It was ugly and filled with dead trees. Summit Lake is accessed from the Spring Creek Park Trailhead, which is best reached from Pinedale. This trail starts from the Pole Creek Trail, then connects with the Seneca Lake and Indian Pass trails. The Cathedral Lake is located in Fremont County, Wyoming, United States. Be the first to submit input for Cathedral Lake. Lembert Dome Trail: This 2.8-mile round-trip trail features stunning panoramic views of Tuolumne Meadows. It is non-technical, but may require technical gear in early-season. You can learn more about our editorial policies here. Moose, elk, grizzly bears, wolverines, bald eagles, and more call this range home. It made me hungry! Before 8PM we had a huge fire going, and sadly the mosquitoes here were fairly aggressive. Heart Lake Trail will connect you to Palmer Lake and Doubletop Trails, and a shorter loop can be made with Trapper Lake Trail as well. Under most conditions, crampons are required. Dave. A couple of hundred feet beyond we came to some cascades, and decided to cross back again, since there was an easy area of rocks to hop. Meridian lake was not named then ( just blank name on topo maps) so we named it glacier amongst ourselves. Related Read:Crown Jewels: 14 Majestic Hikes in Glacier National Park. (Rough Draft, 05/02/2021 Revision), Review: Hiking Gorgeous Lost Twin Lakes, Cloud Peak Wilderness, Review: 12-Mile Day Hike to Slide Lake, Wind River Range, Rated R and 5 Stars: Septoplasty and More, The Pornography of Butterflies and Terry Crews, Resident Youth (15 thru 17 years old) $10. In fact, 19 of Wyoming's 20 highest peaks are in the Wind River Range and there are more than 40-named peaks rising above 13,000 feet. While beautiful, this continues for quite a while and often makes hikers feel like theyre moving backwards. At mile 4-ish we reached the trail intersection to Sanford Park, though we couldnt really discern it. Due to the low use of this area, a permit is not required to wilderness camp here. The terrain and elevation of the Wind River Range make backpacking here a challenge, albeit a worthwhile one. Mileage: 23-24 miles RT Elevation Gain: 2,400 feet over 13 miles 9,100 ft to 11,500 ft). From this lake, continue southwest past Lake Kagevah to 11,290 foot Kagevah Pass. It is overused and the alpine tundra is fragile. Rangers patrol this area frequently during this time and will ticket anyone camping too close to a water source or trail. We took the same trail out that we took in, and spent only 7 hours from packing up to getting to the trailhead. From Upper Golden, head north up to Lake 10787, the east down the slopes, and then north to Camp Lake. Thanks again dave. Good campsite opportunities wont come until you reach Double Lake or Star Lake, with are 11.1 miles and 12.4 miles into the trail (respectively). 2022 Best Places to Camp: Top 10 in the U.S. Since Glacier Trail is far north in the Wind River Range, its snow melt differs from the southern trails near Pinedale and Lander, giving this trail a surprisingly earlier (and longer) season. We gave them big ol deer eyes and it worked. The lake was much too cold for me to try and swim out and dive for it, so that was our sign to pack up and return at another time. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. You will need a permit to camp at the lakes. RedLong-duration hikes, typically 5+days. From here, there is a maintained trail all the way to Big Sandy Lake. Mid-June through September is the best time to attempt this summit. Right from the start, this trail passes through aspen groves and thick pine forest. If youre planning a Wind River Range backpacking trip at altitude, consider how hard youre trying to push yourself, and make sure you know how to tell if youre dehydrated or suffering from mild altitude sickness. The trail is wide and a bit rocky as you climb through the heavily-wooded forest. From the northwest corner of Scott Lake, ascend northwest to "Smirnoff Pass" (unofficial name of the pass between Scott Lake and Lake 11085 to the north). That lasted for about 400 feet, and we were then forced back into the woods nearing the area between the lakes. The Wind River Range offers world renowned fly fishing, and the areas 1,300 alpine lakes means any trail should offer multiple opportunities to cast your line. The Wind River Range is protected by 750,000 acres of public land in western Wyoming. Eklund Lake sees very few visitors since most groups continue on to Seneca Lake, so camping here is ideal if you are looking for solitude. From Hay Pass, drop south past the east of Dennis Lake, and past the west shores of Golden Lake, Lake Louise, and finally Upper Golden Lake. As far as camping, it sounds like you could potentially camp anywhere along this section. The 2022 Glampys: The Coolest Glampsites You Can Book Right Now, Lets Get Spooky! Fishing Cathedral Lake, WY on 4/10/2023 will be best from 12:00AM through 12:00AM, and from . That's the question that this project tries to solve, and I think I've succeeded. Day 1: Sweetwater Gap Guardstation to Windy Lake, 7 miles, Day 5: Grave Lake, 12 miles (all on-trail), Day 6: Visit Babtiste Lake, camp at upper Grave cirque, 7 miles, Day 7: Sonnicant Lake via Roberts Mountain route, 6 miles, Day 10: Explore lakes south of Brown Cliffs, camp at one of them, 6 miles, Day 11: "Shangri-La" via the "Goat-Friendly High Route," 7 miles, Day 12: Day hike to "Glacier View" and down to the North Fork Bull Lake Creek, 6 miles, Day 13: From "Shangri-La" to Upper Titcomb Basin (over Indian Pass), 9 miles, Day 14: Scott Lake (CRUX OF ROUTE), 9 miles, Day 18: Out via Osbourne Mountain Route, 9 miles, + 2 days for weather-related "stay-put" days, "A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend. Why you should go: This two-day trek will take you deep into the Winds on an easy going, lake filled trail. I need to spend more time on the Eastern side of the Winds, but wont be able to for some time as my daughter is still too young for the mileage required in my limited time off, at least with the drive from my home. Mom lazed on a rock, snacking on jerky, while I caught a number of trout with ease! Due to the rocky and snowy sections especially while working through Texas Pass trekking poles are suggested for this adventure. Backpackers should also check snowpack levels in order to determine the best time to hit the trail without encountering too much snow. It follows the crest of the Wind River Range in Wyoming, both off-trail and on-trail, for approximately 135 miles, giving special emphasis on staying close to the Continental Divide in the most scenic alpine areas. I hope that we get to experience it for many years to come, and that she gets such great memories, as you have! Shy of 5 miles we came to the weirdest littlecreek? Cathedral Peak is one of the Colorado Centennial 13ers meaning it's one of the highest 100 ranked peaks in Colorado. It is the best kind of trailless terrain, for you are above treelike, can locate topographic features, and get a sense of solitude in country you are probably visiting for solitude. If you are looking at this map in the winter and it's showing that there are no driving directions available, it's likely because the road is closed. Trailhead: Cathedral Lakes One of the most famous hikes in the world, this classic trek on the John Muir Trail is popular for both its incredible scenery and generally declining elevation. You end at the Green River Lakes Trailhead, only 1.5 hours from Pinedale, WY. She has had the privilege of working for Colorados most experienced climbing guide service as an Office & Marketing Manager and an Outdoor Climbing Guide. Trailhead Start: Elkhart Park Cathedral Peak (or technically an arm of Cathedral Peak) reflects in Cathedral Lake at sunset. Thank you for your beautiful pictures. The route down the glacier is detailed in Pallister's book, and unless you are slightly crazy, you should plan to carry some form of light crampons and an ice axe. The lake itself was spectacular. Following the partly maintained Christina Pass Trail starting east of the trailhead at Sweetwater Guard Station (not at the end of the 2-mile dirt road to the normal Sweetwater Gap TH), you hike approximately 3 miles to the intersection with the North Fork of Blair Creek. GreenDay hikes; can be done as overnights. It goes west across the expansive plateau of Osborne Mountain, then follows Mill Creek to the Osborne Cabin, on old homestead of a famous trapper. She describes it as miserable. This article on Wind River Range backpacking is brought to you by Gregory, whose lightweight backpack line is made from durable, rip-stop materials on an ultra-lightweight, durable aluminum frame. NPS Photo/J. This is a spectacular opportunity to take one of those wonderful pictures the Wind River Range is known for. The elevation gain doubles with this addition, so this is only suggested if you are looking for a more ambitious trail. A map and compass are necessary while on this trail since route-finding can be difficult over rocks and snow. Big Sandy Lake, Dads Lake, Shadow Lake, Jackass Pass, and Lonesome Lake are all great spots to spend the night. Many trails, such as the Cirque of the Towers loop require you to move off-trail to link up with the return trail. I still havent had this one proofread (slowly getting around to them all). When approaching from Temple Pass, avoid descending to Lake 10,839 by a messy traverse." The lakes were very pretty and it had the best fishing in the Winds! Cathedral Peak is a (12,326-foot (3,757 m)) mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. (3034mt.) This would add about. You then depart from the trail due northeast, following Blair Creek to the pond at 9590. While not as well known as other destinations such as Grand Teton and Glacier National Parks, the range nonetheless attracts an increasing amount of backpackers, climbers, hunters, and fishermen. A widely-used trail, this route offers the chance to take in the Wind River Range wilderness in a way thats palatable to beginner through intermediate backpackers with a taste for adventure. Very few people fished the cookno namemeridian arm. Outfitters on their horses were headed up, so we stepped to the side. But what does that really mean? The trail is immensely ugly with only a couple of redeeming features, and those features are very large rocks. If you come prepared with a map and compass, you can link several trails and lakes together for the ultimate Wind River Range adventure. Nestled on the foothills of the Front Range of the Rockies, Fort Collins offers plenty of great hiking opportunities close to town. Thankfully, Im a true pack-mule and had brought my Klymit Static V Insulated Ultralight (which I later gave away, as I dont care for the Klymits), which is much smaller than my moms Klymit Static V Insulated. You still must be in good shape and an experienced backpacker, be able to hike up to 12-mile days with thousands of feet in elevation gain, and be able to handle up to class 3 rock scrambling. This trail is typically tackled between three to four days. 3. His favorite place he's ever visited is Alaska, and his favorite activity might be fishing or reading, depending on the day. Should this affect the validity of this most grand route I have prepared? It was growing into the evening and we still had quite a ways left to go! Thanks. Also, this section is described in Pallister's book. The climb at the end was of course horrible and hot, and Im going to admit that we cut off some distance by going cross country for a bit. Whether youre looking for a quick overnighter or a weeklong expedition, your sure to find a winner with any of these trails. We had a close-up view of the Cathedral Group on the Forks of Cascade Canyon Trail and also enjoyed the view from the turnout. For backpackers who wish to visit Cook Lake, you can create a loop that covers just over 29 miles in total. They were bravely close to the water given the ranger vehicles at the trailhead! (1), Comments Attempts to repair my Trail Scout werent fruitful, but it still provided some extra loft, and it wasnt a really bad experience, as Ive had when an inflatable pad has had a catastrophic failure in other scenarios. Take in stunning panoramic views as you hike or ride right from your doorstep in the area considered the Shangri-La of the Similkameen. If you didnt want to deal with the logistics of getting picked up and shuttled, you could hike this sucker as an out-and-back trail and double the mileage. If you cross the land, you have to pay money. Some icons at default view contain 5+ hikes when zoomed in. This area was created in order to allow you to talk about topics other than fishing reports for Cathedral Lake. Thanks Luke. Just continue north to shallow and picturesque Hay Pass. Partway up, a short trail branches left to Bear Lakes. It contains 40 peaks over 13,000 feet, the largest glacier in the American Rockies, and over 1300 named lakes. That said, its also extremely important to be aware of your surroundings and to follow bear bag or canister protocols at all backcountry camping destinations. Camping along this trek can be found at Shadow Lake, and then in and around the Jackass Pass area later in the trip. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. I am also delighted to hear that you are still going. Daniell is a freelance writer based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. Trip Type: Out-and-back With 130 glaciers, 1,300 alpine lakes, and 30 peaks over 13,000 feet, it's no wonder the Winds have made their place on thousands of backpacker's bucket lists. It then bolted uptrail. 104 South 4th Street. Judging from a recent picture, it may go, but only in late summer. Im here to serve you, so let me know if this wasnt helpful, or if theres anything I can do to make this better. Day 2 totals: 4.2 miles, +969/-979, 9933 min/10161 avg/10613 max. Do this route early morning to avoid afternoon storms. The nearest weather station for both precipitation and temperature measurements is LANDER AP which is approximately 21 miles away and has an elevation of 5,557 feet (4,397 feet lower than Cathedral Lake). Adventure. 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