I was happy to return back to the Wind Rivers again after only a couple of months away. This time I chose another new route not seen on All Trails. I went in a loop to the Cirque, then Papoose Lake, Volcano Lake, Wind Rivers Peak and then Black Joe Lake. The distance was 39 miles and 7000 vertical feet making it one of the toughest trips I have done, especially when factoring in the extensive boulder-hopping fields and steep loose scree to tackle. I would suggest not trying the full loop unless you are prepared for the steep boulders, as you could just skip the difficult Wind Rivers Peak. I haven't seen some of these places photographed before, so I hope you can appreciate the beauty of these mountains as much as I do. Every time I come here I am more amazed and cant wait to return again.
Day #1 was an 11 mile hike to Papoose lake. I passed many people camping at the Cirque, but did not see anyone after that until back at the Wind Rivers Peak. Papoose lake is not well known, and certainly a majestic place to explore. I took some night shots after setting up camp, and then caught the alpen glow in the morning.
Day #2 I went completely off trail to explore three lakes: Long, Volcano and Hidden. I had seen the mountain peeks profile on All Trails and it looked very photogenic. After hiking up a steep hill through the forest, I arrived at a real paradise. The waters were crystal clear and found no evidence of anyone having been here before. There was some bear scat that wasnt fresh, and I could hear the elk calls during the night. The sky was nearly cloudless at night for some amazing star shots.
Day #3 I debated whether to turn around, or try to climb 4K feet up for the day with tired legs and conquer Wind River Peak. Ultimately I wanted to explore somewhere new and went forward. I found the steep scree slopes and boulder hopping extremely difficult with a heavy pack and no hiking poles, and my knees paid the price. Ultimately it was worth it for the views on the final day out.
Day #4. I awoke to cloudy grey skies after a night of scattered rain. I packed up and headed out and the skies began to clear, allowing for some amazing views of East Temple peak and Haystack Mountain.
