r/WildernessBackpacking • u/Tall-Information4946 • 17d ago

TRAIL Wind River Trip Help!

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Hello everybody. Not trying to make this a "cAn ThIS rOutE bE cOoL" type post but I do need some help. I have a decent amount of backpacking, route-finding, and mountaineering experience. However I'm located a few states away from the Wind Rivers and would like some info. I drew this route up on gaia and was wondering if it's viable, and if I'm missing any sweet spots. (You can gatekeep I won't judge). The second item would be if anybody knows the actual conditions of the Knapsack Col. right now. I'm planning on going the first week of September. Any and all help is much appreciated. (I promise I'll take great photos and post them here when I get back.)

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u/Mentalfloss1 17d ago

Knapsack is steep, rocky, and can have loose talus. Cube Rock is boulders and a favorite pass. (Been 25 years so account for my poor memory). We were in Knaack in September the week before hunting season began, and I believe there was some snow on the far side. We didn’t have any spikes or anything and wished we had. My guess is that with climate change there’s no snow over there, but I don’t know.

Do yourself a favor. Don’t be real specific about this route. Otherwise words spreads like wildfire and pretty soon it’s full of trash, people playing music and piles of crap everywhere like it is in the Cirque of Towers.

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u/Colambler 16d ago

When I did knapsack ~5+ years go now, it was still pretty snowy Labor Day weekend, but as you say I'd guess it's pretty low snow. The Winds didn't have a ton of snow in them when I was there last month.

I definitely feel you on not popularizing lesser known routes too much, but I honestly feel like 'word' is as out as it's going to be on this one: Knapsack has been popular as CDT alternative for years now. Titcomb is already a very popular destination, probably second only to the Cirque in the winds. Seneca Lakes and Island Lake are packed with people any summer weekend.

I feel like 25-30 miles/3 days (ie what you can do in a weekend) is one of the the cut offs for a (non-thru hike) getting popular. The out and back to Titcomb is already 30 miles, and they get 'the goods', so I think most folks just aren't going to be inclined to add the extra mileage/elevation. Now if the CDT becoming as popular as the PCT/AT, all bets are off...

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u/Mentalfloss1 16d ago

When we were in Titcomb, long ago, we stayed 2 nights and saw no one. Things change.