jjmcwill
Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2012
- Messages
- 22
I'm starting to plan my backpacking trip for next year, and I've got my sights set on the Wind River range.
I'm currently thinking of doing a loop from Big Sandy up toward Pyramid Lake, over Hailey Pass, following the Bears Ears trail south to the Washakie Pass trail, west over Washakie pass, then east on the Shadow Lake trail, over Texas Pass into the Cirque of the Towers, and finally over Jackass Pass and back out to Big Sandy. This will be a 5 or 6 day trip.
Looking on a map, I'm intrigued by a valley that runs N-S, located just to the south of Grave Lake's western end. At the end of the valley is a saddle, that would lead over to Macon Lake.
I've checked several topo's, and I don't see any mapped trail heading over this pass. However, the pass looks similar in elevation and in %grade to what one would encounter going over Texas Pass or Washakie Pass. It might make an interesting alternate to going further east to take the Bears Ears Trail to the Washakie Pass trail, and allow me to explore a valley and lakes further removed from regularly traveled paths.
Does anyone have any first hand experience with this area?
Thanks,
Jeff
I'm currently thinking of doing a loop from Big Sandy up toward Pyramid Lake, over Hailey Pass, following the Bears Ears trail south to the Washakie Pass trail, west over Washakie pass, then east on the Shadow Lake trail, over Texas Pass into the Cirque of the Towers, and finally over Jackass Pass and back out to Big Sandy. This will be a 5 or 6 day trip.
Looking on a map, I'm intrigued by a valley that runs N-S, located just to the south of Grave Lake's western end. At the end of the valley is a saddle, that would lead over to Macon Lake.
I've checked several topo's, and I don't see any mapped trail heading over this pass. However, the pass looks similar in elevation and in %grade to what one would encounter going over Texas Pass or Washakie Pass. It might make an interesting alternate to going further east to take the Bears Ears Trail to the Washakie Pass trail, and allow me to explore a valley and lakes further removed from regularly traveled paths.
Does anyone have any first hand experience with this area?
Thanks,
Jeff