The first time I saw Gannett Peak, it was projected through a Kodachrome color slide onto the white backdrop projector screen. I’d never walked on a glacier nor stood in crampons, but I knew I wanted to go there and climb Wyoming’s highest point.
Twenty-six years later, I just returned from a week-long mini-expedition navigating through Wyoming’s Wind River Range, home of Gannett Peak. Although we didn’t summit Gannett’s massif, we skirted her northern flank. She was just as beautiful as I’d imagined. My fellow explorers and I traveled ninety-nine miles through forests, across glaciers, down rubble-strewn mountain chutes, over cols while threading our northward route.
The pictures we took tell a better story than I believe I can say through words.
The Stats from our Wind River High Route
+99 total miles
+60,000 Net vertical feet (measures both the up and down)
+59 oldest and toughest guy (Dave the Pathfinder)
+70% off trail (map and compass travel)
+27.5 lbs starting weight with seven days food and gear
+18 miles longest mileage day
+14 maps
+5 blisters
+3 glacial rivers crossed
+1 badger unique wildlife sighting
+Zero The number of people we saw in this remote wilderness over four days
Our inspirational quote that drove us onward and upward
“In the wilderness, we face Something Awful, both outside and within us. The result of this confrontation is our transformation.”
My Epiphany
During our twelve hour days, it became clear to me that this trip was a concoction of ultra-endurance racing, mountaineering, and ultralight wilderness travel.
My favorite movie scene
Jerry Maguire during his breakdown-breakthrough while doing headstands he said, “I was the Me, I always wanted to be.”
Favorite tunes to help us lose track of the pulse of pain
+Steve Miller Band Greatest Hits
+Wake Up by The Arcade Fire
+The Wanderer by U2 & Johnny Cash
+Iron John by Jackopierce
+The Cave by Mumford & Sons
+Taylor by Jack Johnson
+I Can’t Be Satisfied by Muddy Waters
+Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel
(Apple Music playlist here)
Best homemade trail meals
Skurka’s Breakfast Cheesy Potatoes and for dinner Thai Peanut Noodles.
Invaluable gear
Trail Designs Sidewinder Ti-Tri alcohol Stove. For decades, I’ve packed in fuel bottles and canisters which are heavy and bulky. For this trip, I upgraded to this ultralight setup reducing my pack weight by 1lb+ without any loss in reliability or wait time for a hot cup of coffee.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s Windrider pack weighing in at less than 2 lbs, this internal frame pack revolutionized my trail experience. We each had stories of carrying forty to fifty pound packs and never hiking longer than a ten mile day. Those days are gone, hello freedom!
Favorite Wind River campsites
There are two winners. #1 For sheer beauty, the Sound of Music valley (unofficial name) was the hands down winner. #2 I love rugged inhospitable places where it appears unlikely you can find comfort, Iceberg Lakes at 11,800 feet. Ironically, we hunted around for twenty minutes looking for a flat soft place to rest our heads. I prayed and found this sandy bottomed oasis.
Biggest Surprise
Everyday was harder than the day before. I’ve heard that the Navy Seals say, “Yesterday was the only easy day.”
Best Beer and Burger
The Gannett Grill downtown Lander, WY with outdoor picnic table settings underneath tall cottonwoods and tableside conversation of everyone’s recent adventure endeavours. 126 Main St, Lander, WY 82520.
Thank you’s
I’m told there are many great pioneers to thank for the Wind River High Route, and so we thank each of the unknown thankless journeymen who dreamed up this significant route. We personally owe a big thank you to Andrew Skurka. He’s created a set of modern resources that enable this route to be re-traced. Thank you, Andrew. Check out Andrew’s full collection of resources available on the Wind River High Route here.
