An exciting, intricate ridge route on solid rock. It's proximity to the Innominate only adds to the setting. Careful but easy to follow raps down the north side of the peak is the standard way of getting off this dramatic peak. I would gladly do the long walk in to do this route again!
View Trip Map for loop details and campsite locations
COOL, CLOUDY WEATHER AT THE START OF THE WEST TENSLEEP TRAIL TO WILDERNESS BASIN
CLOUD PEAK FROM MISTYMOON LAKE
DECISION TIME. LOOKING AT OPTIONS FOR GETTING STARTED OF THE CROSS COUNTRY ROUTE INTO WILDERNESS BASIN
SOMEBODY'S CLOUD PEAK HIGH CAMP
CERTAINLY AN EASY START TO THE XC APPROACH TO WILDERNESS BASIN
THE SMALL LAKE ABOVE THE CLOUD PEAK HIGH CAMP
CROSSING THE SCREE PATH AT THE START OF THE CROSS COUNTRY ROUTE TO WILDERNESS BASIN
CROSSING THE SCREE AT THE START OF THE CROSS COUNTRY ROUTE TO WILDERNESS BASIN
CAL TOPO VIEW OF THE CROSS COUNTRY ROUTE COMING AND GOING TO WILDERNESS BASIN, CLOUD PEAK WILDERNESS
PRETTY SURE THIS ROUTE WOULD GET ME TO WILDERNESS BASIN
FINALLY A VIEW OF MY DESTINATION, WILDERNESS BASIN, BIGHORNS, WYOMING
DESCENDING AT LAST INTO WILDERNESS BASIN
THE CASCADES BETWEEN THE LOWER AND MIDDLE SECTION OF THE BASIN
CLEARING SKIES AT THE MIDDLE LAKE, WILDERNESS BASIN
CAMPSITE AT THE MIDDLE LAKE, WILDERNESS BASIN, CLOUD PEAK WILDERNESS
VERY HOPEFULL SKIES AT THE END OF DAY 1
MORNING DAY 2.
EASY WALKING ON DAY2 IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF WILDERNESS BASIN
MORE OF THE SAME AS TRAVEL IN WILDERNESS BASIN IS QUITE PLEASANT IN ITS ENTIRITEY, BIGHORNS, WY
SHORT BUT HUGE SCREE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SECOND 'MIDDLE' LAKE
LOOKING BACK AT THE BIG SCREE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE SECOND 'MIDDLE' LAKE
EASY WALKING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE LAST OF THE 'MIDDLE LAKES'
MOVING UP TO THE THIRD LEVEL IN WILDERNESS BASIN
ATTRACTIVE UN-NAMED PEAK ABOVE CAMP
DAY 2 LATE AFTERNOON VIEW OF WOOLSEY AND THE INNOMINATE FROM THE LAST LAKE BELOW THE UPPER BASIN
ALTERNATE START DUE TO SNOW BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE TO THE CHUTE TO THE WOOLSEY-GARGOYLE SADDLE.
LATE AFTERNOON VIEW FROM A CAMPSITE AT THE END OF DAY 2
EARLY MORNING VIEW OF THE SW SIDE OF WOOLSEY
CLOSE UP VIEW OF THE REQUIRED WORK AROUND TO GET STARTED ON THE ROUTE
LOOKING UP THE INITIAL CHUTE THAT LEADS TO THE WOOLSEY-GARGOYLE SADDLE
THE SW FACE OF THE CENTRAL SUMMIT OF THE INNOMINATE
THE KEY CHIMNEY THAT LEAD DOWN INTO THE CORRECT CHUTE
LOOKING BACK AT THE CHIMNEY THAT LEAD DOWN INTO THE CORRECT CHUTE
THE REMAINDER OF THE CHUTE TO THE WOOLSEY-GARGOYLE SADDLE
FIRST REAL VIEW OF THE ROUTE AHEAD
OFF-ROUTE EXPLORING
FROM THE NOTCH LOOKING INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE RIDGE
HAVING TRAVERSED TOO FAR ON THE WEST SIDE, I NEEDED A WAY TO GET BACK UP TO THE RIDGE
THE EQUALLY PRECIPITOUS SOUTH WEST SIDE OF WOOLSEY.
WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE INNOMINATE?
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE INNOMINATE?
BACK ON THE RIDGE. THE THIRD PITCH IS THE SO CALLED 'WALK IN THE SKY'
LOOKING UP THE FINAL TWO PITCHES OF THE ROUTE.
OLD FIXED PINS ON THE FLAT SECTION OF THE RIDGE
THE SUNNY PART OF THE 'WALK IN THE SKY' ON P3
PART OF THE AMAZING FLAT SECTION OF THE RIDGE ON P3
LOOKING UP THE EASY 4TH PITCH
LOOKING BACK AT THE NARROW BUT FLAT SECTION OF THE RIDGE FROM THE TOP OF PITCH 4
APPROX LINE I TOOK ON P2-3 RIDGE FROM THE TOP OF PITCH 4
P2-3 AND THE GARGOYLE (L) FROM THE TOP OF P4,