Wind River Ranging

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 2 [15 Hours to Pinedale]

We made a pre-dawn start. Driving there is the 2nd worst part of the trip--only above driving back.


We were somewhere in Kansas.



A shower or two came and went. Are we in eastern Colorado yet?



Fueling up the Nissan in southern Wyoming.



We were getting closer. The Wind River Range was in the distance.



We had thought seeing a rainbow on our last trip out here was a good sign. Well, here was another one. I'm not sure what to think of it.



And we made it to our room.



We went and dropped off a car key for the shuttle. And we picked up pizza, from the same place as last time. We tend to be creatures of habits on our trips.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 3 [Last Moments in Civilization]

We vacated the motel room very early in the morning.



We went across the street to the gas station. We topped off the Nissan and then picked up some breakfast from the convenience store.



The drive to the trailhead was on. We made a pit stop along the way. There happened to be a tiny library parked in the national forest.



The road was rougher than we had remembered.



More obstacles in the road. We had crossed into an open range.



We were close to the trailhead. Squaretop came into view. We had not been expecting to see it so soon. The fog during our last trip here had concealed the mountain, until we had put a couple of miles under our boots.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 4 [Green River Lakes Trailhead]

We parked the Nissan and made the final adjustments to our packs. Then we walked away.









The hiking along Green River Lake was perfect. The trail was fairly level. The scenery with Squaretop Mountain in the background was hard to beat.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 5 [Continuing Along Green River Lakes]

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 6 [More of Green River Lakes]










The lakes are a great place to be outdoors.






Our last unobstructed views of Squaretop came to an end. We would hit the forest, navigate some stream crossings, and prepare for the switchbacks.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 7 [Water & Switchbacks]






















The day was getting older and we were gaining elevation.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 8 [To Vista Pass]

We continued on, uphill.



We made our last stream crossing for the day.






Taking a break along the trail and checking mileage.



Camped near Vista Pass for the night. Something like 17 miles from where we started.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 9 [To Cube Rock Pass]

We packed up our campsite at Vista Pass to begin our second day on the trail.



One of the ponds along Vista Pass.



Heading down from Vista Pass.



The approach to Cube Rock Pass, which is out of sight to the right.



Staring up at the pass. The route takes a left turn in front of Cube Rock.



Looking back toward the valley we had just traveled. Wildfire smoke started following us. There was not a fire close by, but the smoke would come and go throughout the trip.



Nearly to the top of the pass.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 10 [This is Why We're Here]

Dale Lake, at the top of Cube Rock Pass. We made our breakfast stop and topped off our water.
















Peak Lake. It was a highlight during our previous trip and shown bright again this time. It was now the dividing line between our old route and our new. Continuing forward was the way to Knapsack Col. But this time we would turn right toward Shannon Pass.

 

[ITTOG]

That lake view was beautiful.

 

[TripLeader]

That lake view was beautiful.

It was! Places like it are hard to walk away from. I would have loved to pitched the tent and spent another day there. But there is only so much time.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 11 [Shannon Pass]







Shannon Pass was one of my favorite types of settings--the high alpine rocky and craggy scene with some water thrown in for good measure. It was just a desolate moonscape-ish place that you can find in the higher places in the Winds. We had it all to ourselves. We had not been around anyone since Vista Pass.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 12 [Upper Jean Lake]

The Highline Trail had started at Green River Lakes. (The Highline Trail is different from the Wind River High Route.) We had diverted from it the day before to make the turn to go to Vista Pass. Shannon Pass took us back to the Highline Trail. So we had made a shortcut. Except at the cost of elevation and and a rougher trail.


Once back on the Highline Trail, we came upon Upper Jean Lake and topped off our water. We usually only carried one liter at at time.






Looking out over the lake. Shannon Pass was a mile or two back, to the left. Titcomb Basin was on the other side of the high ridgeline.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 13 [Crossings & Fremont Crossing]

We continued along the Highline Trail.












Looking back.






We came upon a marked crossing, "Fremont Crossing," on the map. It had the nicest bridge we encountered in the Winds.

 

[TripLeader]

August 2024

Part 14 [To Little Seneca Lake]







Resting for a while.



Looking back as we approached Little Seneca Lake. The day was winding down and we were on the lookout for a campsite.



We continued on. We found a site above Little Seneca Lake, but below Lester Pass. It had its own nearby unnamed lake.



We had a GPS satellite communicator on the trip. It gave out basic weather forecasts. It showed a 5% chance of snow for the morning. Nothing that made us worry as we went to sleep that second night on the trail.