Wind Rivers - 2014 - Part 1

Bob

Trailmaster
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
4,215
Day 1 – Drove to Pinedale from Ogden so as to hit the trail early afternoon. Cloudburst rain from Kemmerer to Daniels Junction, not looking good. Headed to Green Lakes TH to drop a truck and it changed to partly sunny, yeah! Finally got to Elkhart about 2p, hit the trail about 230p. Heard rumors of snow and wind at the Outdoor shop. About photographers point changed to solid clouds and starting to rain, not good, still a ways we wanted to go. The big Peaks were socked in by BLACK clouds. Headed on out, light rain changed to a downpour..about 2 hours, however long it takes to get to Hobbs. Water running down the trail, nice mud and horse biscut soup in places (did I mention I hate horses on trails). Got to Hobbs Lk and the clouds broke some, rain quit…this is the place for camp as everyone was getting soaked.
001.JPG
Day 2 – Awoke to mostly clear skies, excellent view across the lake to the high peaks from camp. Headed out, never saw anyone until Seneca Lk where there was one tent (everyone else left I guess). Passed three people from Jackson going up the divide from Little Seneca Lk. Then came the hordes… pack train, three or four groups heading out. Stayed fairly sunny until about the Indian trail jct. We decided not to head up that trail as the clouds were building and it was spitting rain. Made a short day and camped on the knoll just north of the Pothole lake out of sight. Never did rain till later that evening. We are getting killed on our daily mileage so far…
002.JPG
Day 3 – Decided to still go to the East side over Indian Pass. Awoke to clear morning (yeah!). Headed up the trail (sign says 6 miles but I’m not sure it’s that far). Halfway clouds are building again…..got to 11200 ft at the bottom of the steep up section to the pass and whammo…..wind, driving rain, clouds almost to the deck….we high tailed it back down to about 11000 ft, water running down the trail, off of rocks and getting pretty soaked and set camp on a flat spot right by the trail. Fastest I’ve ever set my rainbow tent up. Couple hours later 4 guys came by and knocked wanting to know if there were any camp sites higher up, said I didn’t know that this was the best we saw. They said they came over Knapsack Col in a thunderstorm and were headed for Big Sandy via Alpine lakes. Never saw them again. Someone else set two tents near us that evening but never saw where they went in the morning, I think down. Now we are a day behind our miles…….
003.JPG
Day 4 – Sunny and blue. Headed back up to Indian Pass. Sucked wind up the steep section to 12200 ft. Way nice views both East and West. Cell service here. Discussed strategy. Our original plan was to cross East Indian Pass to the Dry Canyon area, but we were behind mileage wise. So we decided it may be easier to get back on track by heading for Glacier Point and cross Blaurock Pass into the Dinwoody instead. (Saving two days) We picked up the tracks from the guys the night before across Knifepoint Glacier and it looked like they made Alpine Pass. Going down the east side of Indian Pass is fairly rough. Heading down canyon east we found it’s best to stay as far north (left) as you can. There are some snowfields but plenty of rock patches to move down on but it gets steep the farther down you get. The very worst is the bottom on the rocky moraine. It is VERY slow going down this side, ate up a lot of time and was tiring. We hit the flats and finally camped down canyon a ways, but didn’t make it to Glacier Point like we wanted, too tired.
004.JPG 004a.JPG
005.JPG
006.JPG
006a.JPG
007a.JPG
007c.JPG

See PART 2 ..............................

Featured image for home page:
slide.jpg
 
Last edited:
NIce account Bob! It is sad to see that the glacier on the east side of Indian Pass has receded so much. Makes the travel marginally easier - especially if you don't have crampons, I guess.
 
Dang, I can't believe these have shrunk so much - even in my 25 years of visiting them.
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
Bob Wind Rivers - 2014 - Part 2 Backpacking 11
Upgrayedd Union and Gunsight Passes - Wind Rivers Trip Planning 4
Bob Wind Rivers - Short Trip to Cook Lake Trip Reports 9
OldBill Roaming the Wind Rivers, September 2022 Backpacking 8
Mountain Wanderer First time in the Wind Rivers Backpacking 4
Bob Wind Rivers - Lee Lake Loop Backpacking 6
Bob Sand Creek Fire - Wind Rivers General Discussion 0
A Wind Rivers: Clear Lake, Faler Lake and Roaring Fork General Discussion 7
OldBill Short Bear Basin exploration, Wind Rivers Trip Planning 7
Bob Wind Rivers ..... for those getting the itch ........ Backpacking 2
S Backcountry camping tips for Wind Rivers - upper Green River valley via canoe Trip Planning 5
Kullaberg63 Wind Rivers, Circling Downs Mountain Backpacking 16
Burrito Wind Rivers - Titcomb to Knapsack Col to Peak Lake Trip Planning 3
Lincsco Wind Rivers - Texas Pass Trip Planning 5
OldBill Introducing the Wind Rivers to the next generation, Sept 2016 Backpacking 3
Nethos Eclipse in the Wind Rivers Trip Planning 52
danger02ward Wind Rivers - Titcomb and Indian Basins Part 4 Backpacking 1
danger02ward Wind Rivers - Titcomb and Indian Basins Part 3 Backpacking 12
Nick Highest elevation buffalo jump found in Wind Rivers General Discussion 7
danger02ward Wind Rivers - Titcomb and Indian Basins Part 2 Backpacking 3
danger02ward Wind Rivers - Titcomb and Indian Basins Part 1 Backpacking 1
J Avoiding Weekend Crowds - Tetons vs. Wind Rivers Trip Planning 11
Bob Slice of Heaven Part 2 ...... Wind Rivers NE corner Backpacking 4
Burrito Looking for moderate route in the wind rivers Trip Planning 8
Bob Wind Rivers NE Corner - 9 Days of Heaven ...... Backpacking 20
Blake Merrell Wind Rivers 2016: Green River to Elkhart Backpacking 8
Bob Shoshone lk - wind rivers fire Trip Planning 0
Bob Wind rivers and fire Trip Planning 7
OldBill Wind Rivers in Sept - how to hook the next generation? Trip Planning 9
Mountain of Youth Southern Wind Rivers in July - Suggestions Welcome Trip Planning 2
Dave Winters Wind Rivers 2015 Backpacking 5
steve Wind Rivers Traverse - Backpacking 90 miles in the Wind Rivers Backpacking 102
trasmuson3 Wind Rivers - Shadow Lake Backpacking 4
Eugene Wind Rivers from Elkhart Park to Titcomb Basin Backpacking 12
Nico Windy Lake - Wind Rivers Backpacking 7
Artemus Sweetwater Gap Walkabout - Wind Rivers Backpacking 18
trasmuson3 Wind Rivers and dogs General Discussion 9
Kyle P Hike to Grave/Baptiste lakes in the Wind Rivers Hiking & Camping 14
Bob Wind Rivers Backpacking 16
MtnMatt Wind Rivers advice Trip Planning 14
outnabout Solo Wind Rivers - Need some advice Noobs: Introduce yourself! 3
Dave Wind Rivers, Sept. 2013 Backpacking 23
cobbiel Wind Rivers, WY & Bear Containers Trip Planning 11
as Wind Rivers Traverse Backpacking 11
HomerJ Wind Rivers - Big Sandy Backpacking 7
Nick Atlantic Canyon, Wind Rivers Backpacking 8
Mike K Indian Pass Question (Wind Rivers) Trip Planning 12
Kyle P Hiking and Fly Fishing the Wind Rivers Backpacking 6
Nick The Temple - Wind Rivers Backpacking 21
Nick Wind Rivers Trailhead Shuttles Trip Planning 3

Similar threads

Back
Top