Gannett Peak WY

[Misubri]

I would like to do Gannett Peak (Wyoming’s state highpoint) sometime this summer (July – August) and I am looking for partners. This is a difficult hike/climb and is often listed as the 2nd hardest route next to Mt. McKinley. But the trail is beautiful. You basically follow a series of alpine lakes till you come to base camp. You would need to know snow climbing/belaying skills. Any of you other HAZ'ers interested?

[trekkin_gecko]

i think bknorby and jrnorb have done this
on my bucket list, but probably not this summer
cool adventure

[toddak]

It would be extremely cool to pull this one off. Which route are you looking to do? How many days total do you figure? Using pack animals to haul gear or not? Driving up or flying? Any plans for some training routes in CO ahead of time?

[Misubri]

I would plan a full 4 days and see what happens. We could always see if we could improve our times. But I figure the extra time would do away with the need for the pack animals. Whether driving or flying depends on how many are going. The big thing is I need to find someone who has done the route before. I would hate to spend all the time, energy and cost, only to waste time not knowing the route.

I have posted requests for a partner who has done the route, on Summitpost.org, but so far no luck.

[Grasshopper]

I'm not qualified but was very interested to know where in WY this 13,804ft state high point resides.. So I went looking for it on our HAZ MapDEX and found it:
http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=2457 (for anyone else interested in seeing more detail and maybe not having enough search experience on HAZ MapDEX, just open this link and move the map red cross-hair (+) under the brown teardrop and then you can + zoom in on the map and also change the map overlays via the upper right map drop down window..I suggest you first change the map overlay option to "CalTopo" and then zoom in with the red cross-hair (+) still under the brown teardrop and then you can also change from "CalTopo" overlay to "Satellite" overlay to get a really different perspective..a pretty peak location area surrounded by some huge glaciers and some serious scenic WY beauty.

Good luck to you Misubri on finding some qualified partners for your July or August'13 summit hike/climb attempt!

[Jim]

Expect that to be cold, really cold. Compared to my experiences in Colorado in 2008 and the Sierra in 2009, I found Wyoming in the Tetons to be frigid for "summer". A realization was made that I would never be a real mountaineer and didn't particularly care or even think I would miss it. Have fun, though.

[RedRoxx44]

I've been in the Winds a few summers and found it at times pretty warm on some of the Alpine routes. My last two trips took me into some of the snowier areas and across a glacial field ( briefly on my New River access trip) and it was colder but I thought not bad and I certainly didn't have any special clothing, just down jacket and snow gaitors.

I am planning on a late July trip to the Winds but I am definitely not up to that peak. I could make a good base camp tender ;) .

Have a good trip, the Winds are spectacular no matter where you go there.

[Jim]

Compared to what I was used to, I found it quite cold. I was in the Tetons, but it was frigid for me. Then again, you comment on not having special equipment as still carrying a down jacket and gaitors. I had no gaitors, and the down jacket I used was borrowed from my climbing partner. I consider those special gear for high summer in the lower 48 on a non-glacier route. I think that alone notes the difference from Wyoming to Colorado and California, really the difference between the northern Rockies and the Southern/ Central Rockies and Sierra. I was usually comfortable in 2 layers with no coat in both Colorado and California, so really the difference between a real "mountaineer" and someone like me, an intermediate at best. Oh sure, I will probably do similar winter hikes, but I'll never do anything really impressive and I don't care. Different topic.

I think anyone doing Gannett will have fun, provided they plan for cold in summer.

[RedRoxx44]

I can see your point but heck I carry a down jacket and gaitors on some Az hikes if there is snow. I didn't wear it during the day, too hot at the altitude, but it sure was nice in the evening. I get cold easily it seems; I even carried a down liner to go with my jacket on the Death Valley trip into the Inyos. And I am no mountaineer for sure.