The Wind River Range

Cirque of the Towers Backcountry Trip

August/September 2024

The Wind River Range is hands down my favorite Alpine rock climbing destination in the Continental United States. The towering alpine granite peaks stretch up to 13,000’ above sea level, strung together in all directions just begging to be climbed, with most routes being a very moderate grade!

The most popular climbing area is the Cirque of the Towers with Pingora and Wolf’s Head being the Crown Jewels and home to two “50 Classic Climbs of North America”.

In order to reach the climbing in the Cirque, one must trek over 10 miles at 10,000’ elevation and because of this, we approach this area with an expedition mentality. Trips here will typically be 4-7 days long depending on your goals and weather.

While “The Cirque” is the most popular option for climbing in the Winds, we can also climb in Cirque of the Sun, Cirque of the Moon, Monolith Cirque, and the Leg Lake area.

*You must have previously climbed with me before booking a trip to the Winds.

Overview

Trip Length: 5 Days

Ratio: Max 2:1

Pricing: $3875 for one person; $3125 per person for two

Note: I am expanding my availability in the Wind River Range for the summer 2024 season as I plan to take a break from the Winds for a season or two and may not offer guided trips here again until summer 2026/27. Next year may be your last chance to climb with me in the Winds for a few summers, which is why I am expanding my availability. Get it while the gettins hot!

The summer 2024 season will be my 8th year in a row climbing in the Winds. I have hiked into the Winds to climb somewhere around 20 times and have cumulatively spent close to 100 days camping, climbing, and guiding in the back country of this mountain range. I have successfully guided/climbed the East Ridge of Wolf’s head 10 times and have summited Pingora through various routes at least 15 times. I think you would be hard pressed to find another guide offering trips to The Cirque with as much intimate knowledge and experience as myself.

Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change based on the trip, weather, objectives, and so on.

Day 1 (Travel Day)

Fly into SLC, DEN, or JAC. Rent a car and drive to Lander. There is a 25 mile dirt road to get to the trailhead so a car with at least some ground clearance will be better but I was able to get small cars (think Toyota Camry) back there this past season.

You will want to book a hotel room for the night you arrive to Lander and the night before you go home.

You can also fly into Riverton and I can arrange transportation to get you from Riverton to Lander.

Lastly, you can camp in the Lander City park for free [where I will be in my van] but I think most people will enjoy a nice bed and shower before heading out to the backcountry as well as when you return from a trip like this.

Day 2 (Hike Into Camp)

We will meet for breakfast in Lander at 7am (or alternatively meet after breakfast at 8am), pile all of our gear into the car and drive approximately 2 hours to the trailhead. From the trailhead we will hike 9.5 miles to our campsite in the Cirque of the Towers. After arriving and setting up camp, we will have dinner and discuss the objective for the following climbing day before heading off to bed.

Days 3-5 (Climb)

For the main portion of the trip we will set out for long days of climbing with the potential of a rest day in between.

There are two tiers available for this trip:

the Sampler Tour

50 Classics Tour*

*Additional Notes About the 50 Classics Tour

I only offer NE Face of Pingora 1:1, so if we are on a 2:1 trip, we will climb the NE Face of Pingora on separate days while the other climber takes a rest day. This will extend the length of our trip by one day.

I also require that you have climbed a Grade IV with me prior to this trip or have an extensive resume showing that you are prepared for this climb. The NE Face is akin to climbing Epinephrine in overall effort, minus the chimney, of course.

Day 6 (Return to Lander)

The final day of our trip is a very satisfying one. We will pack up camp and hike out to the trailhead and make the return trip to Lander.

We won’t get back to Lander until about 4pm. You can go check into your hotel and shower before meeting back up for a well-deserved meal at Lander Bar or Cow Fish to debrief the trip.

get a taste of the winds

Get a feel for what it’s like to spend a week in the Winds; watch this highlight reel of my trip to the Cirque with Leigh and Pim in 2022.

Trip Add-Ons

  • Extra Day of Climbing

    Add a day of single-pitch climbing at Sinks Canyon or Wild Iris.

    1:1 $400 | 2:1 $550

  • Porter

    The porter will carry up to 40lbs of the gear/food to take some of the weight off of your shoulders.

    $300 each way (gratuity included)

  • Camp Cook

    The ultimate luxurious experience…hire a camp cook to prepare fresh, warm meals for breakfast and dinner. Must have a porter with this option.

    $1500 (food and gratuity included)

  • Horse Pack

    This option allows you to hire a horse and wrangler to carry up to 150 lb. of your gear and food in and out of the Cirque.

    Approx. $2000 (does not include gratuity for the wrangler)

Contact Me To Book

FAQs

When are you offering trips to the Winds again?

I will be taking up to 6 trips (parties of 2 max) to the Wind River Range/Cirque of the Towers from August 2-September 20, 2024. I am expanding my availability in the Wind River Range for the summer 2024 season as I plan to take a break from the Winds for a season or two and may not offer guided trips here again until summer 2026/27. Next year may be your last chance to climb with me in the Winds for a few summers, which is why I am expanding my availability. Get it while the gettins hot!

What are the prerequisites for this trip?

You must have previously climbed with me before booking a trip to the Winds and/or be able to easily follow 5.8 trad outdoors. This trip requires many miles of hiking in addition to long days of climbing, so your physical fitness must be measurable. Many clients prepare months in advance for the sheer mileage that we cover during a backcountry trip to the Cirque. Check out this article on training for the trek.

Camping/backpacking experience is not required but highly recommended. See the packing list of the gear you will need for this trip.

Acclimation to the altitude is another consideration in preparation for the trip, since base camp sits right around 10,000 feet. I recommend that you spend at least a day or two at 5,000 ft elevation or above, such as Lander, prior to hiking into the Cirque to acclimate to the altitude, especially if you are traveling from lower altitude or sea-level.

Where will we meet?

We will meet in Lander, Wyoming which is the nearest big/little town to the Wind River Range. Lander sits at 5,300 feet and has a year-round population of 7,500 people (half ranchers and half mountain folk) and is a neat little town to spend some time in. Lander has two big grocery stores, a few good restaurants (my favorites are Lander Bar and CowFish), plenty of hotels, and a few good outdoor gear stores. Lander City Park allows free overnight camping for up to 3 days and the nearby Sinks Canyon State Park is a gem and must-see.

How much time should I plan for this trip?

You should plan for about a 7-8 day trip flight to flight and I generally like to block out a Monday through Friday stretch for your trip. This will allow you to come in the weekend prior and leave the weekend after which will give us a little wiggle room to move the trip in either direction to account for weather. This also allows us to add a day of climbing at Sinks Canyon or Wild Iris, if you would like, or to allow time to visit nearby gems in Wyoming such as the Tetons, Thermopolis Hot Spring State Park, and more.

What airport should I fly in and out of?

You have options here…some fly into Denver (about a 6 hour drive to Lander) or Salt Lake City (about a 5 hour drive to Lander). These options are further away but tend to offer cheaper and direct flights from more locations.

Some prefer to fly into Jackson Hole (about 2.5 hours from Lander) or Riverton (about 30 minutes from Lander), which are both much smaller commercial airports.

Will I need to rent a car for my trip?

Yes. Typically, you will want to rent a car for the length of your trip but as an alternative, I can arrange transportation for a fee in a few cases. Keep in mind, there is a 25 mile dirt road to get to the trailhead so a car with at least some ground clearance will be better but I was able to get small cars back there this past season.

What if I forgot some of the gear I need? Will there be stores available in Lander to purchase extra items?

Yes! Lander, although a small town, is a hub for outdoor adventurers and therefore has plenty of gear stores and grocery stores for last minute supplies. If you like specialty items, especially in terms of the food/snacks that you prefer, I recommend planning ahead of time and bringing those with you.

What kinds of meals will we eat in the backcountry?

Typically clients who choose to go self-supported (without a porter or camp cook) will bring lightweight, dehydrated meals for both breakfast and dinner. I recommend mountain house or backpacker’s pantry meals for dinner and oatmeal or something similar for breakfast.

If you opt for a camp cook and porter, we will have fully prepared breakfasts and dinners with a combination of fresh and rehydrated ingredients.

Typical prepared meals include:

Breakfast - Egg, Bacon & Cheese Burritos or Breakfast Sandwiches

Dinner - Shepherd’s Pie, Chili and Cornbread, Spaghetti Night (my favorite), Stir-fry Chicken, Veggies & Rice, and more.