Got an email from Chris….What to do July 4/8? My first thought…Wolf’s Head !!
Got to Pinedale after a 14-hour drive on July 4th. The next morning, after an early breakfast, we drove to Big Sandy Trailhead and hiked 8.5 miles into The Cirque and set up camp. Camp was at about 10,600’ elevation. The mosquitoes were stupid….thick swarms of them…fuck’n stupid! We spent the rest of the afternoon in the tent just for relief.
Before leaving Pinedale we stopped at the local gear store and got some conditions beta and climb beta for The Cirque…specifically Wolf’s Head. We were told that the snow has not fully receded at the base of the climb where we would be descending…and that traction (crampons and ice ax) would be needed to descend safely. That’s when we started to think of a plan B. Plan B…Pingora Peak. All reports say that Pingora’s condition was perfect.
That evening at camp we could see the steep snow field at the bottom of Wolf’s Head…we decided to go for Pingora Peak.
The next morning we left camp at 6:20am and were at the base of Pingora at 7:00am. The route we would take to the summit…South Buttress. It starts as a scramble up a series of ledges, then a few pitches of easy simul-climbing to the 5.6 pitches. I believe there were four long 5.6 pitches then a 3rd class scramble to the summit. The un-obstructed views from the summit were incredible! Wolf’s Head was in our face… The whole Cirque of the Towers…right there!
This climb was only half done…now for the descent. I lost count of the rappels, but having two 60m half ropes made the descent pretty straight forward. Seems like there was a rap station around every corner…although we didn’t know it until we were on rappel.
Unfortunately, getting back to camp, the mosquitoes were just as bad as the afternoon before. Again we hid in our tents until the sun dropped behind the cirque so we could eat dinner in the cool, then retreat back to the tents for the night.
The next morning we left camp at 6:20 and were back at the trailhead by 10:00am. We enjoyed a beer at the Big Sandy Lodge just a few miles from the trailhead…then back to Pinedale for the real food and brews at the Wind River Brewery.
Sunday July 8th, after a large breakfast in Pinedale, we made the 14-hour drive back to Portland.
Climb team…Chris Wilson, who led all the 5.6 pitches (Thanks man!), Deb Hill, my lovely partner & wife, and myself… Very fun 5-day adventure.
Hiking along the Big Sandy River…hoping to see a Grizzly and a Moose, but no such luck…
Arriving at Big Sandy Lake…with Big Sandy Mountain in the distance.
Leaving Big Sandy Lake…Haystack Mtn, East Temple & Temple Peak, and Schiestier Peak in the distance…
Chris mesmerized by all the granite…
Nearing Arrowhead Lake, and the pass we’ll take to enter…The Cirque of the Towers…
The upper and Jackass Pass…and Arrowhead Lake below…
A look back at Haystack, East Temple and Temple Peak…
Almost over the pass…
BAM!!!…First look at Cirque of the Towers…Whoa!
Unfortunately Paradise has a mosquito problem too…
Fuck’n mosquitoes…
Sun just dropped behind the towers…time for dinner…
Early morning shot of War Bonnet Peak…just above camp…
Fine piece of granite…
Breakfast on the rock…
Morning shot of Pingora Peak (right) and Wolf’s Head (left)
The Cirque…
A short hike to the base of Pingora Peak…
Tough guy…
Looking back at Warrior Peaks and War Bonnet Peak, just above camp…
The ledges leading up to Wolf’s Head Peak…
Looking back at Warrior Peaks, War Bonnet, and Mitchell Peak…and Lonesome Lake below…
Deb on pitch one…
Chris leading pitch two…
Chris leading another pitch…
Deb heading up the final scramble pitch to the summit…
Deb on the summit of Pingora Peak…
Chris on the summit…
Karl on the summit
Team shot…
Now we enjoy the views from the summit…
Look at all that granite…
The narrow ridge of Wolf’s Head…
Time to descend…Deb on rappel.
Setting up another rappel…
Chris on the longest rap…nice pic Deb!
Looking back at the 500′ summit block…South Buttress
Looking down at Lonesome Lake and Mitchell Peak (right)
Descending the narrow ledge system…Deb has her goat feet on 🙂
Next morning on the hike out…Arrowhead Lake below.
Post summit food and brews…
Our route for the three days…
Karl and team,
DANG that is one beautiful area, and good for you you made the trip!
Beautiful scenery! But man, those mosquitoes!
Yeah, the mosquitoes were bad…little buggers left some big welts.
Nice trip report, thanks for writing it up! I just got back from the Wind River Range myself this past weekend, and its beauty didn’t disappoint.
Thanks Matt, yeah, definitely will be going back…