Fremont Peak (Wyoming)

Fremont Peak is the third highest peak in the state of Wyoming, surpassed only by Gannett Peak and Grand Teton, and straddles the boundary between Fremont and Sublette counties in the Wind River Range.[3] It is named for American explorer John C. Fremont who climbed the peak with Charles Preuss and Johnny Janisse from August 13 to August 15, 1842.[1][4] Kit Carson had been with the climbing party on its first attempt at the peak, but had gone back for supplies the day Fremont and his men reached the summit. Carson is thought by some to have been the first to climb neighboring Jackson Peak. At that time, Fremont Peak was mistakenly thought to be the highest mountain in the Rocky Mountains, although there are actually over 100 higher peaks in the Rocky Mountain range.

Fremont Peak
Fremont Peak at center from near Island Lake
Highest point
Elevation13,751 ft (4,191 m) [1]
Prominence1,184 ft (361 m) [1]
Coordinates43°07′29″N 109°37′05″W [2]
Geography
Fremont Peak
Parent rangeWind River Range
Topo mapUSGS Fremont Peak South
Climbing
First ascent1842 Fremont and others
For other peaks named Fremont Peak, see Fremont Peak

Geography

The peak is located on the Continental Divide and is the second highest peak in the remote Wind River Range after Gannett Peak. The east flank of the peak is in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest, while the west side is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Upper Fremont Glacier is located on the north slopes of the mountain.

Climbing

Due to the remote location and difficult ascent, most mountain climbers spend a total of three to five days hiking up to the mountain, climbing to the summit and then later hiking back to their starting point.

Hazards
Main articles: Hazards of outdoor recreation and Mountaineering § 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.

Fremont Peak (Wind River Range; Rocky Mountains; Wyoming, United States)
Upper Fremont Glacier on the north slope of Fremont Peak
Upper Fremont Peak viewing southwest from the south slope of the Peak - during a backpacking trip
Near the top of Fremont Peak viewing west from the southern slope of the Peak

See also

References
  1. "Fremont Peak, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  2. "Fremont Peak". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  3. Fremont Peak South, WY (Map). TopoQwest (United States Geological Survey Maps). Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 132.
  5. Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  6. Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  7. Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  8. MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  9. Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  10. Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  11. Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  12. 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.
  13. Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
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