Stage Run
Bridger Wilderness Area, Wyoming
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_River_Range
Dates: July 27-31, 2011
Start time: 8:00 am sharp
Field Limit: none
Entry Fee: none
Aid Stations: none
Boulder Bandits announces its newest adventure: The Wind River 100, a three-day, expedition length trail run, July 27-31, 2011, through the Bridger Wilderness Area of the Wind River Range - starting at Green River Lakes Campground (Pinedale, WY) and ending at Big Sandy Lodge (Big Sandy, WY). This adventure will connect one hundred miles of trails in one of the most rugged -- and beautiful -- areas of the Rocky Mountains, including large sections of the Continental Divide Trail.
Traveling Northwest to Southeast, runners will traverse exposed ridgelines and high-alpine valleys, ford ice-cold glacial streams, fend off territorial grizzlies, and feed millions of mosquitoes while blazing past the occasional 65# pack, vibram-soled through-hiker. The route includes multiple crossings of the Continental Divide and loop through the Cirque of the Towers.
Wind River runners will carry all their food and gear on their backs as we run. A three-day stage run, runners will spend two nights out on the trail at altitudes above 10,000 feet with unpredictable weather. The majority of this run will be more than 20 miles from the nearest trailhead, so accidents requiring wilderness rescue are discouraged.
Included in the The Wind River 100 are transportation via Suburban (8), wilderness permits, campground reservations at the start and finish, and the post-run BBQ at the Big Sandy Lodge. No backcountry permits are required for our Tour. We are on our own, which to me is much of the appeal.
Itinerary
July 27: Depart Boulder, Camping at Green River Lakes Campground (North of Pinedale, WY)
July 28: Running Day 1
- Highline Trail (CDT) to Summit Lake, 16.3 miles
- Highline Trail to Little Senaca Lake, 27.5 miles
- Highline Trail to Pole Creek and Fremont Trail Junction, 33 miles
July 29: Running Day 2
- Fremont Trail to North Fork Lake, 46.4
- Fremont Trail to Dream Lake, 54.0
- Fremont/Highline Trail to Washakie Pass Trail, 63.4
- Washakie Pass Trail to Ranger Park, 68.8
July 30: Running Day 3
- Lizard Head Trail to Lizard Head Meadows, 83.2
- North Fork Trail to Jackass Pass, 88.3
- Big Sandy Trail to Big Sandy Lodge, 98.0
July 31: Depart Big Sandy Lodge for Boulder
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=42.999373,-109.56614&z=9&t=h&hl=en
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Wind River Range
Enormous compressional forces in the earth thrusted the block of granite that became the Wind River Range, upward. The glaciations and erosion that followed carved the range, leaving 13,804
foot Gannet Peak, the highest mountain in the Wilderness and in Wyoming. Glacial action left cirques, kettles, U-shaped valleys, hanging troughs, and lakes. The Wind River Range contains 48 summits higher than 12,500 feet and seven of the ten glaciers remaining in the contiguous United States.
Square Top Mountain
Square Top Mountain, named for its nearly flat summit, rises in the Bridger Mountain Range. This range together with the Bighorn Mountains forms a hook like shape through northwestern Wyoming. Glaciers carved the basin formed in the center of the hook.
Here are links to local webcams:http://www.pinedalewyoming.com/webcam/pinedalewebcam.htm
and two more distant views of the range http://www.wyvisnet.com/dani1/index.html &http://www.wyvisnet.com/shel1/index.html
Readiness
We are all ultrarunners (whether we admit to it or not), and we have varying experience fast-packing. Our Tour will be ~30 miles and 8-10K of climbing per day -- with 15-20 pounds on our backs. With altitude, weight, and Hardrock recovery, expect the pace to be slower and the rest stops more frequent. Likely we will be on the trail ~10 hours a day between campsites, taking lots of wildflower and granite pictures along the way. More, we will need to stick together in one or more groups. No one get's left behind to run solo out of sight.
Somewhere between our summer events, I will plan a 10-20 mile overnight "trial run" for those who haven't done this before.
Equipment
Golite-type gear is essential. Here's a link to Andy Skurka's gear list to give you some ideas:http://www.andrewskurka.com/GWL/gearlists.php
Bob's list:
- Lightweight pack (2-3,000 cu. in.)
- Water bottles/bladder & purification tablets
- 12,000 cal food (6 lbs) (trail snacks/malto, soups, oatmeal, etc.)
- Cup & utensils
- Shared Jetboil or alcohol stove
- Headlamp with spare batteries
- Whistle
- Bear spray
- 50' cord to hang pack & food
- Knife with folding blade
- Running clothes with spare socks
- Carbon-fiber trekking poles
- Sun/rain hat
- Rain jacket/pants
- Insulating shirt/pants
- Lightweight sleeping bag (~1 lbs.)
- Lightweight or inflatable sleeping pad
- Tarp/shared lightweight tent (~1 lbs. each)
- Camera with spare batteries
- No toothbrush
We will also have limited group gear for first aid, etc.
Logistics
Depart Boulder early Weds, 27 July for Pinedale, Wyoming. It's about a 7 hour drive including stops (at speed limit +9 mph). We could caravan the whole way, meet up in Rawlins for lunch, join forces when we leave I-80 at Rock Springs, or just meet at the Big Sandy Lodge. Likely, there is no cell phone service in the mountains past Eden. http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=boulder,+co&daddr=Big+Sandy,+Uninc+Sublette+County,+WY&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=49.757664,84.199219&ie=UTF8&z=8
Here are the detailed directions to the lodge from 191 at Eden, WY.
http://www.big-sandy-lodge.com/scr-maptolodge2.jpg
We should be at the Big Sandy Lodge by 4 pm, then drop off a car (or two), consider a big pre-run dinner in Pinedale, then continue to Green River Lakes and set up camp.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we run as detailed above. Saturday evening, we will stay in a group cabin at the Big Sandy Lodge restoring calories at the BBQ. Sunday morning we have breakfast at Big Sandy, then hit the road for Boulder on cruise control as a respite for sore legs.
Cheers, Bob
Wind River runners will carry all their food and gear on their backs as they run (remember Go-Lite's A.S. did this with an eight point pack, plus food, for 7,000 miles). A three-day stage run, runners will spend two nights out on the trail at altitudes above 10,000 feet with unpredictable weather. The majority of this run will be more than 20 miles from the nearest trailhead, so accidents requiring wilderness rescue are discouraged.
