The Pfiffner Traverse is bookended in the south by Berthoud Pass (US-40) and in the north by Milner Pass (US-34/Trail Ridge Road). The lands in between are managed by Rocky Mountain National Park and Arapaho National Forest, which encompasses the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area and James Peak Wilderness Area. The route can be accessed directly at…

The heart of the Glacier Divide Route extends between Brown Pass (in the north) and Firebrand Pass (in the south), or possibly Little Dog Mountain. Logistically, the most convenient termini are Waterton Lakes and either Marias Pass or East Glacier, MT, but other options exist.

The heart of the Wind River High Route is bookended by the range’s southernmost and northernmost named 13,000-foot summits, Wind River Peak and Downs Mountain. In between, the route hovers between 10,000 and 12,000 feet. It drops just once to 9,700 feet, which is more than offset by a 12,259-foot mid-route summit, Europe Peak. The…

In the Wind River High Route Guide there are turn-by-turn directions, both in narrative form and in annotations on the maps. The route description below is an overview. The heart of the Wind River Range High Route lies between the range’s southernmost and northernmost named 13,000-foot summits, Wind River Peak and Downs Mountain. For an end-to-end…

The Wind River High Route is best done as an end-to-end thru-hike. But a better option for many backpackers will be one of the eight recommended Section Hikes. The Wind River High Route Guide includes dedicated maps, datasheets, and route descriptions for all eight. These itineraries have several advantages: 1. Shorter trip duration Few can…

The Wind River High Route is most comparable in the continental US to the Sierra High Route and Kings Canyon High Basin Route. In all cases, expect extensive off-trail travel, extreme vertical change, and in general a high-and-lonesome wilderness experience. If you have thru- or section-hiked these routes or similar, you’ll love the Wind River…

The mission of the Wind River High Route is to follow the crest of the range, which happens to coincide with the Continental Divide. But the route still has to be a practical backpacking trip. Considerations 1. Technical challenge The Wind River High Route involves no technical climbing (Class 4 or higher) and it can…

For most of its length, the Wind River High Route feels very wild and remote — and it is. But the route, and the broader Wind River Range, has already been thoroughly explored. Today, we simply stand on the shoulders of earlier explorers: indigenous tribes, the Hayden Survey, sheepherders and cattlemen, pioneering mountaineers, and the…

This video will help you to visualize the route, courtesy of Erin (“Wired”) Saver: