Baby Glacier (Wyoming)

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Baby Glacier
USA Wyoming relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Baby Glacier
TypeMountain glacier
Location Sublette County, Wyoming, USA
Coordinates 43°10′16″N109°41′01″W / 43.17111°N 109.68361°W / 43.17111; -109.68361 [1]
Area50 acres (20 ha)
Length.40 mi (0.64 km)
Width.20 mi (0.32 km)
TerminusTalus
StatusUnknown

Baby Glacier is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. [2] The glacier is immediately west of the much larger Mammoth Glacier, both of which are on the west side of the Continental Divide in the northern Wind River Range. The glacier occupies a north facing cirque and flows northward from the slopes of Mount Whitecap. Baby Glacier is in the Bridger Wilderness and is part of the largest grouping of glaciers in the American Rocky Mountains.

Contents

Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. [3] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures. [4]

Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993, [5] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), [6] 2015 [7] and 2018. [8] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain [9] in 2005, [10] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. [11] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fitzpatrick Wilderness</span> Wilderness area in Wyoming, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lizard Head Peak</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Warren</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Helen (Wyoming)</span> Mountain in the American state of Wyoming

Mount Helen is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is the fourth highest peak in the range and the fifth tallest in Wyoming. The summit is located in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, immediately west of the Continental Divide. The eastern flanks of the mountain are covered in snowfields and glaciers, including Helen and Sacagawea Glaciers, all of which are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.

Turret Peak is the sixth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the fifth-highest in the Wind River Range. The Dinwoody Glacier is located on the northwest slope of the mountain, while the Helen Glacier is to the south. Turret Peak is estimated to be between 13,606 to 13,646 feet high.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Sacagawea</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States

Mount Sacagawea is the eighth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the seventh-highest in the Wind River Range. It was named after Sacagawea, the young Lemhi Shoshone woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition as an interpreter and guide. The Upper Fremont Glacier is located southeast and the Sacagawea Glacier is northeast of the mountain. Straddling the Continental Divide, Mount Sacagawea is one mile (1.6 km) northwest of Fremont Peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackson Peak (Fremont County, Wyoming)</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

Jackson Peak 13,523 feet (4,122 m) is the eighth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the seventh-highest in the Wind River Range. The Bull Lake Glacier is located immediately north and east of the mountain. Situated on the Continental Divide, Jackson Peak is .75 miles (1.21 km) southeast of Fremont Peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Woodrow Wilson</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

Mount Woodrow Wilson is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Mount Woodrow Wilson is the eighth-highest mountain in the range and the ninth-highest in Wyoming. The summit is located in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest on the Continental Divide, 1.25 miles (2.01 km) south of Gannett Peak. The flanks of the mountain are covered in snowfields and glaciers, including Dinwoody Glacier to the northeast, Mammoth Glacier to the west and Sphinx Glacier to the south.

Bastion Peak, at 13,500 feet (4,100 m), is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is the ninth-highest in the range and the tenth-highest in Wyoming. The summit is located on the Continental Divide and the eastern slopes of the mountain are covered by a section of Gannett Glacier, the largest glacier in the American Rocky Mountains. An arête to the northeast leads to Bastion Peak-Northeast Peak, which, at 13,476 ft (4,107 m), is also one of the highest points in Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klondike Peak</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States of America

Klondike Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 4 mi (6.4 km) north of Gannett Peak, Klondike Peak is within the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and west of the Continental Divide. The summit of Klondike Peak is partially capped by a small glacier and the northwest flank of the peak is the origination point of J Glacier, while Sourdough Glacier lies just to the northeast. Klondike Peak is the 26th tallest peak in Wyoming.

Knife Point Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 2.7 mi (4.3 km) southeast of Fremont Peak, Knife Point Mountain is on the Continental Divide. North of Knife Point Mountain is the origination point of Knife Point Glacier, while Harrower Glacier lies just to the west. Knife Point Mountain is the 32nd tallest peak in Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Whitecap</span> Mountain in the state of Wyoming

Mount Whitecap is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 2.25 mi (3.62 km) southwest of Gannett Peak, Mount Whitecap is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. Baby Glacier lies just to the east of the peak and Split Mountain is 1 mi (1.6 km) southeast. Mount Whitecap is the 30th tallest peak in Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bow Mountain</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States

Bow Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 1 mi (1.6 km) west of American Legion Peak, Bow Mountain is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. Stroud Glacier lies just to the north of the peak. Bow Mountain is the 29th tallest peak in Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrower Peak</span> Mountain in the country of Canada

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Split Mountain (Wyoming)</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States

Split Mountain is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Split Mountain is the 22nd highest peak in Wyoming. Split Mountain is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and is about .70 mi (1.13 km) northwest of Twin Peaks and 1 mi (1.6 km) southeast of Mount Whitecap. Mammoth Glacier is on the northeast slopes of the peak while the smaller Baby Glacier flows down from a spur to the northwest.

The Sphinx is a 13,264-foot (4,043 m) mountain in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The summit is on the Continental Divide in both Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests and it is .38 mi (0.61 km) east-southeast of Mount Woodrow Wilson. The Dinwoody Glacier flows from the north slopes of the peak, while Sphinx Glacier is on the southwest flank of the mountain.

Mount Lander is located in the central Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Mount Lander is within the Wind River Indian Reservation. The Lander Glacier consists of three distinct glaciers on the north and west slopes of Mount Lander, with the westernmost glacier being the largest. Baptiste Lake is 1 mi (1.6 km) long and is on the southeast base of Mount Lander and the famous northeast wall of Mount Hooker is another mile south of the lake.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Washakie</span> Mountain in Wyoming, United States

Mount Washakie is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain is on the Continental Divide in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. Washakie Glacier lies .50 mi (0.80 km) to the southeast of the peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bair Peak</span> Mountain in the country of Canada

Bair Peak is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain is on the Continental Divide in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. Washakie Glacier lies on the north slopes of the peak.

Mount Chauvenet is a mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Mount Chauvenet is 1.5 mi (2.4 km) northeast of Cathedral Peak in the Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. Mount Chauvenet was one of the earliest peaks climbed by white explorers to the Wind River Range.

References

  1. "Baby Glacier". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  2. Gannett Peak, WY (Map). TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps). Retrieved August 25, 2012.
  3. Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  4. Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  5. Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  6. MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  7. Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  8. Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  9. Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project . Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  10. Staff (July 22, 2005). "Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain". PineDaleOnline News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
  11. Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2022.

See also