Wolfs Head
Wolfs Head is a (12,165-foot (3,708 m)) mountain located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming.[3] Wolfs Head is on the northwest side of the Cirque of the Towers, a popular climbing area. The peak is just north of Overhanging Tower and connected to Pingora Peak by a narrow arête. The East Ridge route on the Wolf's Head is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic climb.[4] Wolfs Head is situated on the Continental Divide.
Wolfs Head | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 12,165 ft (3,708 m) [1] |
Prominence | 80 ft (24 m) [1] |
Coordinates | 42°46′50″N 109°13′58″W [2] |
Geography | |
Wolfs Head Location in Wyoming Wolfs Head Location in the United States | |
Location | Fremont and Sublette Counties, Wyoming, U.S. |
Parent range | Wind River Range |
Topo map | USGS Lizard Head Peak |
Hazards
Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[5] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.[6]
Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993,[7] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader),[8] 2015[9] and 2018.[10] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain[11] in 2005,[12] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue.[13] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.
References
- "Wolfs Head, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- "Wolfs Head". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- Lizard Head Peak, WY (Map). TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps). Retrieved March 23, 2014.
- Roper, Steve; Steck, Allen (1979). Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books. pp. 177–183. ISBN 0-87156-292-8.
- Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- Staff (July 22, 2005). "Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
- Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.