We were considering going to Marm's Lake, and then venturing to Shadow Lake from there.









Bonneville Peak.









We had two more days left after this. All this Fremont Trail hiking was to set us up for a push into Cirque of the Towers, hopefully on the next day. But it could realistically be on the last.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 26 [The Plateau]

The Fremont took us on a rise. Our first recognizable glimpse of Cirque was out there. We went downhill and quickly lost it.






We had been hoping to fill up our water at one of the streams or ponds we came to. But there were cattle ranging. Too many cowpies lessened the appeal of the water. We went thirsty for a couple of miles.



We had been on this section before. We knew what was coming. The Old Fremont took us up onto the barren plateau. It made us feel like ants compared to the mountains which had inspired our quest.















We were still miles and miles away as the crow flew. And even further away by trail.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 27 [To Shadow Lake]

We came down from the plateau to another water crossing. We made it and headed uphill. This upcoming section would take us to Marm's Lake. We had camped there last time. It was mid-afternoon and it was looking like daylight might not last in getting us past Marm's to Shadow Lake. We had been studying the map and saw there was potential for a shortcut from the Fremont Trail to Shadow Lake Trail, bypassing Marm's. It would save us about three miles.



A three mile savings was a lot. But it would come at the cost of one mile of bushwhacking. We decided to go for it. We found there was an unmarked, light-use trail at the shortcut. It dumped us out on the Shadow Lake Trail. The shortcut was a success. We dubbed it the "Wind River Low Route."


On the Shadow Lake Trail, along Washakie Creek.


Reaching Shadow Lake would put us just outside of Cirque. We would have a great launching point to hike in the next day.



We were passed by some other backpackers on the Shadow Lake Trail. One group happened to be one that had passed us at the start of the trip at Vista Pass. They had been on the Wind River High Route through the snow. They lapped us on hiking from the north end of the Winds to the south end. Very impressive.