Summer road trips are one of my favorite things. When October rolls around I can't help but start planning trips for the next year. If you're like me, put a Wyoming road trip on your list for next summer. My two top reasons are: Alpine Canyon and the Wind River Range.
Wind River Range
Alpine Canyon is 8 miles of classic
class III whitewater on the Snake River near Jackson, WY. It's awesome for
kayaking, rafting, stand up paddle boarding, and surfing waves like
Lunch Counter and Big Kahuna.
Surfing Lunch Counter Rapid
The river
level in this video is around 9,000 cfs
on the Snake River at Alpine gauge.
Combine that with a backpacking trip to the Cirque of the Towers in the Winds for a perfect summer road trip.
The closest access is the Big Sandy Trailhead south of Pinedale,
WY. An 8 mile hike to the top of 10,800 ft. Jackass Pass will get you a million dollar view of the Cirque.
If you time it right and it's a good
water year, it's possible surf Lunch Counter Rapid and hit the
wildflowers at their peak in the Winds in the same week. Mid-July to
early August is your best bet. Just be sure to bring your sunscreen and bug spray.
Kate Jacob and I celebrating on Jackass Pass
Camping in the Cirque
Cirque Lake
Our neighbors
V Lake near the Big Sandy Trailhead
