Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

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Scott P
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by Scott P »

It is worth noting that other states (New York and New Hampshire might be exceptions) aren’t as list orientated as Colorado.

For example, as far as is known, no one finished the Wyoming 13ers until last year. It is true that the Wyoming 13ers are overall harder than the Colorado 14ers, but no one finished the Utah 13ers until 1996. The Utah 13ers are no more technical than the Colorado 14ers, but many, many people finished the Colorado 14ers before even one person finished the Utah 13ers.

It is only in recent years that lists such as the Wyoming 13ers, Utah 13ers, and Idaho 12ers have become well known targets and it still isn’t even close to the popularity of lists in Colorado. That's why there are so few websites targeting lists in states outside Colorado (LOJ covers all states).
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SkaredShtles
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by SkaredShtles »

And the reason for all that:

ColoRADo, bro!

:mrgreen:
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SchralpTheGnar
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by SchralpTheGnar »

Scott P wrote:It is worth noting that other states (New York and New Hampshire might be exceptions) aren’t as list orientated as Colorado.

For example, as far as is known, no one finished the Wyoming 13ers until last year. It is true that the Wyoming 13ers are overall harder than the Colorado 14ers, but no one finished the Utah 13ers until 1996. The Utah 13ers are no more technical than the Colorado 14ers, but many, many people finished the Colorado 14ers before even one person finished the Utah 13ers.

It is only in recent years that lists such as the Wyoming 13ers, Utah 13ers, and Idaho 12ers have become well known targets and it still isn’t even close to the popularity of lists in Colorado. That's why there are so few websites targeting lists in states outside Colorado (LOJ covers all states).
That can’t b actually true, I mean in terms of someone claiming it maybe, but many , many folks did all the peaks in those ranges way before our instagram ,
Facebook, drive thru, fried chicken time and just didn’t tell anyone.
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Scott P
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by Scott P »

many folks did all the peaks in those ranges way before our instagram ,
Facebook, drive thru, fried chicken time and just didn’t tell anyone.
I disagree that many folks did all the peaks in those ranges way before our Facebook, drive thru, fried chicken time and just didn’t tell anyone. Maybe someone or a few people did, but it was certainly not many.

Before recently, almost no one climbed a lot of those peaks. While working in those mountains (both as a guide for a few years [including climbing on my days off] and guidebook author), a lot of peaks I did had no signs of previous ascents what so ever (though that doesn't mean I was first). In hundreds of days spent climbing hundreds of peaks in the area of the Uintas (the 11ers, 12ers, and the 13ers) I never saw anyone on any of them except for Bald Mountain, Spread Eagle, and Kings Peak. Sometimes I would see people on the trails and down at the lakes, but other than those three peaks, no one on the peaks. This after spending literally hundreds of days there.

Red Castle, a 12er didn't even have its first ascent until 2014. For better or worse (I usually don't do this anymore), I did place some registers on some of those peaks a few decades ago. Ranges in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho are even more remote and less climbed than the Uintas.

I suggested one of my favorite peaks in the Uintas to one of my friends who was looking for some solitude. Here was what I wrote:

In 1991, on my second ascent of the peak, I placed a summit register (removed in 2006). Last year I received a message from someone whom I recommended the peak to, and whom climbed it. The message read: “Not only was your summit register still there, but yours was still the only signature after 14 years, and with a perfect pencil”.

Although not everyone signs registers (I don't bother on popular peaks), a lot of those peaks that do have registers went decades between signatures. On one peak I found a register where the last signature was from 1911.

So, no, a lot of people didn't climb those peaks, let alone all of them until recently.
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SchralpTheGnar
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by SchralpTheGnar »

It’s gotta be more than 10 or 20,I know a bunch of old timers that never signed summit registers and I’ve never signed a summit register in my life. This isn’t Patagonia we are talking about!
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by Scott P »

It’s gotta be more than 10 or 20
I seriously doubt it, especially before the internet.
I know a bunch of old timers that never signed summit registers and I’ve never signed a summit register in my life. This isn’t Patagonia we are talking about!
That still doesn't change the fact that I spent hundreds of days climbing there without seeing another soul. If a lot of people did those peaks, you would run into them.

Until recently, outside places like Colorado which is very list orientated, there weren't that many people on un-named and obscure peaks that require long, multi day approaches. There were people in the mountains, but climbers typically would head for named and as least somewhat known peaks. Although certainly some climbers like that did exist, few people were out climbing obscure un-named peaks with long approaches. You would see people down at the lakes, but seldom on the peaks themselves. Sure, people have climbed some of them, maybe even a lot of them. Few have climbed all of them though. As far as I know there weren't any list of those peaks until the 1990's.

How many mountains have you climbed in those areas?
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klimbien
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by klimbien »

Hey Scott P, Besides this website, SP, MP, Suptertopo, you got any other favorites?

And thanks again to all those who have commented. I've appreciated all of the discussion, it has been helpful in one way or another.
Climb on
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by Above_Treeline »

Definitely recommend the wind river range. Wow. Never climbed anything there, but AWESOME area!!!
I support reintroducing grizzlies and wolves to their historic ranges.
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klimbien
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by klimbien »

I have been really enjoying these websites, which have been useful for some good peaks that have been bagged in 2018 and 2019

http://www.mountwhitneyforum.com/ubbthr ... p?ubb=cfrm

https://www.backcountrycow.com/
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by RichH »

eskermo wrote: Fri May 05, 2017 1:22 pm Can we please leave those special places alone? Not everything needs to be comprehensively documented, updated, and discussed on the internet. There is plenty of base-level info on SP and MP on those regions and their peaks. Call Jenny Lake Ranger Station or other ranger stations for conditions updates.

Some still enjoy adventure, figuring things out ourselves, and solitude. It seems that sentiment is slowly dying out, though :(

*bracing for Internet forum lashing*
I did a lot of climbing and backpacking in the Wind Rivers in the 1980s and even then there was tons of information available (in printed books). Although it still isn't that crowded compared with other places, it is hardly unknown. Even in the 1980s, Cirque of the Towers was a mob scene of climbers in the summer.

Nols opened in Lander in 1965 !
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by Broken Knee »

SkaredShtles wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:11 pmHere's an alternate view: the Winds haven't been "wild" since the 70's. For the Tetons - it was well before that.

There are wild ranges left... but they aren't the Winds or the Tetons. They are Wyoming's version of the Sawatch and Front Ranges...
Exactly. Well, the Tetons are kind of like the Flatirons on steroids, but that's just like, my opinion, man.
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Re: Tetons, Wind River range, Online forums

Post by klimbien »

CoHi591 wrote: Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:08 am Hey OP,
I found highsierratopix somewhat helpful. I haven't browsed the forums, but I posted once or twice asking for opinions/advice on backpacking trips and base camps for harder climbs, etc. Quite a few people responded with great things to say. It actually struck me how the forum was far less dismissive and hostile to a newcomer than....um....some other state's mountaineering/hiking forums. You might check it out for your California fix. Good luck.
just a quick thank you! it has been helpful.
Gracias.
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