This is a Wind River story of a training adventure from the Big Sandy Trailhead to the Cirque Towers. Note:Click on picture to expand.
The drive from Pinedale, WY to the Big Sandy Trailhead takes about an hour and forty-five minutes. With half the time spent on a winding, rocky, rutted and washboard road. But I did get the opportunity to join a Wind River cattle drive!!!
The first 5-miles of the Big Sandy Trail heads east through the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Wilderness Area. This section is non-technical with only 700 feet of elevation gain. So, it is a good place to make some time. Which I was, until I heard a loud thump and a crash from up the trail. My first thought was that a tree had fallen. My second thought was that wildlife might be involved.
Moose are well established in the Wind River Range so they are the most likely encounter. But there are a some black bears and even an occasional grizzly. Moose and black bears will typically leave you alone, unless they are caught by surprise. So, I called out “Hey Moose, Hey Bear…did you see that baseball game last night?” Then cautiously headed up the trail. In the end there was no wildlife encounter. But a little fear in the morning sure does wake the senses.
Leaving the forest I was greeted by the picturesque gateway to the mountains - Big Sandy Lake.
At the eastern end of the lake a set of switchbacks and some light scrambling took me up to tree line. The trail then heads north as the Big Sandy Pass Trail. The first half mile of this section is flat, non-technical and surrounded by a scenic alpine environment.
Approaching North Lake, the trail turns from dirt to granite leaving no obvious path to follow. It became a maze of wrong turns and dead ends. So, I went with my standard plan B. Wait for other hikers to pass and follow them. Which seemed to be working until they dead ended and turned to me for directions. Yeah, that was an embarrassment.
Aside from my navigating difficulty, the North Lake area offers the first view of a Cirque Tower.
After escaping the North Lake Maze, the trail drops a hundred feet to the north shore of the lake.
Past the lake the trail rises 300 feet to a fork. Which was not on my map. The options were to stay on the Big Sandy up to Jack Ass Pass or take the unnamed “climbers” route past Arrow Lake.
The “climbers” route was an obvious short cut with less elevation gain. So, I rolled the dice and headed that way. The trail soon disappeared into a boulder field.
Arriving at an overlook of Arrow Lake I surveyed the balance of the “climbers” route. Step one: finish the boulders, Step 2: cross a talus field of loose and jagged rock debris; Step 3: climb a sketchy boulder wall. Reminding myself this was a training exercise and that I had no helmet, I turned back to the Big Sandy route.
The trail up to Jack Ass Pass was not much better with trail debris, boulders and 370 feet of elevation gain. It was a difficult hike. Eventually, I made it to a plateau, just before the pass, with an elevated view of the Cirque Towers.
Originally, I hoped to make it down Jackass Pass to Lonesome Lake. Which I've been told is the best view of the Cirques. But the afternoon clouds were building and I had spent to much time dilly dallying at every opportunity. So, it was time to head back to my cabin in Lone Pine.
