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Eagle48 
Group: Members
Posts: 325
Joined: Feb. 2007
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Posted on: Sep. 14 2012, 9:45 am |
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Here's a link to my trip report and photo's. Great scenery, and subpar fishing, but it was still a memorable trip.
http://backpackersresource.weebly.com/wind-ri....wy.html
Also, it was great to meet buddero on the trail on the way in and again on the way out. Head to the Beartooths someday my friend, you won't regret it.
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I live to be outdoors.
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tamarac
Group: Members
Posts: 236
Joined: Jan. 2008
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Posted on: Sep. 14 2012, 11:22 am |
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Nice report. I would say that you actually saw a small portion of the Winds however. And yes, You should do a trip deep into the Fitzpatrick Wilderness on the eastern side of the CD for a full perspective of the vastness of the Winds. That region will probably remind you more of the Beartooths.
And the area you visited is the most heavily traveled and not anywhere near the best fishing.
Regards.
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riverrunner03
Group: Members
Posts: 22
Joined: Jun. 2011
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Posted on: Sep. 14 2012, 11:40 am |
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Really enjoyed reading your trip report. I was in the same area in early August. I too found Knapsack Col being harder to climb due to the lack of glacier being left. a lot more scree than 10 years ago. I need to get my pictures out and compare the difference. We climbed it from Titcomb Basin both times though.
Nice backpacking website also. I'll have to check more of it out. Being in North Georgia, it is just a quick 30 minutes to Amicalola Falls and the start of the Appalacian Approach Trail for me. But I like to make the journey to the Winds when I can. I have done the 32 hour drive several times non stop, but the last 2 journeys have been via plane to Denver, then a rental car.
I'll try to find the time to post my TR soon, which consists of climbing Fremont Peak and Square Top.
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tamarac
Group: Members
Posts: 236
Joined: Jan. 2008
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Posted on: Sep. 14 2012, 2:29 pm |
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I have done many trips to the Winds and seen hardly any people in an entire week. That won't happen in the area you went however. Just try some of the other trail heads. There is so much off trail you can do and that will guarantee solitude. Most of the time I have lakes to myself. In fact I can't remember the last time I camped at a lake in the Winds and anybody else was there.
The Highline trail in the Winds will always have people on it, but if you branch off of that, solitude is not hard to find.
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rbs10025
Group: Members
Posts: 38
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Sep. 14 2012, 5:44 pm |
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Interesting report. A lot of it along the route we took last month (Peak Lake to Knapsack to Titcomb to Island Lake to Wall Lake to Cook Lakes), but it looks like you had much cleaner air and got better photos.
There are areas in the Winds where you will encounter few or no people. We had a stretch during our trip in the Winds last year where we didn't see anybody else for three days. This year, the fewest people we saw on any day was eleven, and the day I walked past Seneca Lake I think I counted 32.
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buddero
Group: Members
Posts: 777
Joined: Jan. 2009
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Posted on: Sep. 15 2012, 1:44 pm |
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Great TR. What a couple of tough old cobs you had with you! And what an intro/reintro to BPing for them! It was good to meet you (coming and going).
Despite the #s of people between the TH and Photographer's Point it's almost like the Winds are a secret place. Nobody, outside of some climbers and BPers, has even heard of the Winds - much less the Beartooths.
Lucky us!
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Reach out your hand, if your cup be empty
If your cup is full, may it be again
Journal and links to refugees, backpacking, travel in Asia, photos, honky-tonk angels, other beautiful things...
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swimswithtrout
Group: Members
Posts: 7232
Joined: Jan. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 15 2012, 8:41 pm |
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(Eagle48 @ Sep. 14 2012, 11:02 am)
QUOTE I think the Winds are just a different landscape all in all. More granite and more peaks than you find in the Beartooths from my experience.
Maybe I just prefer a little more green to look at here and there, hence my feeling that the Cook Lakes area was the most beautiful during this trip.
Different strokes for different folks
When I was in the BT's, all I could think of was " Where are the mountains ? " and feeling like I was just on a rolling high altitude meadow.
The Cook Lks are is my least favorite area in the Winds. Lousy fishing, lousy scenery, and crowded.
Either it was this summers heat, or not getting to spend enough time on your longish days, but you passed many lakes that are as good and better fishing than any you can get to out of the Island Lk entrance to the BT's.
As far as crowding, the worst crowds I've ever experienced anywhere, was around the Aero Lks in the BT's over the span of a 3 day basecamp in mid Aug. I pretty much lost track after 35-40 people walked past our off trail camp midway between Lower/Upper Aero LK.
I've done many 4/5 day Labor Day Weekend trips to the Deep Lk Cirque, a 6 mi dayhike away from the Big Sandy entrance, and while never being the only tent in the Cirque, at most, I've only seen 3 other groups (6 people).
Though those days are probably gone, I've spent multiple nights at Island Lake as the only tent or one of 2/3. It all depends on the weather or your timing.
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Want to see The Wind River Range in widescreen 1080p ?
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| Post Number: 9
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Eagle48
Group: Members
Posts: 325
Joined: Feb. 2007
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Posted on: Sep. 17 2012, 8:25 am |
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(swimswithtrout @ Sep. 15 2012, 8:41 pm)
QUOTE
(Eagle48 @ Sep. 14 2012, 11:02 am)
QUOTE I think the Winds are just a different landscape all in all. More granite and more peaks than you find in the Beartooths from my experience.
Maybe I just prefer a little more green to look at here and there, hence my feeling that the Cook Lakes area was the most beautiful during this trip. Different strokes for different folksWhen I was in the BT's, all I could think of was " Where are the mountains ? " and feeling like I was just on a rolling high altitude meadow. The Cook Lks are is my least favorite area in the Winds. Lousy fishing, lousy scenery, and crowded. Either it was this summers heat, or not getting to spend enough time on your longish days, but you passed many lakes that are as good and better fishing than any you can get to out of the Island Lk entrance to the BT's. As far as crowding, the worst crowds I've ever experienced anywhere, was around the Aero Lks in the BT's over the span of a 3 day basecamp in mid Aug. I pretty much lost track after 35-40 people walked past our off trail camp midway between Lower/Upper Aero LK. I've done many 4/5 day Labor Day Weekend trips to the Deep Lk Cirque, a 6 mi dayhike away from the Big Sandy entrance, and while never being the only tent in the Cirque, at most, I've only seen 3 other groups (6 people). Though those days are probably gone, I've spent multiple nights at Island Lake as the only tent or one of 2/3. It all depends on the weather or your timing.
Certainly. I know I prefer a landscape that looks more "alive" than a stark, rock covered one. The Cook Lakes area (we were at the upper lake) where actually the least crowded spot we were at aside from Peak Lake where there was still one other group.
I fished each lake I could, but with the incredibly stout winds that blew the entire time we were there during the day, it was pretty much an exercise in futility. Only decent fishing times were an hour before sundown and the hour after sunrise when you could actually cast without problems. The "Winds" certainly lived up to their name there.
I've never felt as though I wasn't surrounded by mountains in the Beartooths either, there are certainly more peak like moutains in the Winds, but I've always felt as though I was surrounded by some very large mountains while trekking and camping in the beartooths.
I'm sure I'll get a feel for what "real" mountains are like next month when I'm in Nepal for two weeks. I'll be in the Manaslu Region, home to the 8th tallest mountain in the world, should be an eye opening experience.
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I live to be outdoors.
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tarpon6
Group: Members
Posts: 129
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Sep. 17 2012, 7:23 pm |
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Eagle I was in the Winds at the same time as you. The day you took that pic of the beautiful orange cloud at Cook, I was at Island Lake photographing the same cloud (see my report linked here).
Cook was strangely empty while I was there. I was in the area for 3 days and saw absolutely no one at camp, and I could see the main trail between the lakes. I only saw 4 people and that was when I hiked to the SE part of the Lake towards Wall. Did you happen to run into a guy named Steve? He and a friend were camped near the SE end of the upper lake. Nice guy and very experienced backpacker.
There were lots of people at Island, but everyone seemed very mindful of keeping their distance when setting up camp. I only ran into people when hiking from there or going down to the lake to fish or get water. Just seemed like there was plenty of room to spread out.
I thought Titcomb Basin was the most impressive part of my trip. I really longed to spend another day exploring there. I will get back there some day. I probably would not return to Cook Lakes specifically, but I enjoyed my time there as well.
Great report by the way. I love reading the reports!
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