Gannett Peak via Cold Springs
Season: Mid-June through mid-September (Contact us for details and/or custom dates).
Start: Crowheart – Cold Springs, ~9,500’
End: Crowheart – Cold Springs
Distance: ~32 miles total
Altitude gain and loss: ~7400’ each way
Trip Duration: 5 or 6 day options
Client to Guide Ratio on each trip: 2:1 or 4:2
Approach and Ascent Route:
The Gannet Peak guided climb with MAG begins in the tiny town of Crowheart, Wyoming on the Wind River Reservation (Shoshone and Arapaho tribes). The only establishment is a small general store carrying basic amenities. This is where we arrange permission and transport across the reservation.
DAY 1: Crowheart – 7am– Cold Springs 9500ft -> Scenic Pass 11,400ft -> Echo Lake 10,300ft
Meet at 7:00am with your bags fully packed and ready to go! After a gear check and food assessment, we purchase permits and transport with our local Shoshone or Arapaho contacts. Our shuttle ride gains us roughly 1,000ft on rugged dirt roads to our starting point at Cold Springs trailhead (~9500’). We bid farewell to our driver until the day we exit this remote corner of the Wind River Range.
By way of faint to non-existent trails meandering in and out of coniferous forests and beautiful high alpine meadows, we hike to Scenic Pass,11,400ft, our high point for the day. Elk and pronghorn herds are often seen, plus the occasional wolf, if we are lucky! Once at the pass, we get commanding views of the Wind River Mountains and our first glimpse of our objective – Gannett Peak. From this point, our hike is mostly a contoured traverse to arrive at Camp 1 near Echo Lake (7 miles, +1700ft, -900ft).
Day 1: View of Gannett Peak and Echo Lake from Camp 1
DAY 2: Echo Lake 10,300ft -> Horse Camp 9500ft -> Dinwoody Glacier 10,800ft
We begin our morning descending the Ink Wells trail to join the Dinwoody Trail where we are rewarded with stunning views of Gannett Peak’s north face. Hiking along postcard-worthy vibrant green meadows and aqua blue waterways for several miles, we ford streams, then gain altitude into the basin of the Dinwoody Glacier. Here we establish Camp 2 amidst exposed granite walls, jutting alpine ridges, glacially polished streambeds, and alpine flowers on the border of the terminal moraine of Gannett Peak’s Dinwoody Glacier (~7 miles, -800ft, +1300ft).
Day 2: Strolling along near Dinwoody Creek and adjoining stream with Gannett Peak in distant storm.
DAY 3*: Dinwoody Glacier 10,800ft – Gannett Peak 13,800ft – move camp to Klonkike Creek 9,600ft or Echo 10,300ft
An alpine start, hiking and climbing by headlamp through snow and talus fields bring us the east face of Gannett Peak. With clear skies and alpenglow, this entire face illuminates a gorgeous orange (see photos). Our ascent route up the infamous “Goose Neck” includes roping up as the slopes steepen, crossing a bergschrund, and continuing up steep snow slopes to gain the southeast/south ridge. We scramble on exposed rock, and regain the snowy south ridge with magnificent exposure on both sides. It is a steady climb up to Gannett Peak’s lofty summit.
This route involves talus walking, technical snow climbing, a bergschrund crossing, rock scrambling over exposed terrain, and steep snow travel as a rope team. Your guide will utilize various tools such as ropes, pickets, rock protection, and belays whenever necessary.
With good fitness, determination, and favorable weather, we arrive at the summit of Gannett Peak boasting incredible views of the Wind River Range, The Tetons, and Granite Peak. We enjoy the summit briefly prior to embarking on the other half of our climb: the descent.
Back at camp, we rest for an hour, take our boots off, hydrate, eat a snack, and then pack up and bump camp back down to the gorgeous Floyd Meadows or continue up to Echo Lake (depending on trip length).
*On 6-day itineraries we are afforded another day to attempt our summit of Gannett Peak if weather prevents us from an attempt on the first day.
Summit Day: The initial steep section on Gannett Peak’s east slopes
DAY 4: Klonkike Creek 9,600ft / Echo Lake 10,300ft –> Cold Springs 9,500ft
We enjoy the rising sun, sip our hot morning beverages, then begin our remaining journey out. We cross Floyd Meadows, beginning our ascension to the Echo Lake. Stopping for lunch or a quick dig in Echo Lake is an option. From here, we traverse back up and over Scenic Pass, where we enjoy our last views of Gannett Peak. We then descend back to Cold Springs trailhead to camp on the edge of where the pine forests meet the alpine meadows: our shuttle pick-up spot.
High Camp: Hiking just 15 minutes from our high camp after a successful summit on Gannett Peak
DAY 5: Cold Springs – Crowheart
We are picked up at trailhead late morning, 10-11am to allow a 12:30pm arrival in Crowheart. This gives all travelers time to drive in daylight to their flights home (or wherever your next destination may be!). We stash water and snacks at the trailhead to enjoy on our slow ride back down to “civilization.”
