Day 8 Wind River High Route – Riding Glaciers

It can be hard to see in the beginning, but eventually, it becomes clear that every moment on this earth — from the mundane to the amazing — is a gift that we’re all so incredibly lucky to share.

July 30

Floodplain below Blaurock Pass to Iceberg Lake Pass – 10 miles

Route: Floodplain below Blaurock Pass * Sentinal Pass * Gannett Glacier * Grasshopper Glacier * Iceberg Lake Pass

Photo journal:

Flood plain below Blaurock Pass
Flood plain below Blaurock Pass
Sunrise from Blaurock Pass
Sunrise from Blaurock Pass
View south from Blaurock Pass
View south from Blaurock Pass
View north from Blaurock Pass
View north from Blaurock Pass
Top for Blaurock Pass
Top for Blaurock Pass
Descending the pass
Descending the pass
Heap Steep Glacier
Heap Steep Glacier
Climbing Sentinel Pass
Climbing Sentinel Pass
Entering glacier country
Entering glacier country
Up and over the pass
Up and over the pass
Top of Sentinel Pass (Gannett Glacier back)
Top of Sentinel Pass
Gannett Glacier
Gannett Glacier
Walking on Gannett Glacier
Walking on Gannett Glacier
As we walked across Gannett Glacier we could hear melting water rushing under our feet. It sounded like a helicopter. Really unnerving. Our next destination is the snowy saddle on the right.
As we walked across Gannett Glacier we could hear melting water rushing under our feet. It sounded like a helicopter. Really unnerving. Our next destination is the snowy saddle on the right.
Just walkin' on a glacier. We wore micro-spikes.
Just walkin’ on a glacier. We wore micro-spikes.
More glacier walking.
More glacier walking.
One more descent on loose wet talus. Our next destination is distant saddle.
One more descent on loose wet talus. Our next destination is distant saddle.
Glacier tarn before the rain began.
Glacier tarn before the rain began.
Why Not and I hunkered down under a rock overhang during a short rain storm.
Why Not and I hunkered down under a rock overhang during a short rain storm.
Grasshopper Glacier
Grasshopper Glacier
Tarn below Grasshopper Glacier
Tarn below Grasshopper Glacier
Why Not heading up Grasshopper Glacier
Why Not heading up Grasshopper Glacier
Back up on the Continental Divide
Back up on the Continental Divide
Sunset on Iceberg Lake
Sunset on Iceberg Lake
Descending to Iceberg Lake Pass our destination for the night
Descending to Iceberg Lake Pass our destination for the night
Wired descending a steep snow field on the way down to Iceberg Lake Pass
Wired descending a steep snow field on the way down to Iceberg Lake Pass
Camping on Iceberg Lake Pass ~ Just a few minutes after we took this shot a storm rolled in with wind, rain, thunder, and lightening
Camping on Iceberg Lake Pass ~ Just a few minutes after we took this shot a storm rolled in with wind, rain, thunder, and lightening

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11 Comments

  1. Nice blog site. I will definitely be checking more of your posts. You do some neat stuff. We have a “Grasshopper Glacier” in Montana too. It’s not really a glacier, just a persistent snow field with some locusts embedded in it. The Grasshopper Glacier in your photo is in Wyoming – correct? Does it have locusts (or grasshoppers) embedded in it?

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      Rod,
      Great question. Yes, Wyoming. We certainly did not see grasshoppers embedded in the glacier. But here is what Wikipedia says, “The glacier is named for grasshoppers that have been found entombed in the ice.” Crazy huh?

  2. Great information with detail pictures on Day 8 Wind River High Route – Riding Glaciers, thank for sharing

  3. Great report, and a great trip! I just got back a couple of weeks ago from doing an 11-day solo loop through the northern Winds, with part of it overlapping the high route…your pictures of the area around Grasshopper Glacier, Iceberg Lake, etc. touched a nerve, as I saw so many of the same sights from different vantage points. Seeing as how you did the traverse of all the glaciers between Blaurock Pass and Iceberg Pass with just poles and microspikes, I’m inspired to do a similar route next year. Thanks for the inspiration, and congratulations…nothing compares with the Winds!

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      The microspikes were very helpful, especially in the morning. Sounds like you are quite familiar with the Winds and the challenges and beauty. I do recommend quite a bit of Andrew Skurka’s route. It is remote and wild. Thank you for commenting.

  4. Y’all seem waaaaaaay out there.. are you running into any other backpackers out there? And I have to tell you, just reading about walking on glaciers and being able to hear running water gives me the heebie jeebies.. but it sure looks cool!

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      Great question! We only saw other humans where we hit a trail. The rest of the terrain we had all to ourselves. Pretty incredible.

  5. Looks like it was pretty cold up there!

    • Christy "Rockin'" Rosander

      It really wasn’t too bad. For hiking the Winds during the month of July, we had a great weather window. The usual is every afternoon it blows in a lightening and rain storm. We only had 2 days that happened.

  6. Wonderful pictures make me almost believe I’m standing next you all on this trip!
    Thanks

  7. Really admire you girls, rock on!

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