Wind River Ranging

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 28 [The Gold at Shadow Lake]

We found there were many nice campsites at Shadow Lake. We found a vacant spot.


I should have said the site was nearly vacant.



We went down to the bank and watched the golden light hit the peaks.









We stayed until it faded.

 

[DirtWhiskey]

Great shots! Shadow L Texas Pass is the best approach into the Crique IMHO. Also ************** pass is my least favorite pass in the range. Something about it drains my soul!

Edit: Expo doesn't like swearwords! Even if they deserve their real name.

 

[TripLeader]

Great shots! Shadow L Texas Pass is the best approach into the Crique IMHO. Also ************** pass is my least favorite pass in the range. Something about it drains my soul!

Edit: Expo doesn't like swearwords! Even if they deserve their real name.

I can't say enough good things about the section from Shadow Lake through Texas Pass. It was just another example of high alpine beauty in the Winds.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 29 [Beyond a Shadow]

Wildfire smoke had made a comeback that morning when we awoke.


The trail system along Shadow Lake was a jumble of small trails that meandered through the woods to dispersed campsites. We ran into a hiker who had been on the WRHR as we navigated away from Shadow. It was intriguing to me to ask him his story about where he had been when the snow had fallen.












We came out of the woods to the lakes above Shadow. Billy's Lake was first. We anticipated when and where we would find Texas Pass.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 30 [Billy's Lake]

Continuing on.









Looking back.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 31 [Continuing Toward Texas Pass]










Looking back at Billy's Lake.



Barren Lake.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 32 [Final Approach to Texas Pass]










Above Texas Lake, nearly at the base of the pass.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 33 [Up & Over Texas]







It was a steep climb with some loose parts. But it wasn't too bad at all.



We caught our first glimpse, through the smoke, of Cirque.



The obligatory photo with the old sign atop the pass.



It was time to go.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 34 [CIRQUE OF THE TOWERS]

This moment is my favorite image of the trip. We had just dropped off from the south side of Texas Pass. We were finally there.



It had taken a long time to get here.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 35 [Pingora Peak]

The 11,889 foot cone quickly became a favorite of ours.











We observed climbers on the summit.









We saw more climbers on their way up the peak.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 36 [Lonesome Lake]




I would have loved to have camped here. But the timing of where we were within the overall trip did not work out. And there was a camping restriction within 1/4 mile from Lonesome Lake which greatly reduced any chance of finding a close campsite, along with concerns about the safety of the water for drinking.












We had lunch near this point.






Some fishermen had a pack alpaca. Or maybe it was a llama.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 37 [All Glory is Fleeting]

The trail took us around the bank of Lonesome Lake.












It was hard not to keep looking at Pingora. But our time in Cirque was over halfway finished. I knew it could not last forever.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 38 [Jack*ss Pass]

We began the ascent out of Cirque.



We took many views looking back.









And we descended toward Arrowhead Lake.



Note: I had to misspell the name of the pass due to ExPo's language filter.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 39 [Arrowhead Lake]

The map said going to the left side of the lake was the trail, but the alternate climber's trail was on the right side. Everyone we saw was using the climber's trail. So, when in Rome...






There was only one problem with the climber's trail. It sent us through a 75 yard boulder field. We navigated it, but there was not a clear route through it.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 40 [Big Sandy Lake]

We continued hiking away from Arrowhead Lake. We forecasted we would camp that evening at Big Sandy Lake.






We took a break on a lookout point at the high end of Big Sandy Lake. Labor Day weekend was approaching. The mountain climbers were on the trail, headed into Cirque. We cringed as each one passed us, due to the large heavy packs with hundreds of yards worth of rope they were hauling uphill.



We made camp.



It was our last night on the trail.