Wind Rivers Backpack

This will be a 7-day backpacking trip in the Wind River Range, WY. The drive to the trailhead is ca. 12 hours (more including stops for gas and food), so will add 2 days to the total trip length. I am planning a 50-mile loop that is largely off-trail. We will revisit one of my favorite areas (the Cooks Lakes) and hit on a few spots that I missed last time (such as the Alpine Lakes). Mileage per day is planned to be moderate so there is time to enjoy the scenery, and to account for the fact that moving off-trail is significantly slower. There are plenty of options to increase or decrease mileage, so we can adjust our daily plan as needed. Much of the time will be spent above timberline in rocky and alpine tundra terrain. Note that bear spray and bear proof food storage are a must - there are both black and brown bears in the Wind Rivers, as well as moose. By mid-September it will be cool with a high likelihood of frost at night at the higher elevations, but otherwise hopefully dry. This late in the season we are not likely to encounter many people, even at the popular spots (we'll pass "Photographer's Point").

I'd like to keep the group small and nimble (4 total, and 2 spots are already taken). You don't have to be an experienced backpacker to join as long as you have the right attitude. What I'm expecting of the participants is good team spirit, being ready in the morning at the start time we set the night before, and knowing your limitations (know how much you can carry comfortably to maintain a consistent pace and pack accordingly). In addition, bring an adventurous spirit as not everything may go the way we planned.

The country there is spectacular and you will be in for a treat!