Wyoming 13ers Quest

[Eli Boardman]

Flagstone (left) and Pedestal (right) from U.N. Point 13180

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Klondike Peak above the Sourdough Glacier

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Downs Mountain from U.N. Point 13062

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[Bale]

Strong work Eli and beautiful pics! I’ve only done the top two on the list (the Grand several times), hoping to climb number three (Fremont) with my wife this year. Wishing you continued success on your worthy adventure.

[climbingcue]

Awesome pictures, thank you for sharing your adventures.

Bill

[Matt Lemke]

Badass Eli! I sent you an email... you're really killing it

[Teresa Gergen]

Good luck, Eli, and also Matt and your friend. Please be safe and don't get hurt!

[Brian C]

This is rad!

[bmcqueen]

Great pictures of peaks I've mostly never seen before Eli. Keep up the great work and stay safe.

[Eli Boardman]

Thanks everyone! I'm glad that people are enjoying following along!

Good luck, Eli, and also Matt and your friend. Please be safe and don't get hurt!

I'm honored to have you chime in, as a lot of your climbs were my inspiration for this. It's been fun chasing your signature around various summit registers.

[Eli Boardman]

After last week's epic, I wanted something a bit mellower. On the backpack in from Elkhart Park, I enjoyed improved conditions (though there were still snow drifts on the trail as low as Barbara Lake), and I saw a distant bear once I turned left onto the Highline Trail. Sadly, the mosquitoes have started to show up in earnest.

From camp above Upper Jean Lake, I climbed the "class 4" northwest ridge of Henderson Peak, watching sunrise from the summit under troubled skies. I definitely agree with Kelsey's "classic" designation of this route. This peak has the original summit register going back to the 2nd ascent (in 1943), and I was the 35th party to reach the summit by my count. It was awesome to see the signatures of past generations, guidebook authors, and notable current climbers all in one place, and I was honored to add my own.

I quickly traversed to American Legion Peak (also called Butchel), which was a fun summit to get on the 4th of July. I had been watching the gathering clouds since before dawn, and when I was descending off the summit at 8 a.m., I saw huge bolts of lightning striking the New Fork Plateau 5 miles to the northwest. Luckily, I was in contact with my parents via satellite text, and they informed me that the radar showed the storm moving quickly away from me. By the time I had dropped and traversed towards my next objective, the skies were cloudless.

I climbed the southwest couloir on Bow Mountain, reaching the summit just before 10 a.m. under surprisingly clear skies. I descended rapidly and raced out to the trailhead, averaging 2.7 mph for the final 10 miles of trail (with +1300, -2500 elevation change), not bad considering I was carrying overnight gear including a tent. This allowed me to drive back to Dubois in time to watch fireworks with my family--happy 4th of July!

Sunrise and troubled weather seen from the summit of Henderson (American Legion prominent on left side)

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Henderson seen while climbing American Legion--ascent via the obvious ridge dividing sun/shadow

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Peak Lake basin and the edge of Stroud Glacier--the official headwaters of the Green River (and thus the Colorado River), seen from the summit of Bow

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[seano]

Way to get after it in slush 'n' bugs season! Henderson looks sweet, and will have to go on my todo list.

[Eli Boardman]

Way to get after it in slush 'n' bugs season! Henderson looks sweet, and will have to go on my todo list.

Thanks! Henderson is a crazy peak. As Joe Kelsey says, "Three converging ridges separating three glaciated faces is classic alpine architecture." The only thing is, if you climb Henderson, you also have to climb American Legion so you can get a good view of it haha! You mentioned you wanted to get into WY this summer right--any particular destinations in mind?

[rijaca]

Thanks for the updates, Eli! Great photos! I hope that you will document your adventures in TRs so that that the info/pics are easily accessible in the future.