Haystack Mountain (Wyoming)

Last updated
Haystack Mountain
Haystack Mountain.jpg
North aspect
Highest point
Elevation 11,978 ft (3,651 m) [1]
Prominence 538 ft (164 m) [1]
Parent peak Steeple Peak (12,040 ft) [2]
Isolation 1.22 mi (1.96 km) [2]
Coordinates 42°43′54″N109°09′59″W / 42.73167°N 109.16639°W / 42.73167; -109.16639 Coordinates: 42°43′54″N109°09′59″W / 42.73167°N 109.16639°W / 42.73167; -109.16639 [3]
Geography
USA Wyoming location map.svg
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Haystack Mountain
Location in Wyoming
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Haystack Mountain
Haystack Mountain (the United States)
Location Sublette County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent range Wind River Range
Topo map USGS Temple Peak
Geology
Type of rock granite
Climbing
Easiest route class 4 [2] Grassy Goat Route

Haystack Mountain is an 11,978-foot-elevation (3,651-meter) mountain summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States. [3]

Contents

Geography

The mile-long peak is situated in the remote Wind River Range, one mile west of the Continental Divide, and approximately four miles southeast of the Cirque of the Towers. It is set in the Bridger Wilderness, on land managed by Bridger-Teton National Forest. Topographic relief is significant as the northwest aspect rises nearly 2,000 feet (610 meters) above Clear Lake in one-half mile. Neighbors include Schiestler Peak, 1.9 mile to the west, Big Sandy Mountain 1.5 mile north, and East Temple Peak 1.6 mile south. Access is via a half-day hike on the Big Sandy Trail. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into headwaters of the Big Sandy River, which is a tributary of the Green River.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Haystack Mountain is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers. [4] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer.

Haystack Mountain (left), Deep Lake, and East Temple Peak (right) Haystack Mountain, Steeple Peak, East Temple Peak.jpg
Haystack Mountain (left), Deep Lake, and East Temple Peak (right)

Climbing

A partial list of the 17 established climbing routes on Haystack's popular granite walls: [5]

West face of Haystack Mountain Haystack Mountain, West face.jpg
West face of Haystack Mountain

Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. [6] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures. [7]

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, [8] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), [9] 2015 [10] and 2018. [11] A 54-year-old climber from Durango fell 400–800 feet to his death from nearby Steeple Peak in 2017. [12] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near Squaretop Mountain [13] in 2005, [14] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. [15] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

Haystack Mountain (left), Temple Peak centered in back, Schiestler Peak (right) Wind Rivers (8552216310).jpg
Haystack Mountain (left), Temple Peak centered in back, Schiestler Peak (right)

See also

Related Research Articles

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Mount Sacagawea is the eighth-highest peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming and the seventh-highest in the Wind River Range. It was named after Sacagawea, the young Lemhi Shoshone woman who accompanied the Lewis and Clark Expedition as an interpreter and guide. The Upper Fremont Glacier is located southeast and the Sacagawea Glacier is northeast of the mountain. Straddling the Continental Divide, Mount Sacagawea is one mile (1.6 km) northwest of Fremont Peak.

Bastion Peak, at 13,500 feet (4,100 m), is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is the ninth-highest in the range and the tenth-highest in Wyoming. The summit is located on the Continental Divide and the eastern slopes of the mountain are covered by a section of Gannett Glacier, the largest glacier in the American Rocky Mountains. An arête to the northeast leads to Bastion Peak-Northeast Peak, which, at 13,476 ft (4,107 m), is also one of the highest points in Wyoming.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pingora Peak</span> Granite peak in Wyoming, USA

Pingora Peak is a prominent granite peak in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is one of the pinnacles that forms the Cirque of the Towers. Pingora Peak is in the Popo Agie Wilderness and part of the Wind River Range within the greater Shoshone National Forest. The Northeast Face route on Pingora Peak is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.

American Legion Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Situated 1 mi (1.6 km) east of Bow Mountain and a couple miles west of Mount Helen, American Legion Peak is the 17th tallest peak in Wyoming. The small American Legion Glacier descends from the east slopes of the mountain and Henderson Peak lies to the south.

Harrower Peak is located in the northern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming, and it is the 28th tallest mountain in the state. Harrower Peak is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and the Harrower Glacier is less than .50 mi (0.80 km) northeast of the peak.

South Downs Mountain is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Downs Mountain is the 27th highest peak in Wyoming. The summit is on the Continental Divide in both Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forests and it is 1.85 mi (2.98 km) south-southwest of Downs Mountain.

Bastion Peak-Northeast Peak 13,476 ft (4,107 m) is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak is one of the highest in Wyoming, and is connected to its taller neighbor Bastion Peak by an arête to the southwest. An unnamed glacier lies below the precipitous east flank of the mountain, while Gannett Glacier is to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raid Peak</span>

Raid Peak is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, 1.25 mi (2.01 km) west of the Continental Divide and .85 mi (1.37 km) south of Mount Bonneville. The east face of Raid Peak has one of the most spectacular cliff faces in the Wind River Range, rising almost 2,000 ft (610 m) above an unnamed lake with 1,700 ft (520 m) of that being a nearly sheer wall which is rated at class 5.8 and Grade IV-V. Most ascents up this face take at least a day if not two days.

Mount Washakie is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The mountain is on the Continental Divide in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest and Popo Agie Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest. Washakie Glacier lies .50 mi (0.80 km) to the southeast of the peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Temple Peak</span>

East Temple Peak is located in the southern Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming. East Temple Peak is a little over 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Temple Peak and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) west of Wind River Peak. A small glacier clings to the northeast slopes of East Temple Peak. East Temple Peak is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Squaretop Mountain</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Rock (Wyoming)</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schiestler Peak</span>

Schiestler Peak is an 11,624-foot-elevation (3,543-meter) mountain summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steeple Peak</span>

Steeple Peak is a 12,040-foot-elevation (3,670-meter) summit located in Sublette County of Wyoming, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spider Peak</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Lester</span> Mountain of Sublette County, Wyoming

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bollinger Peak</span> Mountain summit in Wyoming, USA

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References

  1. 1 2 "Haystack Mountain, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  2. 1 2 3 "Haystack Mountain - 11,978' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  3. 1 2 "Haystack Mountain". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior . Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  4. ↑ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen−Geiger climate classification". Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11. ISSN   1027-5606.
  5. ↑ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN   9781493001354, pages 370–385.
  6. ↑ Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org . Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  7. ↑ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  8. ↑ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  9. ↑ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  10. ↑ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune . Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  11. ↑ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  12. ↑ Nick Learned, Climber Falls to His Death in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, August 31, 2017, k2radio.com
  13. ↑ Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project . Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. ↑ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
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