The trip began at the Forest Service office in Pinedale, Wyoming, where a seasoned Forest Ranger indulged our bright eyed and bushy tailed interest in hiking the Cirque of the Towers (one of the most popular hikes in the Wind River Range, a 100-mile long range SE of Yellowstone containing 19 of Wyoming's 20 highest peaks). As we quickly learned, the Winds have so much to offer—peaks, lakes, wildlife, and most of all solitude. It was the last one, solitude, that led us to change course and head out for a lesser known section of the Winds, where the approach to the ridge would be longer, but with far fewer people.
We loaded up our packs with the necessary items—plus a few Snickers bars for good measure—and hit the road to camp closer to the trailhead. As we rambled along the dirt Forest Service road, we slowed behind an RV to let a mama and baby moose casually cross the road. We looked at each other and knew instantly this was going to be a good trip.
We pounded our feet through dense forest winding up and down and over a summit of almost 11,000 feet, all the while waiting, anticipating the tiny glimpse of the zone’s famed jagged ridgeline.