A somewhat ambitious plan to start with. That's only natural. In the end we spent five days in the Winds rather than seven But I did get up Arrowhead on the 3rd day. Day 4 we decided to start the hike out. A good decision as day 5 was not so nice, particularly that evening - seen from the comfort of downtown Pinedale. A one day storm, but I'm glad we weren't camped up above treeline when it blew through. There were so many people on the trail to Island Lake that any bears were probably elsewhere. Crowded is the only word to describe the Northern Winds this year.
View Trip Map for loop details and campsite locations
CHUCK TIMCHALK, ELKHART PARK ROAD
CHUCK GETTING ORGANIZED AT TRAILS END CAMPGROUND, ELKHART PARK
EVENING VIEW FROM TRAILS END CAMPGROUND, ELKHART PARK ROAD
THE PERPETUAL UP DOWNS ON THE WAY TO SENECA LAKE
SENECA LAKE AT LAST
AROUND THE TOP OF LITTLE SENECA LAKE
CHUCK AT OUR CAMPSITE JUST OFF THE HIGHLINE TRAIL
SUNSET AT OUR CAMPSITE JUST OFF THE HIGHLINE TRAIL
SUNSET AT OUR CAMPSITE JUST OFF THE HIGHLINE TRAIL
PART WAY UP THE SMALL RISE THE NEXT MORNING
THE IMPORTANT JCT WHERE THE HIGHLINE TRAIL HEADS NORTH AND THE ISLAND LAKE TRAILS HEADS INTO TITCOMB BASIN
BEGINNING TO SEE WHERE WE'RE HEADED
LAST VIEW OF FREEMONT AND OTHER TITCOMB BASIN PEAKS
FREEMONT CROSSING
CHUCK HEADED NORTH ALONG THE HIGHLINE TRAIL
ARRIVING AT LOWER JEAN LAKE
A SMALL TARN BETWEEN THE TWO JEAN LAKES
LEAVING THE HIGHLINE TRAIL TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO STAY
CHUCK HAS POPPED OVER FOR SOME HORS D'OEUVRES. DINNER COMES LATER.
LATE DAY SUN ON HENDERSON AS THE AFTERNOON STORM CLEARS OUT
EVENING VIEW OF ARROWHEAD, AMERICAN LEGION AND HENDERSON FROM CAMP
CHUCK DEFINITELY HAD THE BETTER VIEW. UPPER JEAN LAKE LOOKING SOUTH.
SUNSET COLOR ON HENDERSON AND PEAK 12814
GETTING A LATE START AFTER AN IFY SUNRISE
A VERY PLEASANT START TO THE APPROACH
IT HAD BEEN 38 YEARS SINCE I WAS LAST HERE AND DID ONE OF THE SOUTH FACE ROUTES ON ARROWHEAD
WILDFLOWERS ON THE APPROACH TO ARROWHEAD
LOOKING BACK AFTER FINDING AN EASY WAY TO AVOID THE SCREE SLOPE TO THE RIDGE
LOOKING OVER AT THE EASILY AVOIDED SCREE SLOPE
WALKING ALONG THE CASUAL RIDGE ON THE APPROACH TO THE EAST RIDGE
THE FINAL OBSTACLE ON THE APPROACH TO THE EAST RIDGE
LOOKING DOWN TO PEAK LAKE VALLEY FROM THE BASE OF THE EAST RIDGE
THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF ARROWHEAD FROM THE SADDLE AT THE BASE OF THE EAST RIDGE
ANOTHER VIEW DOWN TO PEAK LAKE VALLEY
LOOKING AT WHAT WOULD EVENTUALLY BE THE WAY TO GET STARTED ON THE ROUTE
AFTER THE STEEP BEGINNING SOME MODERATE AND ENJOYABLE SLABS LEAD TO EASIER GROUND AND THE SUMMIT
ANOTHER VIEW OF SULPHUR AND THE SADLY MELTED OUT GLACIER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BOW & ARROWHEAD
BOW FROM THE TOP OF ARROWHEAD
RAMPART, SPLIT, KOVEN, GANNETT NORTH SHOULDER AND GANNETT FROM THE TOP OF ARROWHEAD
AMERICAN LEGION FROM THE TOP OF ARROWHEAD
BACK ON THE RIDGE AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL DESCENT
ALMOST BACK TO CAMP
LATE AFTERNOON VIEW OF UPPER JEAN LAKE
ANOTHER LATE AFTERNOON VIEW OF UPPER JEAN LAKE
EVENING VIEW OF HENDERSON AND PK 12814 FROM CAMP
HEADING OUT ON DAY 4
BACK ON THE HIGHLINE TRAIL HEADED FOR FREEMONT CROSSING
LOOKING INTO INDIAN BASIN AND THE NORTH RIDGE OF ELLINGWOOD PEAK
SENACA LAKE SUNSET, WIND RIVER RANGE