Gannett Peak Guided Climb & Expedition
Overview
Guided Gannett Peak Climb: Wyoming’s Highest Summit
Gannett Peak, at 13,804 feet, is the highest mountain in Wyoming and the most coveted summit of the Wind River Range. It’s widely regarded as the second-hardest of the 50 U.S. state highpoints after Denali — It’s a remote, glaciated peak that rewards a true multi-day mountaineering expedition. The Mountain Guides has been climbing the Winds for decades, and our 5–6 day guided Gannett Peak climbs are built around expert instruction, glacier travel, and a high summit-success rate. No prior technical experience is required — just strong fitness and the will to stand on the roof of Wyoming.
Gannett Peak at a Glance
- Location: Northern Wind River Range, Wyoming; approaches from Elkhart Park (Pinedale) or Cold Springs (Crowheart)
- Elevation: 13,804 feet (4,207 m), the Wyoming state high point
- Length: 6-day Elkhart Park trip or 5-day Cold Springs trip, roughly 32 to 40 miles round trip
- Prerequisites: No technical experience required; excellent fitness essential
- Route: Gooseneck Glacier, bergschrund crossing, steep snow and exposed Class 3 rock to the summit ridge
- Season: Mid-June to September; July and August most stable
What You'll Climb
- Elkhart Park (6 days): 13 miles past Photographer’s Point and Seneca Lake to Island Lake, then up Titcomb Basin beneath Fremont, Sacagawea and Mt. Helen; two potential summit days built in
- Cold Springs (5 days): over 11,400-foot Scenic Pass to Echo Lake, up Dinwoody Creek to the glacier moraine, with an easier summit day and a higher success rate
- Snow school: self-arrest and snow-climbing practice before summit day
- Summit day: an alpine start, roped glacier travel with pickets and belays, and a 14-hour day on the Elkhart side
Trip Format
Each trip begins with a two-hour organization session at our Jackson office the day before: paperwork, gear review, packing and carpool plans. Mules can carry up to 300 pounds of team gear on the Elkhart Park side; the Cold Springs side uses a tribal outfitter for the road head. The final two days are for hiking out, with excellent fishing in nearby lakes. The Itinerary tab has both day-by-day schedules.
Who This Climb Is For & Prerequisites
Gannett is strenuous but novice-friendly with a guide. Expect glacier travel, a bergschrund crossing, steep snow and short Class 3 rock; the real challenge is remoteness and fitness, long days with a heavy pack, more than pure technical climbing. No prior technical experience is required. Crampon-compatible mountain boots are required and can be rented in our Jackson office.
Why Climb Gannett Peak with The Mountain Guides
- Decades of Wind River Range ascents and one of the most extensive route résumés in the region
- AMGA-trained and certified guides, small client-to-guide ratios, all technical group gear provided
- Route choice and an optional weather day that drive a high summit-success rate
- Permitted across multiple Bridger-Teton USFS districts
Plan Your Gannett Peak Expedition
Choose the classic Elkhart Park approach or the shorter Cold Springs approach and check the Schedule tab for dates. Weather, difficulty and FAQs are covered in the tabs below.
Elevation | 13,804 ft (4,207 m) |
|---|---|
Rank | Highest mountain in Wyoming; highest point of the Wind River Range |
Location | Wind River Range, western Wyoming (Bridger-Teton & Shoshone National Forests) |
Standard route | Gooseneck Route (glacier + snow + Class 3 rock) |
Approaches | Elkhart Park / Titcomb Basin (west) · Cold Springs / Crowheart (east) |
Trip length | 5–6 days; ~32–40 miles round trip |
Difficulty | Strenuous mountaineering — 2nd-hardest U.S. state highpoint after Denali |
Season | Mid-June through September |
Experience required | None technical; high fitness essential |
- Decades of Wind River Range ascents and one of the most extensive route résumés in the region.
- NPS-authorized concessioner and permitted across multiple USFS districts (Bridger-Teton)
- High summit-success rate driven by route choice and an optional weather day.
- Small client-to-guide ratios; all technical group gear provided.
- All trips are run by an AMGA trained and or certified guides.
The standard ascent climbs the Gooseneck Glacier, crosses the bergschrund, and follows steep snow to the summit ridge with exposed 3rd class scrambling — a genuine alpine climb requiring roped climbing, crampons, and ice axe.
We run Gannett from two trailheads. The 6-day Elkhart Park approach (near Pinedale) travels the spectacular Titcomb Basin; the 5-day Cold Springs approach from Crowheart on the Wind River Reservation is shorter, with an easier summit day and a higher success rate.
This Gannett Peak trip utilizes our traditional approach from the west side of the Wind River Mountains, and has a six day schedule. The trip starts with a two-hour organization session at our Jackson office the day before your trip. Paperwork is completed, gear is reviewed, packs are filled, and final details are made to carpool or meet at the Elkhart Park Trailhead, near Pinedale. Some people may drive down to Pinedale and meet the team at Bald Mountain Outfitters at 7am the first day of the trip.
Day One – (Approach to Island Lake, 13 mi)
5:00 am We depart the Jackson Hole Mountain Guides office and drive to the Elkhart Park Trailhead. If other team members have elected to stay in Pinedale, we meet them at Bald Mountain Outfitters.
7:00 am Rendezvous at Bald Mountain Outfitters. Two mules will carry in up to 300 pounds of gear for our team. Your gear should be packed in a separate duffel bag for the mules.
8:00 am Depart Elkhart Park Trailhead on the Pole Creek Trail. The 10 miles past Photographer’s Point and Seneca Lake is a beautiful and relatively flat hike. Camp will be established very near to the equipment drop just past Island Lake.
Day Two – (Approach to the head of Upper Titcomb Basin, 4 mi)
Today we load up our packs and hike 4.5 miles and several hours to the head of Titcomb Basin. As we travel up this glacially carved valley, we walk alongside two mile-long green-blue lakes. Jagged peaks (Fremont, Sacagawea, and Mt. Helen) rise abruptly into the sky. Camp is made above the upper lake and below Mt. Helen. In the afternoon, snow climbing and self-arrest techniques are reviewed and practiced on nearby snowfields.
Days Three and Four – (potential summit days)
An alpine start allows us to reach the summit of Gannett before noon and return to camp before dark. Be prepared for a 14-hour day! This long climb requires excellent fitness-please be prepared. There are a number of route choices, the most popular one being the Gooseneck Route. All routes are technical and entail crossing glaciers, snow climbing, and rock scrambling over exposed terrain. Our guides employ ropes, pickets, and belays whenever necessary.
We can alternatively have a partial rest/training day on Day Three, and possibly move camp up to the top of Bonney Pass in good weather. Day Four would then be summit day.
Day Five – (Hike part-way out, 6 to 9 mi)
The last two days of the trip are great for enjoying the Wind River Mountains. There is excellent fishing (permit required) in nearby lakes and the views remai stunning. We cover between 6 and 9 miles this day.
Day Six – (Return to trailhead, 8 to 11 mi)
The final hiking day takes us past Seneca, Hobbs, and Eklund Lakes. A final break at Photographer’s Point allows one last view of Titcomb Basin and Gannett Peak.
JHMG can also arrange for Gannett trips starting at Cold Springs trail head on the Wind River Indian Reservation. This trip utilizes the shortest approach to the peak with a five day schedule; hiring a Tribal outfitter and purchasing a fishing permit are required for use of this road head and the tribal lands. (See pricing)
The Gannett Peak trip starts with a two-hour organization session at our Jackson office the day before your trip. Paperwork is completed, gear is reviewed, packs are filled, and final details are made to carpool or meet in Crowheart, near Dubois.
Day One – (Approach to Echo Lake)
7AM The party will meet the tribal outfitter in Crowheart, where we’ll park our cars and then get driven to the roadhead. Please have packs already packed up. The Cold Springs roadhead is at ~9500’, and we hike for about 6 miles, up and over the 11,400’, aptly named Scenic Pass, where Gannett Peak and the entire northern Wind River Range can be viewed. The first camp is at Echo Lake, by the Ink Wells trail.
Day Two – (Hike to Dinwoody Glacier)
From Echo Lake, we hike southwest and join the Dinwoody Trail. Following Dinwoody Creek upstream, we have several river crossings along the ~8 mile hike. Camp will be established at the terminal moraine of the Dinwoody Glacier.
Day Three – (Summit Day)
An alpine start allows us to reach the summit of Gannett before noon and return to camp in the afternoon. Be prepared for a full day! There are a number of route choices, including the Gooseneck Route and the South Couloir. All routes are technical and entail crossing glaciers, snow climbing, and rock scrambling over exposed terrain. Our guides employ ropes, pickets, and belays whenever necessary.
Days Four and Five – (Return to Echo Lake and the roadhead)
The last two days are great for enjoying the Wind River Mountains. We trace our steps back the way we came, with a final grunt up and over Scenic Pass. We’ll rendezvous with the Indian Guide at Cold Springs at noon on the fifth day.
Gannett is strenuous but novice friendly with a guide. Expect glacier travel, a bergschrund crossing, steep snow, and short Class 3 rock. The challenge is remoteness and fitness — long days with a heavy pack — more than pure technical climbing.
Glacier hazards and weather are the real risks, mitigated by guided rope teams, current conditions knowledge, and the optional weather day. No fatalities have occurred on Gannett since our inception. We don’t track overall company success rate but fun fact AMGA guide Keith Sidle has an 89% success rate over the course of his 15 years at the company.
The climbing season runs mid June to September. July and August offer the most stable weather and consolidated snow. Afternoon thunderstorms are common; we start summit day pre-dawn (an ‘alpine start’) to be off exposed terrain early. View the Gannet Peak weather forecast here.
6-day West Side Gannett Peak Climb (Elkhart Park): $4170 private 1:1; $3475 pp / 2:1.
5-day East Side Gannett Peak Climb (Cold Springs) Price: $3875 private 1:1; $3125 pp/ 2:1. (Be advised that an additional $450 is paid per person to the to the Wind River reservation for transportation and permit fees for East Side trips. This is paid directly by the client to the reservation, clients are expected to cover these charges for guides and porters. THE WIND RIVER RESERVATION DOES NOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS, YOU WILL NEED ROUGHLY $500-$1000 IN CASH OR A CHECK) (depending on the client to guide ratio.)
Price includes breakfasts, light apps, and dessert for the trip. As well as technical climbing gear, tent and group cooking gear. ***HORSE SUPPORT OR PORTERS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED from the WEST SIDE. Price does not include equipment drop/portage and shuttle fees.
Private trips cannot be booked directly online based on scheduling, please click here to inquire about specific dates for a private trip.
Please read through our policies by visiting this page.
Click Here For the 5 Day Gannett Peak Expedition, East Side (Cold Springs)
Click Here For the 6 Day Gannett Peak Expedition, West Side (Elkhart Park)
Custom Dates also available – Inquire within.
Footwear
- Train running shoes: For the beginning and end of the trip trail runners or a lightweight hiking shoe for more ankle support
- Guide pick: Scarpa Rush trail runner
- Looking for more support: Scarpa Rush Mid GTX
- Mountain Boots: All Gannett Peak Climbs, require a crampon-compatible mountain boot
- Guide Pick: Scarpa Zodiac Tech
- Boots are also available for rent at the JHMG office.
- Socks: 2-4 pairs: Lightweight wool or synthetic socks
Upper Layers
- Synthetic/Wool Long Underwear Top:
- Synthetic/ Wool Sun Hoody
- Synthetic T-shirt:
- 1- 2 Insulating Jacket: Lightweight fleece or synthetic
- Soft Shell or Wind shirt
- Rain Jacket: Waterproof with hood
Bottom Layers
- Synthetic/Wool Long Underwear Bottom:
- Hiking Short or Pants: for approach
- Synthetic Climbing Pant:
- Rain Pant
Accessories
- Hat: lightweight to medium-weight warm hat and a Sun hat both should be sleek enough to be worn under a helmet
- Sun Hat
- Warm Hat
- Buff
- Gloves: BRING TWO PAIRS – one lightweight to medium weight pair – synthetic or fleece material.
On the Trail
- Alpine Climbing Pack: Internal frame only. 50 to 60 L for a 2 or 6-day trip. Large enough to fit all your personal gear plus ten pounds of food and water.
- Guide Pick:
- Sleeping Bag:
- Sleeping Pad: Closed-cell foam or Thermarest
- Water Bottles: (2-3 L/Qt.) or H2O hydration system
- Water Treatment: Steripen or filter in bottle or drops
- Stuff Sacks: zip lock bags for organization (optional)
- Dark Sunglasses
- Extra Contact Lenses
- Sun Hat or Visor
- Sunscreen: 35+SPF
- Lip Balm: with SPF
- Headlamp: with fresh batteries
- First Aid (minimal): blister care, ibuprofen
- Guides will carry a large first-aid kit
- Dinner, Lunch, snacks & drink mix
- Lunch on the first day can be more robust such as a deli sandwich (keep the trash to a minimum since you will be carrying it)
- Trail lunch consists of snacks throughout the day. Aim for a variety of items including sweet, salty, fat, and proteins.
- Examples: beef jerky, cheese and crackers, dried fruit, bars, candy, PB&J, etc.
- Find a balance between high-calorie foods and space/weight in your pack
- Drink mixes with electrolytes
- Make sure to save some of your favorite snacks for summit day
- Dinners we recommend dehydrated bag meals.
Recommended & Optional Items
- Trekking Poles: highly recommended to help with uneven terrain
- Camera
- Insoles: custom or aftermarket
- Insect Repellent
- Headnet
- Camp Shoe: lightweight
- Buff
Cold Weather Considerations
Early and late-season temperatures require warmer clothing. You may consider additional clothing if you get cold easily or if it is unusually cold or windy.
- Buff or neck gaiter
- Extra down vest or jacket
- Expedition weight long underwear
- Extra gloves
**The Mountain Guides supplies all rock climbing gear, harnesses, helmets, locking carabiners & belay/rappel devices, crampons, and ice axes. However, you are welcome to bring your own equipment. Please coordinate with our office for gear checks. Backpacks, rock shoes, and boots can all be rented & purchased in our Jackson office.
For your safety and comfort, bring synthetic and or natural fiber clothing for insulation. Cotton
is NOT recommended and down must be kept dry. Clothing should be able to layer without encumbering movement.
Directions to Trailheads
Both Pinedale and Crowheart/Dubois are about 1.5-2 hours from Jackson.
Elkhart Park Trailhead is 14 miles east of Pinedale, and has a paved road the entire way to the 9380’ elevation parking lot. Near the east side of Pinedale, where the highway curves south and Faler’s General Store is located, turn east on Skyline Drive; there are signs for Fremont Lake. After three miles, bear right and subsequently pass roads on the right to Half Moon Lake and White Pine Ski Area. Pass a Forest Service A-frame house and the parking area is on the right. To rendezvous at the horsepacker’s, take a right on a small two track, FS Road 740B about a third of a mile before (not just before) the A-frame. Please contact our office regarding east side Wind River departures and shuttles.
Wind River Range trips and classes operate out of our partner office at the Black Diamond store which is located downtown at 160 west pearl st. Our phone number is (800) 239-7642 or (307) 733-4979. Most trips and classes will meet at this office for gear checks, preparation, and classes. The Jackson Hole airport is the closest, but Idaho Falls (a 2 – 2.5 hour drive) is a cheaper option and Salt Lake City (4 – 5 hour drive) are also air travel options. It is helpful to arrive a couple of days prior to your trip/class in order to acclimatize. Otherwise, you should arrive the day before and stop by our office for an equipment check. Do not plan on traveling the day after a significant climb – you will be tired and there are no guaranteed times when we will return to the trailhead. Plan on having accommodations for the night prior to and the night you return from a significant climb. There are a plethora of hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts in Jackson and the surrounding area. Accommodations near our office make your transitions convenient. It is highly advisable to make reservations as early as possible.
"My trip to Gannett Peak with Cheyenne was a highlight of my outdoor career. Of course the mountain itself is spectacular. Importantly, the strategy selected for the trip was perfect for my skill and fitness level, I came back excited, energized, and ready for the next adventure." - Adam Blumenthal
"The team was expertly skilled and knowledgeable. We weighed appropriate decisions to ensure safe and successful mountain etiquette." - David Allen
"All of our guides were extremely experienced and supportive. Getting to the top of Gannett Peak was an amazing experience!" - Jon Radoff
"This trip far exceeded all my expectations. It was overall an absolutely amazing experience. Cody Pitz was an excellent guide. He was calm, supportive, helpful, encouraging and informative. Most of all, he always kept me safe. He made the parts of the climb that I worried might be scary actually truly fun. At no point did I feel fear or felt unsupported. Cody gave me many tips with regard to both camping and climbing. Snow school the day before the actual climb was very helpful and reassuring. I simply could not have asked for a better guide or a better experience. I really liked your approach to climbing Gannett, planning for an extra day in case of bad weather. The Gannett climb is a major time investment and takes months of preparation. Allowing for an extra day for a summit attempt was incredibly appealing to me and clearly improves the success rate of this trip. "- Hildegard Smith
Q: How tall is Gannett Peak?
A: Gannett Peak is 13,804 feet (4,207 m) — the highest mountain in Wyoming and the high point of the Wind River Range.
Q: Where is Gannett Peak?
A: In the northern Wind River Range of western Wyoming, on the border of the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests, accessed from Pinedale (Elkhart Park) or Crowheart (Cold Springs).
Q: How hard / technical is it to climb Gannett Peak?
A: It’s a strenuous multi-day mountaineering objective — the second-hardest U.S. state highpoint after Denali — involving glacier travel, a bergschrund crossing, steep snow, and Class 3 rock. With a guide, no prior technical experience is required, but excellent fitness is essential.
Q: Do I need a guide to climb Gannett Peak?
A: Not legally, but its remoteness, glacier hazards, and route-finding make a guide strongly advisable for most climbers. A guided climb provides ropes, glacier gear, permits, and expert decision-making.
Q: How many days does it take?
A: Our guided climbs run 5 days (Cold Springs) or 6 days (Elkhart Park, which adds a weather/summit-buffer day), covering roughly 32–40 miles round trip.
Q: How much does a guided Gannett Peak climb cost?
A: From $3,450 to $4,170 per person depending on trip length and group size, plus permit/shuttle fees and optional porters.
Q: When is the best time to climb Gannett Peak?
A: Mid June through September, with July and August offering the most stable weather and best snow conditions.
Q: How dangerous is Gannett Peak?
A: The main risks are glacier travel, sudden weather, and the long, remote approach. Guided rope teams, current conditions knowledge, and a built-in weather day substantially reduce these risks.
Q: Which approach is better — Elkhart Park or Cold Springs?
A: Elkhart Park (Titcomb Basin) is the classic, scenic 6-day route; Cold Springs from Crowheart is shorter with an easier summit day and a higher success rate. We guide both.