Fremont Guide

JUST WEST OF PINEDALE a hill called Trapper's Point makes a good place for viewing the Wind Rivers and the Green River. Several rendezvous were held nearby during the 1830s, leading to visions of a trapper climbing the hill for a respite from the revelry and pausing to survey much the same panorama we see today. The town and ranches were not there, but the Wind Rivers have barely changed, and the trapper's attention would have been drawn, as ours is, to a row of steep-faced skyline peaks. We may further imagine an occasional mountain man wondering about the elevations of these peaks and others he had seen. Apparently most trappers believed the loftiest peak of their realm was the peak on the Wind River crest that appears highest from Trapper's Point.

John C. Fremont's first expedition, in 1842, was sent to explore and map east of the Divide, but the curious explorer crossed South Pass and proceeded along the western front of the Wind Rivers. His objective was the summit his mountain-man guides advised him was the highest in the Rockies. Near the base of this peak Fremont found a lake "in which there was a rocky island" and camped above it, near "a foaming torrent, which tumbled into the little lake about one hundred and fifty feet below us, and which, by way of distinction, we have called Island Lake."

Two days later Fremont and five companions followed the stream that tumbles into Island Lake to "a defile of the most rugged mountains known," where they came upon three lakes. These lakes have since been named for Charles and Harold Titcomb, who climbed here in 1901—the defile is Titcomb Basin.

Titcomb Basin is bordered on the east by the escarpment seen from Trapper's Point. The impressed Fremont called it "a nearly perpendicular wall of granite, terminating 2,000 to 3,000 feet above our heads in a serrated line of broken, jagged cones." The northern of the three summits that cap this wall is Mt. Helen; the middle one is Mt. Sacagawea. The southern peak is that "which, from long consultation as we approached the mountain, we had decided to be the highest in the range. Fremont and his party climbed this peak, which now bears his name, the difficulty requiring a change from thick-soled moccasins to a lighter pair. Fremont thoroughly enjoyed the summit, unaware that one five miles to the north was slightly higher.

Less impressive are the summits on the Basin's west side, on the ridge dividing Titcomb Basin from Jean Lakes and Peak Lake. Those on the Peak Lake divide are described in the Peak Lake chapter. Mt. Woodrow Wilson and the other peaks at the north end of the valley are on the main Divide, which here separates Titcomb Basin from Dinwoody Glacier; they are included in the Dinwoody Glacier chapter.

A minor ridge of Fremont Peak separates Titcomb Basin from Indian Basin to the east. An old Indian trail wanders through this quiet cirque and crosses the Divide at Indian Pass. The day before their successful ascent, Fremont's party apparently tried to climb Fremont Peak from Indian Basin. Kit Carson reached the summit of a Divide peak—presumably Jackson Peak—but did not attempt the ridge joining it to the higher peak. Across Indian Pass is a vast glacier system which is drained by the North Fork of Bull Lake Creek and is covered in the Alpine Lakes chapter.

A Hayden Survey party that included Ferdinand Hayden him- self, photographer William Henry Jackson, and artist William Henry Holmes made the next ascent of Fremont Peak, in 1878. In 1924 Colorado climbers Carl Blaurock, Herman Buhl, and Albert Ellingwood first climbed Helen, from the east; in 1926 Ellingwood climbed Helen from Titcomb Basin and made first ascents of Sacagawea, Ellingwood, and Knife Point. Titcomb Basin has continued to attract climbers; it is the one section of the Wind Rivers to offer such a splendid variety of climbing: walk-ups, easy rock climbs, mixed mountaineering routes, long rock climbs, and, recently, difficult rock and ice climbs.

The Basin's popularity has caused changes. Although Fremont was inspired to write that "a stillness the most profound and a terrible solitude forced themselves constantly on the mind," a visitor to Island Lake today is likely to find noisy crowds forcing themselves on his mind. A large number of people camp at Island Lake. One reason was stated by Fremont: "We found ourselves all exceedingly fatigued, and much to the satisfaction of the whole party, we encamped." A less valid motivation is the presence of trees; Premont's "trunks of fallen pines [which] afforded us bright fires" are long gone, as is every dead branch within reach of the ground.

The tundra above the upper lake also becomes dotted with tents, of hardier folk who brave the windy desolation to have access to Sacagawea, Helen, and Dinwoody Glacier. Yet the area is sprinkled with lakes and meadows, shielded and sheltered by domes and low ridges, and anyone willing to search for privacy should find a suitable campsite.

A Murphy's Law of topographic maps states that important places are located on the edges and comers of quadrangles. Thus Titcomb Basin is the meeting point of the Gannett Peak, Fremont Peak North, Fremont Peak South, and Bridger Lakes quadrangles; all four are needed to cover the peaks surrounding the Basin. The Pole Creek Trail briefly traverses the Fremont Lake North and Fayette Lake maps, though the short sections do not justify purchasing the maps.

Trails

Pole Creek Trail

Elkhart Park-Pole Creek Lakes 9 miles

This trail heads east from Elkhart Park to Pole Creek, but most climbers and hikers use only its first half, which is part of the standard route to Titcomb Basin.

The trail begins at the northwest comer of the large parking area in Elkhart Park. After four boring miles Miller Park is reached; here a side trail goes right to Miller Lake. The Pole Creek Trail then rounds an outcrop, and a splendid view unfolds. Shortly after descending to a saddle with a pond and an unsigned cross-trail, the junction with the Seneca Lake Trail is reached at Eklund Lake; head left here to reach Island Lake and Titcomb Basin.

The Pole Creek Trail turns east along the south shore of Ekiund Lake and ascends into pretty country with numerous ponds. After crossing Monument Creek the trail descends to the Highline near its crossing of Pole Creek. The area beyond is described in the Alpine Lakes chapter.

Seneca Lake Trail

Eklund Lake-Little Seneca Lake 4'/2 miles

The middle section of the route from Elkhart Park to Titcomb Basin uses this trail, which leads north from the Pole Creek Trail above Ekiund Lake, five or six miles from Elkhart Park. After rounding Barbara Lake the hiker spends a frustrating few miles descending 300 feet to a pond, crossing a saddle to Hobbs Lake and, after crossing its outlet and Seneca Lake's outlet stream (which during high water must be crossed 100 yards upstream from the trail), wandering up and down through fault-shattered country west of Seneca Lake. Finally the trail climbs a strenuous slope to the lake. (The Forest Service is considering re-routing the section between Hobbs and Seneca lakes.) The west shore of Seneca Lake is pretty, but when the lake is high, the trail is submerged at one point and scrambling is required on the bluff above. Near the head of the lake an old trail goes left to Lost Lake; the Seneca Lake Trail continues upstream to Little Seneca Lake and follows its west and north shores (another section is underwater in early summer) to a junction with the Highline. The Highline wanders southeast to Lester Pass and Cook Lakes; to the north it soon reaches the junction with the Indian Pass Trail.

Indian Pass Trail

Little Seneca Lake-Indian Pass 5 '/2 miles

The Indian Pass Trail leaves the Highline a quarter-mile north of the end of the Seneca Lake Trail and is used to reach Island Lake, Titcomb Basin, or the Bull Lake Glaciers. Reaching Island Lake a mile and a half from the Highline, it circles the east shore and climbs to a junction overlooking Lake 10,467. The Titcomb Basin Trail, the more heavily used branch, continues north, while the fainter Indian Pass Trail turns east and climbs into beautiful, desolate Indian Basin. The trail wanders past many lakes on its way to Indian Pass (the southernmost of the three Indian Passes in the range), lying between Jackson Peak and Knife Point Mountain. Indians built a path, but avalanches have destroyed most of their work. From the pass it is possible to travel north across glaciers or south to Alpine Lakes; see the Alpine Lakes chapter for these routes.

Titcomb Basin Trail

Island Lake— Upper Titcomb Lake 3 miles

Half a mile north of Island Lake the Indian Pass Trail turns east into Indian Basin, while the Titcomb Basin Trail continues north, crossing the stream that drains Indian Basin and passing several small lakes before reaching Titcomb Lakes. The trail more or less ends at the north end of the upper lake, fifteen miles from Elkhart Park, but the valley beyond is open and travel is easy. Dinwoody Pass and Knapsack Col can be reached from the upper part of Titcomb Basin.

Lost Lake Trail

Seneca Lake—Fremont Crossing 4 miles

An obscure trail leaves the Seneca Lake Trail just beyond the upper end of Seneca Lake and heads northwest up a draw. From a height-of-land it wanders past many ponds, then descends to Lost Lake. Crossing Fremont Creek at the inlet of the lake can be impossible in early season. Fremont Crossing, where the Highline crosses Fremont Creek on a bridge, is reached by a circuitous route which heads first up Moya Canyon, then east on a path easily lost in swamps.

Fremont Creek Canyon Route

Long Lake—Lost Lake _____

Brush, cliffs, deadfall, and ubiquitous boulders large and small make the canyon of Fremont Creek less an adventure than an annoyance. The rugged grandeur of the gorge goes unappreciated, as the obstacles at hand require full attention.

The northwest side of the creek entails either crossing the outlet of Long Lake or descending the Pine Creek Canyon Trail to the bridge below the confluence of Fremont and Pine creeks, then crossing Pine Creek. On the southeast side cliffs next to Long Lake and the stream entering Gorge Lake from Seneca and Hobbs lakes are obstacles. Occasionally a lost campsite is passed in an infrequent clearing, marking the day's end of some wretched soul's cursed efforts. The worst section is near the outlet of Suicide Lake (named not for an actual event but for the temptation), where less than a mile may be gained in a day of back-breaking toil.

At high water the only crossing of the creek seems to be at the outlet of Upper Long Lake. Escape is possible from Gorge Lake to Hobbs Lake and the amenities of a trail. Eventually Lost Lake is reached; since the Lost Lake Trail crosses Fremont Creek at the inlet, it can be reached by following either shore.

Peaks

Fremont Peak (13,745)

The second-highest peak in the range is so prominent from the west that it is easily mistaken for the highest. This error was made as early as 1842, when John C. Fremont climbed what he believed to be the highest mountain not only in the Wind Rivers but in the entire Rocky Mountains.

Not only does Fremont's height attract attention; its immense west face does also. Its promise of hard climbing long went unfulfilled, and the ascent of Fremont was mainly regarded as an easy opportunity to visit a high, rugged summit. But in the late 1970s rockclimbers turned their attention from the broken south- west face to the steeper walls around to the west, and four difficult routes were established.

Southwest Buttress (I, 3). Indian Basin is separated from Titcomb Basin by a long, low ridge that rises from near Island Lake to a grassy saddle at the base of the southwest buttress. The saddle is most easily reached from Indian Basin, by a long snow- slope, but it also can be reached from Mistake Lake by ledges and gullies. The 1500-foot climb from the grassy saddle to the summit is marked by cairns and bootprints; cross a gully to its north side about halfway up.

South Face, Left (III, 5.7). Several hundred feet right of the grassy saddle of the southwest buttress, at the left edge of the south face, is a prominent spur, part of which is seen in certain light to be orange. The wall just left of the nose can be climbed by a route consisting of two class 4 leads, three class 5 pitches in a flared crack, and a few more class 4 leads.

South Face (II, 4-5). This route ascends a minor gully right of the spur mentioned above but left of the south couloir. Where the gully ends 500 feet below the summit, cross the south couloir and climb loose rock to the southeast ridge, which is attained two gendarmes from the summit. One also can continue up the left side of the south couloir.

South Couloir (II, Snow 4). During much of the summer the most conspicuous feature of the south face is a 1500-foot snow couloir; it is so prominent that it is visible from the southern part of the range. This couloir offers a splendid opportunity to reach a high summit by a snow route. It is unfortunate the couloir faces south, for the snow often vanishes before turning to ice.

Southeast Ridge (II, 5). Bull Lake Glacier almost reaches the crest and offers easy access to the ridge. (Gullies leading to notches on the Fremont-Jackson ridge can be used to reach the glacier from Indian Basin.) Gendarmes on the ridge are more easily climbed than circled. The ridge can be reached closer to the summit by class 4 rock above the glacier.

Northwest Ridge (I, Snow/Ice 4-5). Upper Fremont Glacier rises nearly to the ridge; the ridge itself can be reached from the glacier by any of several snow couloirs. The most commonly climbed couloir is the second one north from the summit. The principal problem of the route is usually the bergschrund, though the forty-five-degree couloir above becomes ice in late summer.

West Face, Northern Buttress (III?, 5.9). Near the north end of the Fremont massif is a buttress with large gullies on either side. Between it and the west spire is another buttress. Begin in a flared chimney, and after four pitches leave a dihedral and traverse left to ledges on the crest. After twelve pitches traverse to the gully on the left. Nuts are adequate, but one is needed for a four-and-a-half- inch crack.

West Face Spire (IV, 5.10 + rappel). The west side of Fremont is a bewildering series of walls, gullies, and towers, and some orientation is necessary. The row of walls facing Upper Titcomb Lake and in a line with the walls of Sacagawea is the west face. The less-steep, broken rock seen from Island Lake is the southwest face. The two faces meet at the prominent crest of what may be called the west buttress.

South of the Fremont-Sacagawea col are two or three buttresses. Next is a buttress with a slim, wedge-shaped face that converges to a skyline spire. This face is set slightly behind the curving edge of the face to its left. Halfway up the face a ramp slants up from right to left. An eleven-pitch route ascends this face to the top of the spire, then continues to the summit.

Several hundred feet of scrambling lead to the beginning of difficulties, near the ridge edge of the face. An alcove, located below and to the right of the ramp, is reached after several pitches. A pitch described as "spectacular, exposed and difficult" leads out to a prow. Next, climb up and then work left to the ramp. Follow the ramp, then climb to the top of the spire.

A short rappel to the notch behind the spire is followed by the climb's most difficult pitch, which reaches the crest. From here it is possible to descend to Fremont Glacier and reach the summit by the northwest ridge.

West Face Dihedral (IV, 5.9, Al). The next wall to the right of the one culminating in the spire has as its right edge the west buttress. The center of the wall is split by a very straight comer. This route, first climbed in nine pitches by Chris Landry, is the most impressive solo climb yet reported in the Wind Rivers. A short stretch of aid is necessary low on the route to pass a roof and to ascend a thin crack.

West Buttress (IV, 5.9, Al). The west buttress is the narrow rib at the right edge of the west face; to its right lies a deep cleft and broken, more southerly facing walls. The lower section of the buttress is avoided by starting to the left and ascending slabs and gullies which lead up and right toward the buttress.

The first pitch on the buttress involves a difficult downward traverse to the right. Aid is used on the second pitch to reach a lone dihedral. Higher, a problematical section is passed by a ramp to the left and a pendulum back right. As the buttress narrows, routefinding becomes less tricky. The upper part of the buttress leans back and climbing becomes easier.

The first-ascent party used nuts up to two and one-half inches and nine pitons up to one inch.

Southwest Face, Red Tower (II, 5.6). The west buttress is separated from the southwest face by a deep couloir. Right of the couloir, near the left edge of the southwest face and about halfway up, is a reddish tower. Approach either by traversing across from the saddle below the southwest buttress or by climbing up from Mistake Lake. Several class 4 and 5 pitches in the chimneys and cracks of the right fork of the couloir lead up the north side of the tower to the notch between the tower and the ridge that curves up to the main peak. Cross to the right side of the ridge and either regain the ridge and ascend it or follow the couloir south of the ridge.