Scheduling Considerations
The backpacking season for the Wind River High Route is short: three months, July through September, in an average year.
But the most optimal window is even shorter: August through mid-September, or mid-July through mid-September after a dry winter. By pushing it earlier or later, you are more likely to encounter heavy bug pressure, high-water hazards, and/or excessive snow; or you are at an increasing risk of being shut down by an early winter storm.
It’s late-July, yet I wish I had brought my skis. Lingering snowpack in Bear Basin (elev 11,200 feet) after a very wet winter and cold spring.
More specifics:
1. Winter snowpack.
Between about November and April, the Winds are pummeled by Pacific storms that drop hundreds of inches of snow, especially along the crest.
The snowpack normally begins to melt out in early-April, starting with the lowest elevations. Peak melt occurs in June. And most passes are snow-free in or by August. After a drier-than-normal or wetter-than-normal winter, this timeline can be accelerated or delayed by about a month. Some snow never melts, which contributes to the many glaciers and permanent snowfields in the Winds.
Lingering snowfields can be a blessing, especially if it covers nasty talus or loose scree. But extensive snow coverage makes for more challenging conditions. Expect chronically wet feet, afternoon slogs on mushy snow, and some additional risks, including cornices that can block passage and icy morning crusts that increase the chance of a fall.
While the High Route can be shut down for a few days by a freak summer snowstorm, it will most definitely melt out due to the relatively warm air and ground temperatures, and the intense solar radiation. In a typical year, snow begins to permanently stick in October, especially on north-facing aspects and at higher elevations.
A developing thunderstorm in the upper North Fork. At 10,500 feet, this low-elevation alternate is safer than the ridge, but it still offers little protection.
2. Summer monsoon.
The prevailing summertime weather system in the Winds is the North American Monsoon, which normally picks up in early July and fades in September. This pattern also affects Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, and especially Arizona and New Mexico.
Intense solar heating of the southwest US allows moisture from the Gulf of California, the eastern Pacific, and the Gulf of Mexico to flow into the region. This moisture first manifests in puffy, cottonball-like cumulus clouds that build throughout the day, peaking in size and quantity in late-afternoon before dissipating in the evening hours. Cloud development is often greatest over high land masses, which forces the moisture upwards into colder air.
On days with early build-up of cumulus clouds, afternoon thunderstorms are more likely, and sometimes inevitable. Lookout for a dropping cloud ceiling and dark, vertical cumulonimbus clouds with an anvil cap.
Monsoon thunderstorms are often violent and dangerous. A lightning strike is the risk with the highest consequence, but the odds are relatively low. The more assured risk is exposure, which can lead to hypothermia. The thunderstorms drop torrential rain, and sometimes hail or sleet. And the ambient temperature drops suddenly and significantly, since the dry Wyoming air has little thermal mass to counterbalance strong downdrafts of cold air from thousands of feet above.
In addition to lightning and cold-and-wet conditions, thunderstorms can also cause a loss of visability as low clouds engulf the mountains.
The Wind River High Route is often in high and exposed terrain, the last place you want to be during a thunderstorm. Additionally, off-trail navigation is very challenging and possibly dangerous when visability is limited, even if you have a GPS: it may tell you exactly where you are and where you need to go, but it cannot identify an optimal or safe route to get there.
In July and August, expect afternoon thunderstorms at a minimum, and less predictable thunderstorms during very active monsoon patterns. Summer weather is much more similar to Colorado and Utah than to California. Utilize fully the morning weather window, and be aware of lower alternate routes if you are forced down.
Biting flies leave their mark on Buzz Burrell’s legs, so long as they find their way through the fur. The bug pressure peaks in July and fades into August.
3. Bugs
The mosquitoes and biting flies normally reach their peak in July, once the snowpack melts out, the vegetation greens up, and the temperatures warm. The most intense pockets are found in soggy areas when there is little wind. Bug pressure fades through August and ceases completely in September.
The bugs in the Winds are not on par with those in Alaska, but they are as bad as anywhere in the continental US. Bug-resistant clothing (e.g. long-sleeve shirt and full-length pants, treated with permethrin and/or made of tightly woven fabrics) and a headnet is highly recommended. A bugproof shelter is useful, too, although the bugs usually go away at night so long as temperatures are below about 50 degrees.
4. River fords
As a crest route, the Wind River High Route crosses most creeks high in their watersheds, before they can accumulate to dangerous volume and velocity. The section-hikes generally have higher water hazards, so beware especially during the peak melt in June.
There are four potentially problematic river crossings on the High Route: the Middle Fork of Bull Lake Creek, the two upper forks of the North Fork of Bull Lake Creek, and Dinwoody Creek. Fortunately, in all cases there are safe fording locations nearby, where the creek slows down and/or widens out.
Hey Andrew,
I’ve been planning out a traverse of the Winds for a while now, and was hoping to go through with it this summer. I’d be starting in the far south and would head north, to Dubois, basin-hopping for 400 miles or so. The month of July is my only window. Given the ridiculous winter we just had, the higher country will definitely still be buried in snow. When do you think the high bench, 9000 to 11000 feet or so, will melt out and green up, given we have a significant warming period over the next month and a half? I don’t mind traversing sketchy snowfields higher up in the range as long as its green where it should be green. At this point it’s beginning to seem like I’ll have to push it back for a third year…
Thanks!
Ian
I did a trip in late-July in 2011 (after an equally big winter) and was shocked at how much snow was still lingering on the west side of the Divide between the upper headwaters of the Roaring Fork and Pixley Creek. It was still ski season up there.
This year, I think August is going to look like a normal July.
As I feared, with snow pack mostly above 300% after the latest storm. Unless climate change pulls through,
(A horrible miracle?) it’ll have to wait another year. To the North Cascades it is, then!
Thanks for the quick reply!
Well it’s a year later. How are things looking for this year? I’m finally considering getting out there and it looks like as of right now the snowpack is 110 to 125% the median. Is this promising for an early August trip or does it look like a delayed Jjuly” type of conditions again (snow fields, runoff, and mosquito clouds)?
June: bring your skis
July: the month of transition, with more snow but few bugs early in the month, and less snow but more bugs later in the month
August: normal conditions, with snow lingering where it piles up the most, and bugs into the middle of the month
Anyone done in it the last few days? I’m starting 7/24/18 and wonder what the snow situation is.
Also, what’s the best strategy for weathering a thunderstorm in an area with no forest to hide in? Get close to the base of a peak?
Thanks!
At this time of year after a wet winter, I’d expect snow to still be lingering where it tends to linger, i.e. leeward aspects at high elevations.
Re thunderstorms:
1. Start very early in the day. Thunderstorms are usually an afternoon event.
2. Use alternates to get low or to bypass high sections.
3. Wait out storms from safe places, then jump on favorable windows.
Thunderstorms: more on this…
The three tips you gave are certainly good advice; thanks much for those.
But what about the case where one sneaks up on you? Maybe your view of the sky is obstructed by nearby peaks, or a storm is embedded in regular (non-storm) clouds… what then? There’s no forest. How do you minimize risk in this situation?
I really don’t like “what if’s.” They tend not to be grounded in reality.
I’ve never had one sneak up on me. They don’t move that fast, and usually the sky gives you plenty of warning that it’s about to explode, even far from the epicenter of the storm.
That said, I definitely have seen clouds that made me nervous, partly because I couldn’t see the entire storm cell. So you play it by ear, and take the risks that you’re willing to take, e.g. deciding whether to go over the pass now, or wait “it” out (even though it may be nothing) and minimize your risks.
With the late winter the Winds have experienced, is there any intel known to say if the high route is even safely traversable this year? Purchased the map set and Wind River guide a few months back, plan to begin attempt Aug. 4th with a group of 5 others if thought to be doable. Very stoked about the trip, but if the high route isn’t traversable, which of your alternate routes is your favorite backup?
With a proper skill set and gear, it’s passable right now.
Try looking for conditions updates using resources mentioned here, https://andrewskurka.com/new-snowpack-tool-satellite-imagery-for-caltopo-gaiagps/
Also search for hashtags like #windriverhighroute
Greetings Andrew,
Huge fan of yours. Thank you for sharing so generously.
The only hiking window I have all “summer” is early June. I’m assuming that most of the WWR is snowed in at this time, including Titcomb Bassin?
Thanks!
After a normal winter, yes, nearly the entire route would be snowbound.
So far the Winds have above-average snowfall for 2019-20. If it stops snowing tomorrow and starts getting hot, maybe you’d have a chance. But unlikely.
On the other hand, maybe you should look at the High Sierra. It has been a dry winter — currently 35 to 47 percent of average for this time of year — and you might be able to get high early.
I’m wondering how things are in the winds? I’m thinking about going in first week of june?
I want to catch the mountains as the snow is melting and things are just starting to go from brown to green.
Do you think the first week of june is a good time this year for that?
If you look at the basin maps, looks like the Winds are a bit above-average for this time of year.
https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/wy_swepctnormal_update.pdf
But if you look at the site map, it’s more nuanced. The south end of the range is well below average, but the north end is quite a bit above. On the whole, then, a bit above average.
https://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/wy_swepctnormal.pdf
Since the north end of the range holds snow longer anyway, that means there’s going to be an even bigger difference in melt-out this year. In a normal June, the south end would be manageable and the north end would be spring skiing. That’s going to be magnified.
There will be a LOT of snow up high still in the first week of June. It won’t be green or brown, but white. The trailheads will be green though. And somewhere between there and snow line, you’ll find it transitioning.
Thanks so much!!
I’m excited it’s going to be fun either way I’ll get out and explore it! Thanks for the information.
Andrew – this site is awesome! Thanks for putting it together.
What is your forecast for bugs the first two weeks of July in the southern portion of the Wind Rivers?
That is typically bug season, so have some defense.
Hi Andrew,
I have a window of about 9 days beginning July 12th and I’m considering the WRHR. What are your thoughts on this year’s snowpack and what things may look like by mid-July?
Thanks for putting together this awesome resource!
I think snowpack was roughly average in the Winds this winter. Assuming I’m right, the route will be doable but there will be lots of snow at the higher elevations, more mountaineering than backpacking. Sometimes this is a good thing, like when the snow is covering talus, but it can become tedious with the sunlight and slick footing.
Hi Andrew,
I’m planning a 8 day trip to the Winds from July 31st to Aug. 7th. I’m not currently planning on bringing any mountaineering gear, and from what I’ve read, it should be nontechnical in early August, especially with it being an average year for snowfall. I was just wondering if I should consider bringing any mountaineering gear and how bad the mosquitoes might be.
Thanks.
For mosquitoes, I’d be prepared with optional full-coverage clothing (pants that can be worn over my shorts, LS permethrin-treated shirt, plus maybe a headnet if they really love me) and some repellent for unprotected skin and mild pressure.
Recommended snow travel equipment partly depends on personal comfort and skill set. In early-August I’d say that most people would be comfortable without any traction or axe. Traction does come in handy though on some of the glacier crossings once the snow has melted off — underneath you may find very hard ice that is very slick even at a low angle.
Thanks!
Hi Andrew, Me and a few friends of mine are planning on doing a 4 day trek through the cirque of the towers area from July 19th through the 22nd. What can do you think we expect in terms of weather (temperatures as well as rain) for this trip? Thank you!
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day…
Try this instead, https://andrewskurka.com/backcountry-weather-conditions-forecasting-methods-sources/
This is the answer to the question I just submitted
Thanks
Should have read through first, my bad
Week of October 5 – 11 so far looks cold but dry, hard to tell if this forecast will hold
Is there possibility that week can work even though it’s outside of the window?
For are the temps like at 10,000 feet at night in early October?
Thank you
Hi there – I am thinking about a 4 day trip in the Winder Rivers this June – around June 9-12. Any thoughts of routes that will be open at that time of year and still give some good views of the high mountains? Welcome any tips for a ~40mile route that would work in June.
Hi Amy! Hey did you make the trip there June 9-12th you were planning?? I’m going this weekend and just wanted to know how your weather was and how the snow pack was looking. Thank you!!
Andrew, Love your site. Purchased the WR high route package last year. I’m planning on the high route starting 8/17 from Bruce Bridge. How does the snow pack from this past winter look? Thanks!
In the spirit of, “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day…”
https://andrewskurka.com/trip-planning-research-my-go-to-resources/
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for the great information and planning resources. Can’t wait to give a few of the section hikes a go before committing to the Full Deal.
One question I had was if you were to pick one Section Hike with the most reliable fishing options, what would be your top 2-4 choices?
As a non-fisherman, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.
Hey Andrew,
Doing the HR starting Aug 14th. My wife has a rough time with bug bites, are they typically dying out at this time on an average snowpack year?
Also thanks for all the info you have put out about alternates for storms!
The bugs will be on the decline. If you get a frost or if it’s cool, it’ll be better.
Sounds like you need to outfit your wife with permethrin-treated clothing. Highly recommended.
Hello Andrew I am thinking of some basic stuff from Elkhart like Seneca, Summit, Cook, Titcomb Lakes from 9/27 to 10/1. Have hiked 5-7 day trips in the Winds a few times but never so late in year . Will trails still be easy to follow? I am not a skilled route finder/navigator.
Yes, the trails should be mostly easily to follow, as they’re well used, though not necessarily marked, including at junctions. Be careful of social/unmapped trails, and pay particular attention when leaving the trailhead, where there are often mazes of trails going in various directions (potty trails, fishing trails, campground trails, other trails, and finally the trail that you actually want).
Late-September can be hardcore fall conditions in the Winds. Expect cold nights and brisk days, at a minimum, and you might want a Plan B (maybe that involves a motel room, another location, or at least a low-elevation route) if you get caught by an early winter storm.