ArizonaHikers Portal Index
HomeHome   BoardBoard   AZH GearAZH Gear  FAQFAQ  RulesRules   SearchSearch
MemberlistMembers  ArticlesArticles  CalendarCalendar  GalleryGallery  LinksLinks      RegisterRegister
ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messages   Log inLog in
Cirque of the Towers

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    ArizonaHikers - Community Based Hiking Discussion Board Forum Index -> Out of State Hikes Email to a Friend
  View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
gpsjoe





Joined: 01 Feb 2004
Posts: 535
Location: Mesa AZ

PostPosted: 7/24/2009, 4:18 pm    Post subject: Cirque of the Towers Reply to topic Reply with quote

GB and I backpacked into a base camp at Lonesome Lake in the Wind River WY wilderness. Starting from the Big Sandy trailhead it is about 9 miles to our Lonesome Lake camp site. You hike north an easy 5.8 miles to the north end of the long Big Sandy Lake. Then the fun begins. Serious elevation to do through rocky terrain past North Lake where the trail forks and you can stay low and go on the west side of Arrowhead lake or go high and pass on the east side. We went in on the west side experiencing a minor nightmare crossing the rocks on the west shore of Arrowhead (the east side was snow covered). On the return trip we did the elevation and went high above Arrowhead on the east side. This was a more scenic and easier route (in spite of the additional elevation) and I would recommend this approach.

After Arrowhead we climbed up and through Jackass pass and dropped down to our campsite at Lonesome Lake (open camping, no official sites and no facilities). We were now in the middle of the Cirque of towers. We spent 3 nights there and had 2 full days for day hikes in the area. On the second day we hiked up to Cirque Lake which was spectacular. I will let the photos tell the story for most of the trip. This is 5-star scenic country and I’m glad I finally made it there.

We were graced with the company of a few zillion mosquitoes. I brought a 6 ounce bottle of bug spray (deet) and used 5 ounces on this trip. The stuff works.

Pics are in the gallery.
_________________
Become a skilled GPS user and it will set you free!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
lzyboy





Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 201
Location: Mesa

PostPosted: 7/24/2009, 7:07 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

You and GB never cease to amaze me! What a fantastic adventure, and such wonderful pictures! Thanks so much for sharing and giving us a feeling for the country up there... Keep on keepin' on dude!!
_________________
I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.

Rosalia de Castro
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Trishness
The Snake Charmer




Joined: 21 Sep 2003
Posts: 2530
Location: Apache Jct, AZ

PostPosted: 7/24/2009, 7:36 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

What a wonderful trip Joe and GB!

Mr. Green
_________________
~~~Trish~~~

"Eastward the dawn rose, ridge behind ridge into the morning, and vanished out of eyesight into guess; it was no more than a glimmer blending with the hem of the sky, but it spoke to them, out of the memory and old tales, of the high and distant mountains." � J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of The Rings.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
wanderingsoul





Joined: 19 Jul 2004
Posts: 2285
Location: Gilbert AZ

PostPosted: 7/25/2009, 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Thanks Joe for sharing your trip and Pics. It sure looks beautiful there. How pretty. Didn't expect to see snow but guess it would be there with the elevation. Sounds like you had a wonderful time.

Glad you had something to keep the mosquitoes away. They are sooo unwelcome and they love meeee. That is one of the things I don't miss living here in AZ.
_________________
Wanderingsoul (Michelle)

Positive Thinking Is the Spark that Makes Dreams Happen~~~Unknown
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kurthzone
Thread Killer




Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 1097
Location: Peoria, Arizona

PostPosted: 7/27/2009, 8:55 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Beautiful!
_________________
;o)>
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
sbkelley





Joined: 20 Feb 2007
Posts: 284
Location: Tempe, AZ

PostPosted: 7/27/2009, 10:09 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I hear you about the mosquitoes! Makes you thankful we don't have that problem here in AZ.

Great pics, Joe, thanks for sharing.
_________________
Mountains complement desert as desert complements city, as wilderness complements and completes civilization. - Ed Abbey
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Arizonaheat
Got Supes Juice?




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 1741
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 7/27/2009, 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Enjoyed the pics Joe. The Wind River Range is beautiful.

I assume you and Gabby did the 5.9 route up to the summit of Lizard Head Peak, Shocked Shocked Wink

One thing I don't miss is the mosquitoes, horse flys and deer flys Exclamation
_________________
Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gpsjoe





Joined: 01 Feb 2004
Posts: 535
Location: Mesa AZ

PostPosted: 7/27/2009, 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Arizonaheat wrote:
I assume you and Gabby did the 5.9 route up to the summit of Lizard Head Peak


I saw it and it just looks mean. My limit is class 3 (scrambling). Technical climbing has past me by and that's OK with me. The Cirque is very popular with the technical climbers and we saw a few. Mostly skinny young guys with lots of rope. That ain't me. But this was a most beautiful area and I highly recommend it. The Big Sandy TH may be the most popular in the Winds but it didn't seem too crowded when we were there.
_________________
Become a skilled GPS user and it will set you free!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    ArizonaHikers - Community Based Hiking Discussion Board Forum Index -> Out of State Hikes All times are GMT - 7 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum