Gannett Peak Gear Checklist
Gannett Peak is Wyoming's high point, reached from Elkhart Park on a long backpack into Titcomb Basin followed by a glacier climb. People who have done it describe two jobs for the pack: a multi-day Wind River backpacking kit for storms, bugs and bears, and a short list of snow and glacier gear for a summit push that starts around midnight. Reports agree the window is a few weeks in July and that the weather is rougher than the forecast.
What shapes your gear on Gannett Peak
- The wilderness
- The Bridger Wilderness runs 80 miles along the Continental Divide, and Gannett Peak sits on its shared boundary with the Fitzpatrick Wilderness. The agency says elevations climb above 13,000 feet and that winter weather is always close.
From USDA Forest Service: Bridger Wilderness, Bridger-Teton National Forest
- Route and distance
- One climber's round trip from Elkhart Park to the summit measured 44.3 miles. The hike in to Titcomb Basin alone is 15 to 16 miles on linked trails, and most climbers camp near the middle of the Titcomb Lakes.
- Summit and season
- The USGS elevation is 13,804 feet. After an average winter there are only about 3 to 4 weeks of practical climbing each summer, with mid to late July the best stretch. High snow can linger into August.
From Noah Lang Photography and CleverHiker
- Summit day timing
- Climbers who succeeded left camp at night. One writer says to start at midnight or even 11 pm, and that it took just over 3 hours from the Titcomb Lakes to the top of Bonney Pass alone. Groups that started after 3 am did not summit.
- Weather
- A forecast showing one stormy afternoon in five turned into lightning every day for one party, including a storm that wrecked a tent. Another guide reports overnight lows near 25 degrees even when daytime highs reach the high 70s or low 80s.
From Noah Lang Photography and CleverHiker
- Camping rules
- One trip report lists no camping within 200 feet of lake shores or 100 feet of streams, and campfires only below the tree line.
From Backpackers Review
- Trailhead
- Elkhart Park is 15 miles northeast of Pinedale on a paved road. It has a small campground with 8 sites and toilets but no drinking water, and a Forest Service visitor center.
From CleverHiker
What the agency requires on Gannett Peak
Approved food storage
The Forest Service food storage order covers the Pinedale Ranger District. Food and refuse must be stored in an interagency-certified bear-resistant container, a closed hard-sided vehicle, or hung at least 10 feet off the ground and 4 feet from the supporting tree or pole. The order runs March 1 through December 1.
From USDA Forest Service: Food Storage order, Bridger-Teton National Forest
What hikers carry on Gannett Peak
A bear canister and bear spray
The Winds hold both grizzly and black bears. Climbers carried both and one says the canister turned out to be more for marmots than for bears. Hanging food also meets the Forest Service order.
From Noah Lang Photography, Backpackers Review and USDA Forest Service: Food Storage order, Bridger-Teton National Forest
Strap-on crampons with ordinary hiking shoes
One climber says shoes with strap-on crampons beat boots for summer snow on a fairly low-elevation peak. The same party put crampons on and took them off many times as snow patches came and went.
An ice axe
The same climber slipped on the lower Gooseneck Glacier in soft snow and slid at least 50 feet before the axe held. Another guide adds an ice axe and microspikes for early-season trips before the snow melts or late-season trips after new snow.
From Noah Lang Photography and Backpackers Review
A rope for the glacier, if your group wants one
Parties split on this. One tied in at the top of Bonney Pass and put the rope away a minute later because the snow was not continuous. Others roped up for the whole ascent. The writer says to treat his choice as no advice.
Skills and gear for glacier travel are assumed. Neither source lists them.
A spare pair of dry socks
The walk from Upper Titcomb Lake to Bonney Pass crosses many muddy streams that are hard to read in the dark. Feet were soaked before the climb began, and the writer suggests changing socks at the top of the pass.
Layers and a set of dry clothes for camp
Nights can fall near 25 degrees. One guide suggests keeping a wool outfit just for camp, so a soaked hiker can warm up after a thunderstorm.
From Backpackers Review and CleverHiker
A tent that handles hail and wind
One party's tent was destroyed over a week of storms. Another guide recommends a strong tent with a rain fly for the same afternoon storms.
From Noah Lang Photography and Backpackers Review
Bug protection
Mosquitoes, gnats and flies are plentiful in the basin. A guide advises treating clothes and tent with permethrin and says the worst of the mosquitoes comes once the snow is gone, around the end of July into August.
From Backpackers Review and CleverHiker
A water filter
Streams and lakes look clean, but one guide warns against drinking untreated because Giardia and Campylobacter are common in them. The trailhead has no drinking water.
From CleverHiker and Backpackers Review
A map and compass
Storms can drop snow on the high Wind River trails in many months of the year, and a guide asks hikers to carry a paper map and a compass in case the trail disappears.
From Backpackers Review
Going as a group? Split this list between you so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Gannett Peak
Mountaineering boots
The writer left them home. Summer snow on a fairly low peak did not need them, and shoes with crampons saved weight on a 44 mile trip.
Trusting the forecast
One party hiked in on a forecast of one stormy afternoon and got lightning every day. The advice is to prepare for the worst and add buffer days.
A summit start after 3 am
Every group the writer met at camp left too late and none of the four or five summited. They underestimated Bonney Pass and the re-climb on the way home.
Camping early on the walk in
The writer says a night at Hobbs Lake leaves too little hiking for a summit try. He recommends reaching Titcomb in one day or planning more than five days out.
Gear questions for Gannett Peak
Do I need a permit for Gannett Peak?
Not for most backpackers, according to guides. Permits are required for organized groups, overnight stock and commercial use, and they are free for non-commercial groups with a maximum of 15 people. Call the Pinedale Ranger District at 307-367-4326 for current rules.
From CleverHiker and Backpackers Review
Do I need a bear canister for Gannett Peak?
The Forest Service lets you store food in a certified bear-resistant container, a hard-sided closed vehicle or a proper hang 10 feet up and 4 feet from the tree. Climbers carried both a canister and bear spray, and one found the canister protected food from marmots.
From USDA Forest Service: Food Storage order, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Noah Lang Photography and Backpackers Review
When is the best time to climb Gannett Peak?
Mid to late July, according to one climber who counts only 3 to 4 practical weeks each summer. Snow-covered passes can linger into August.
From Noah Lang Photography and CleverHiker
Do I need crampons for Gannett Peak?
Climbers who went in late July wore strap-on crampons on the glacier and the summit ridge, and an ice axe was needed to stop a slide. Another guide recommends microspikes and an ice axe in early or late season, when the trails still hold snow.
From Noah Lang Photography and Backpackers Review
Sources
- Bridger Wilderness, Bridger-Teton National Forest · USDA Forest Service · Agency
- Food Storage order, Bridger-Teton National Forest · USDA Forest Service · Agency
- Climbing Gannett Peak via Titcomb Basin: The Tallest Peak in Wyoming · Noah Lang Photography, Noah Lang · Trip report
- Titcomb Basin, Wind River Range, WY (40 mile route) · Backpackers Review · Trip report
- Titcomb Basin Backpacking Guide, Wind River Range, WY · CleverHiker, Dave Collins · Blog