Fitzpatrick Wilderness

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Fitzpatrick Wilderness
Wind River Range July 2017 1.jpg
Fremont Peak (Wyoming) in the Wind River Range near the Fitzpatrick Wilderness
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Location Fremont / Sublette counties, Wyoming, United States
Nearest city Lander, WY
Coordinates 43°12′N109°38′W / 43.200°N 109.633°W / 43.200; -109.633 Coordinates: 43°12′N109°38′W / 43.200°N 109.633°W / 43.200; -109.633
Area198,525 acres (803.40 km2)
Established1976
Governing body U.S. Forest Service

The Fitzpatrick Wilderness is located in Shoshone National Forest in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The wilderness was originally known as the Glacier Primitive Area, but was redesignated a wilderness in 1976.

Contents

Overview

U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles. Although camping and fishing are allowed with proper permit, no roads or buildings are constructed and there is also no logging or mining, in compliance with the 1964 Wilderness Act. Wilderness areas within National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas also allow hunting in season.

Fremont Peak (Wind River Range; Rocky Mountains; Wyoming, United States)
Upper Fremont Glacier.jpg
Upper Fremont Glacier on the north slope of Fremont Peak
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Upper Fremont Peak viewing south from the south slope of the Peak - during a backpacking trip

Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range, as well as in this nearby adjoining area. [1] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures. [2]

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, [3] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), [4] 2015 [5] and 2018. [6] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain [7] in 2005, [8] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. [9] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

See also

Related Research Articles

Fremont Peak (Wyoming)

Fremont Peak is the third highest peak in the state of Wyoming, surpassed only by Gannett Peak and Grand Teton, and straddles the boundary between Fremont and Sublette counties in the Wind River Range. It is named for American explorer John C. Fremont who climbed the peak with Charles Preuss and Johnny Janisse from August 13 to August 15, 1842. Kit Carson had been with the climbing party on its first attempt at the peak, but had gone back for supplies the day Fremont and his men reached the summit. Carson is thought by some to have been the first to climb neighboring Jackson Peak. At that time, Fremont Peak was mistakenly thought to be the highest mountain in the Rocky Mountains, although there are actually over 100 higher peaks in the Rocky Mountain range.

Wind River Peak

Wind River Peak is the highest point in the southern end of the Wind River Range that is located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak straddles the Continental Divide and is surrounded by National Forest lands. The west slopes are in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, while the east side is in the Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. In a cirque on the northeast slopes of the peak lies Wind River Glacier.

Lizard Head Peak

Lizard Head Peak is in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated in Shoshone National Forest, Lizard Head Peak is the northeasternmost peak in the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area. Lizard Head Glacier is just WWN of the peak.

Mount Warren

Mount Warren is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is the third peak in the range and the fourth tallest in Wyoming. The summit is located in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest and rises above several glaciers, the best known being Dinwoody Glacier which is immediately north of the summit tower. The mountain abuts, but is not within, either Bridger National Forest or Sublette County, Wyoming.

Mount Helen (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.

Shale Mountain

Shale Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Shale Mountain straddles the Continental Divide and is in both Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests. Shale Mountain is 5 mi (8.0 km) north of Downs Mountain.

Whiskey Mountain

Whiskey Mountain is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Located 5 mi (8.0 km) south of Dubois, Wyoming, Whiskey Mountain is within the Whiskey Mountain Wilderness Study Area, which has the largest wintering concentration of Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep in the coterminous United States.

Mount Whitecap

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.

Bow Mountain

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.

Brown Cliffs North

Brown Cliffs North is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Brown Cliffs North is the 18th tallest peak in Wyoming. The summit is at the northwestern end of a ridge known as Brown Cliffs which are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.

Harrower Peak

Harrower Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming, and it is the 28th tallest mountain in the state. Harrower Peak is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and the Harrower Glacier is less than .50 mi (0.80 km) northeast of the peak.

Twin Peaks (Wyoming)

Twin Peaks is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Twin Peaks is the 20th highest peak in Wyoming. Twin Peaks is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and is .58 mi (0.93 km) southwest of Mount Woodrow Wilson and about the same distance southeast of Split Mountain. Mammoth Glacier flows from the north slopes of the peak while the smaller Twins Glacier flows to the southeast.

Mount Bonneville Mountain in Wyoming, United States

Mount Bonneville is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The summit is located in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, immediately west of the Continental Divide. Mount Bonneville is a distinctively iconic peak of the Wind River Range, and was named after explorer Benjamin Bonneville.

Mount Washakie

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.

Bair Peak

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.

Temple Peak

Temple Peak is located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Temple Peak is a little over 1 mile (1.6 km) southwest of East Temple Peak. Temple Peak is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Warrior Peaks

Warrior Peaks is located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Warrior Peaks is on the southern side of the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area and is just west of War Bonnet Peak. Warrior Peaks sits along the Continental Divide.

Watch Tower (mountain)

Watch Tower is a mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Watch Tower is on the west side of the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area and is just southeast of Block Tower. Watch Tower is immediately east of the Continental Divide.

Payson Peak

Payson Peak is a mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Payson Peak was named after Henry A. Payson, a former Forest Ranger. Payson Peak is in the Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.

Valentine Mountain

Valentine Mountain is a 11,147-foot (3,398 m) mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Valentine Mountain is .42 mi (0.68 km) northwest of Valentine Peak. Valentine Mountain is in the Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.

References

  1. ↑ Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org . Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  2. ↑ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  3. ↑ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  4. ↑ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  5. ↑ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  6. ↑ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  7. ↑ Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project . Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  8. ↑ Staff (July 22, 2005). "Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.


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