Wind River Range - Angel Pass

marquiri

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Jan 15, 2018
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Hello all,

For the second year in a row, we have decided to take our fall trip to the Winds. @Bob has been kind enough to share some route ideas with me. I've decided (for now) on a loop out of Elkhart Park hitting the Mt. Baldy area (possibly Baldy Lakes), Timico Lake, Lake Victor, Europe Canyon (maybe a day trip up to Europe Pass), Lake 10683 (Long Lake), Lake 10555 (Glacier Lake), Hay Pass, the Golden Lakes Basin, Angel Pass, Spider Lake, and back to Elkhart. For any of you who have backpacked this area before, any suggestions whether Angel Pass is better and/or easier going East or West? @Bob has done it coming from the East, but the couple of route description in Nancy Pallister's book both tackle it coming from the West, which would be early in the trip.

The other question that has come up is whether the camping is better at Baldy Lakes or Lake Timico. Nancy Pallister says there is fair camping at the Timico Lake outlet. I've read a couple reports of decent camping at Baldy Lakes. My understanding is the trail that goes down to Baldy Lakes adds a half mile or so to the route, but is a little less up and down than the Fremont Trail through there.

Oh, and I'm always open to any suggestions for good camping anywhere along that route. We're going out for 10 days, so we'll really be able to take our time and hit whatever we want. Thanks everyone. The rough sketch of the route is below.

Click here to view on CalTopo
 
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I overlapped with your route last Aug. There was a sign warning of bear activity closer to the trailhead, possibly Marys Lake. In general that area was busy with large family camps packed in by horses/mules.

This is slightly N of where you are going, but Lake 10787 was swarming with caddis flies all night. I don't have any good shots of non-rocky sites around Golden Lakes, but this is looking down at Lake 10542:

DSC05336.jpg
 
I overlapped with your route last Aug. There was a sign warning of bear activity closer to the trailhead, possibly Marys Lake. In general that area was busy with large family camps packed in by horses/mules.

This is slightly N of where you are going, but Lake 10787 was swarming with caddis flies all night. I don't have any good shots of non-rocky sites around Golden Lakes, but this is looking down at Lake 10542:

View attachment 118404
When in August were you out there?
 
Id camp at the northern part of Timicco.... possible less people and there are better dayhike opportunities.
Have to go after mid August for minimal bugs.... but they still will be there.
 
I've visited Golden Lakes twice, both times over Fall Ck Pass, returning via Hay Pass and Round Mtn cutoff. Both Pallister and Kelsey say the various passes from Elkhart have tradeoffs distance/speed/difficulty. Camped at Bell Lakes day 1, near intersection with Baldy L trail. Not too many level places above level of lake and had a lot of morning frost on the tent. But running stream, trees for wind breaks, quiet and easy hiking. Plenty of established outfitter camps along Bell Lakes trail as well. Day 2 over Fall Ck Pass to Golden. Easy on West, boulder hopping on the East until you pick up trail to the lakes. Plenty of spots to camp near the lakes. Gets used a lot. Timico basin is spectacular open camping. I was traveling mid-Sept in cooler weather so opted for camps with wind breaks as much as possible.
IMG_0212.JPG

Camping at Lower Cook is great too if you want to go that way.
 
Thanks @OldBill. Have you done the walk along Long Lake (Lake 10683)? @Bob said it's not too bad. Mostly walking the East shore, with some scrambles up at a couple of points where you cliff out. Also, what area is the photo that you shared? Looks beautiful.

Last year we did the Lee Lake loop that you did with @Bob. Absolutely loved it.
 
Took way too long to remember to respond to this, but I'll weigh in with my thoughts. I've done Angel Pass once, from West to East. We camped on the northern side of the Spider Lakes. Nice site, but rather exposed. Personal thoughts on Angel Pass is that it would go easiest from West to East, if only because seeing your route is easier that way. Looking down from the top toward the West, it's totally doable now that I've done it once, but depending on your personal comfort/experience level it could be a bit daunting trying to figure it out without having seen it or climbed it before. The Eastern side is pretty straightforward boulder hopping. The Western side involves deciding what kind of boulder hopping or friction climbing you want to do, and near the top it's kind of a series of benches/slabs to pick your way up. The top of the pass itself is probably the coolest pass I've been to.

Here's a few pictures.

From near Spider Lakes, before starting the climb.
i-FNLBb5p-L.jpg


Getting near the slab/bench part
i-5jGTPX3-L.jpg


View down toward the East side
i-W6SVS2x-L.jpg


Looking back up the pass from the East side
i-HjRT3xz-L.jpg


We descended to Upper Golden by going toward lake 10885 and following the stream down. There's a use trail on the eastern side of the stream, it's a bit tough to pick up at first but if I recall it becomes quite clear once you cross the side stream that joins just over 10400ft elevation.

It was August when we were up there and the basin up around lake 11125 had a surprising number of what I believe were Jerusalem crickets.

As an easter egg, on the southern side of lake 11125 somewhere there's a rock with lichens in the shape of a sad face. Or at least there was back in 2013 when we did this hike.
i-dh6GJ5p-L.jpg
 
That's tremendously helpful @b.stark. Exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I thought there might be a reason why every time I see it mentioned in Nancy Pallister's book, it's going West to East. Our group doesn't have a huge amount of experience with passes. Last year we did the pass between peaks 11925 and 11865 heading down into Bonneville Basin. The only other similar style pass we've done is Paintbrush Divide in the Tetons. We didn't find the pass last year to be exceptionally difficult. It was slow going, but I had a GPX track from @Bob that helped out. If you've done that pass, how would you say it compares with Angel?
 
Thanks @OldBill. Have you done the walk along Long Lake (Lake 10683)? @Bob said it's not too bad. Mostly walking the East shore, with some scrambles up at a couple of points where you cliff out. Also, what area is the photo that you shared? Looks beautiful.

Last year we did the Lee Lake loop that you did with @Bob. Absolutely loved it.

Haven't seen Long L. Want to get into Europe Canyon sometime, then maybe off-trail into the Milky Lakes from Long. I can certainly see how you get cliffed out and have to head higher. Similar to Wall L on Pole Ck.

Photo is Timico Basin looking NNE towards Fall Ck (sometimes called Timico) Pass. Angel Pass is out of frame to the left/North. My route stayed on the East side around L 11125 (the farthest lake in @b.stark photo). Dropped down drainage of L 10885 on boulders until picking up trail. Came out between Upper Golden and L Louise.

Middle Fk and Bonneville Basins on the Lee Lk loop are special, as are views from Dream and Raid Lakes.

View of Angel Pass from East side of Fall Ck Pass:
IMG_0228.JPG
 
Plenty of open camping the entire route. S and E side of Timico preferably. I like privacy and running water, so I'd probably pick just S of Pt 10700 near the creek. Can get colder at night the closer you are to the pass, but maybe not a factor when you're going. If fishing, I'd certainly set up nearer the lake.
 
Our first day on the trail will be August 31, so I'm expecting it will be getting cold at night. Last year we were out from Sept 6-12. It was warm the first couple of days but cooled down after that.
 
That's tremendously helpful @b.stark. Exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I thought there might be a reason why every time I see it mentioned in Nancy Pallister's book, it's going West to East. Our group doesn't have a huge amount of experience with passes. Last year we did the pass between peaks 11925 and 11865 heading down into Bonneville Basin. The only other similar style pass we've done is Paintbrush Divide in the Tetons. We didn't find the pass last year to be exceptionally difficult. It was slow going, but I had a GPX track from @Bob that helped out. If you've done that pass, how would you say it compares with Angel?

Unfortunately I haven't been to the Bonneville Basin area so can't compare.
 
@b.stark, any serious exposure on the west side of Angel Pass where you describe friction climbing?

I didn't think it was that bad, but you do have to look around a little to find the best spots to get up.

Here's a better photo of some of the slabs at the top.

i-JPfMTGk-L.jpg
 
I didn't think it was that bad, but you do have to look around a little to find the best spots to get up.

Here's a better photo of some of the slabs at the top.

i-JPfMTGk-L.jpg
I don't really have anything to add to all the great information you've gotten - but I personally love this section. Picture brought back great memories.
 
@b.stark, that actually looks a lot like the pass down into into Bonneville to me. That one was a series of ramps and ledges for the first 150 feet or so. Just want to make sure I don't bite off more than my group can chew. We're all flatlanders, and only get to do one trip per year. This will be our 6th trip, but the first couple were 10 day trips in relatively benign Yellowstone. Looking to push our boundaries as a group a bit each year.

And @TheMountainRabbit, based on my limited experience, @Bob has warned me to be careful with your descriptions....
 
Mtn rabbit... Just warned her that you hike fast.... Alluding to your avatar name.
 
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