best map/ guidebook on the windrivers?

“thoughts on the different backpacking guide books/maps on the wind rivers in wyoming appreiciated.

which have you used?
which do you like/don't like?

flyfishing info a plus. i know "walking in the winds" has some fishing info, but i heard it's not too great.”

“No idea. Any idea where I can find a Banff/Jasper topo?

decent trailguide would be nice, to.
last edited: 11/26/04 12:32:25 PM”

“Bearmagnet,

Go to Google and type in "Banff/Jasper" guidebooks.

Number one is what you want.

Doug”

“The first book is a climbers guide?

Gem Trek has this:

Canadian Rockies Trail Guide
By Brian Patton and Bart Robinson, Summerthought Publishers, 7th edition, 2000, 451 pages, black and white, $19.95)

This comprehensive trail guide covers more than 3,400 kilometres of trails in Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay and Waterton Lakes National Parks, plus the provincial parks of Mt. Assinboine, Mt. Robson, Akamina-Kishinena, Peter Lougheed, and Elk Lakes. More than 230 major trails are included, with the emphasis on major dayhikes and backpacking trips. Trail distances, elevation gains and junction mileages are given with well-written descriptions. This is the 7th edition of this popular trail guide which has been around for almost 30 years. It's the locals' bible.
last edited: 11/26/04 1:16:21 PM”

“There ya go.

(Beware Canuck beer, bear.)”

“great. now how about my Q gremlin.”

“LOL - sorry sacco. Just thought I would tag on instead of starting another thread. :)

Grem - Tanks. I grew up in the Buffalo area and went to school North of the 'dacks - Love Canuck beer!
last edited: 11/26/04 1:31:40 PM”

“no prob bmag
atleast the extra chatter keeps the thread near the top.”

“There are some people on the other side that have done the winds - mtbackpacker, from Montana, is one. HollowayB is a big fly fisherman and lives in Montana too.”

“i know there's a few around here too.

guess i'll just wait till monday morning to bump this back up.”

“bump”

“OK Sacco - here is the info somepone posted on our Wind River Range planning post...

Walking the Winds by Rebecca Woods

Hiking Wyoming's Wind River Range by Ron Adkison (Falcon Press)

The maps are from Earthwalk Press http://www.omnimap.com/catalog/cats/earthwal.htm
last edited: 11/29/04 8:43:08 AM”

“hey sacco - go to REI and see what books/maps they have.”

“thanks squilax. have you used these books? any comments on them? are those the best two guidebooks?

i've seen those along with a couple others listed as "suggested reading" on the other windriver/windorama threads.

i don't wanna buy all 5 or 6 guidebooks that have been suggested, just the best one or two.

bmag, didn't see any maps, but they've got a few guidebooks. maybe REI just doesn't like you”

“The Earthwalk Press map I got this past summer for the Winds sucked.
Not enough detail and not all the trails were on the map, making trail junctions very 'ify'.
Rad had a GPS with topos built in and that saved our butts more than a couple of times.
om did get on the wrong trail for a while, but figured out she was going the wrong way and turned around.
We all pretty much had the same map.
I will have at least two different maps of the Winds next time I go.

sacco, check the past trips page for our pictures and TRs.”

“The Earthwalk Press map I got this past summer for the Winds sucked.
Not enough detail and not all the trails were on the map, making trail junctions very 'ify'.
Rad had a GPS with topos built in and that saved our butts more than a couple of times

thanks stomper, that's the kind of detail info/reviews i'm looking for.
i've been reading through lots of threads on here and other sites and picking up some very mixed reviews on the different guidebooks.

so the earthwalk maps are missing a lot of trails... so next time you go, what two maps would you take?
seems like the earthwalks are the only paper maps i've found.

what about guidebooks? got any advice on them?”

“That Earthwalk map is the only one I had and most everyone else had the same map.”

“ya, it seems they've got the monopoly!

bison says they're not too bad if you use them together with the usgs 7.5 minute maps.

maybe that's the only way to go.”

“No I have not used either the map or the guidebooks mentioned. One of our group indicated that for Hiking information in the Winds, go with the Falcon Press guidebook. The other one does contain more information on fishing, however. That's his report on it.

As far as the maps go, these are the only ones that appear to be available, regardless to the degree they "suck". If anyone else can suggest something better, I'm open to it. I've never been there and do not know what to expect. Our answer may be to determine where we plan to be, then go to a government site and get the topo quads for the area we plan to hike and take it from there.”

“usgs 7.5 minute maps

Wish I had had some...”

““hey bison.

i saw your TR of the windrivers.
you mostly caught rainbows right?
did you try for any golden trout?”
sacco
9:21:50 AM
11/29/04
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“Sex.........ur......girl first. If not, seek help.”
Bearmagnet
9:23:34 AM
11/29/04
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“Sacco - I wasn't after any particular type, just happened to be rainbows in the lake we were at (Lozier lakes). The Winds are absolutely full of trout, if you like fly-fishing and backpacking I suggest you drop all other plans and go to the Winds.”
Bison
9:24:57 AM
11/29/04
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“I suggest you drop all other plans and go to the Winds.”
Bison
10:24:57 AM
11/29/04

Unless it involves sex, dammit!”
Bearmagnet
9:26:06 AM
11/29/04
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“He can take his SO to the Winds with him.”
Bison
9:27:19 AM
11/29/04
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“catching golden trout in the winds has been a dream of mine for a few years now. i'm seriously considering it for this summer.

when you went, you rented a car right?

how'd that workout? didn't it suck paying for it while it sat at the TH for a week while you were BPing?”
sacco
9:31:01 AM
11/29/04
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“i'm trying to figure out the best way to get from SLC to pinedale, then the THs.

caught between riding the shuttlebus or renting a car.

suggestions?”
sacco
9:34:49 AM
11/29/04
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“Sirpete, Bigpoppa, and I split the car so it wasn't too bad. Unless you drive out there it's really the only option. You might be able to get some sort of shuttle service from Jackson but it's usually a lot less expensive to fly into Salt Lake City. I'll definitely be going to the Winds this summer. The Winds are absolutely the best mountains for backpacking and fly-fishing. Nowhere else comes close, it's as if you got a bunch of backpackers together and asked them to design the perfect mountain range.”
Bison
9:35:04 AM
11/29/04
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“what about maps/guidebooks?”
sacco
9:37:55 AM
11/29/04
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“Geez, I probably have every guidebook there is... I mostly use the Falcon guide, the Earthwalk press maps are good when used in conjunction with USGS quads. I know there are some fishing guidebooks, but there are trout pretty much everywhere with the exceptions of the very high lakes.”
Bison
9:43:07 AM
11/29/04
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“do you have a walk in the winds by rebecca something?

i guess she lists all the lakes and what species are in each one?

i want to plan a trip with a couple days staying a cabin/ranch with some horseback riding, then a 4-6 day backpack trip/loop up to some of those high elevation lakes with golden trout.
i guess titcomb lake drainage has goldens.
did you get there?”
sacco
9:57:57 AM
11/29/04
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“We didn't get to Titcomb basin on this trip, although we did stay at Island lake which is just below the basin. I do have the book you mention but I haven't read it, I picked it up in Jackson this summer.”
Bison
10:00:05 AM
11/29/04
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I'm not Bison, but....
“The 'om' group of five flew into SLC and rented a giant SUV for the trip to Pinedale area and back. We split the almost 10 day rental five ways.
I've never seen a more stuffed SUV. ;-)”
StoveStomper
10:04:30 AM
11/29/04
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“any luck fishin island lake? i've read there's suppose to be goldens there.

i've got "fly fishers guide to wyoming" by ken rens..(something)

it's pretty good for the whole state, but lacks much detailed info on the wind river lakes. there's only like 1,300 of them or so.”
sacco
10:05:10 AM
11/29/04
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“stomper/bison

so kind of $$ did it cost to rent those vehicles for 10 days? do you remember, roughly?”
sacco
10:06:36 AM
11/29/04
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“I've never seen so many lakes.
Can't hardly throw a rock up top without hiting one. ;-)”
StoveStomper
10:07:12 AM
11/29/04
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“We didn't fish Island lake, The only fishing we did on this trip was Lozier lakes and around summit lake. If you're hiking in the vicinity and want to catch trout (not sure which species they were, this was years ago) go to pipestone lakes... You can't cast in there without hooking up. One thing about Island lake, It's really crowded even though the lake is huge.”
Bison
10:07:46 AM
11/29/04
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“I think ours was $500 or so for eight days.”
Bison
10:08:37 AM
11/29/04
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“I don't remember the cost, wasn't cheap.
I THINK it was either $80 or $120 each.
We paid for the gas as we went so that's not including gas.


The one thing I wish someone had warned me about is the skeeters. I live on the MS Gulf Coast and I know skeeters. Worst skeeters I have ever been in.

TAKE A HEADNET!!!!!!!!!”
StoveStomper
10:10:45 AM
11/29/04
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“Yes definitely beware of mosquitoes, with that many lakes they are horrendous, I don't take the headnet though, I just resign myself to the fact that I'm gonna get eaten... after a couple of days you get used to it.”
Bison
10:12:46 AM
11/29/04
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“One thing about Island lake, It's really crowded even though the lake is huge.”
Bison
10:07:46 AM


yuk. i don't expect solitude in july/august, but would really prefer to shy away from the "really crowded" places.

what about washaki pass area from big sandy?
i've heard it's suppose to have some solid fishing with goldens.
you guys know anything about that area?”
sacco
10:13:09 AM
11/29/04
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“Big Sandy is also very crowded, haven't been up to Washakie pass. Definitely considering the Washakie/Hailey(?) pass loop for this summer.”
Bison
10:15:22 AM
11/29/04
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“ya, i've heard about the skeeters.

i will definetly be wearing my entire bug suit.”
sacco
10:15:36 AM
11/29/04
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“from my info gathering so far, it seems that as a general rule, the higher you go, the less crowds, the more "no-fish" lakes, but if there are fish, the higher % chance they'll be golden trout.

i'm considering staying at the big sandy lodge and doing the washakie package (3 nites, 2 days of horseback riding)

http://www.big-sandy-lodge.com/rates.htm

then striking out for a 4-6 day loop through the washaki pass.

i'll be going with my SO, but i was hoping to find a few other people, preferably a person or two who's been to the winds before.

any interest bison?

the big sandy lodge also rents cabins for a respectable $55/nite for two people to share.”
sacco
10:28:16 AM
11/29/04
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“..and temps did drop down to near and at freezing a couple of mornings, and this was the start of August.
Temps seemed to shoot up about 20 degrees just as soon as the sun came up over the ridge. Take sun protection and lip gloss. I discovered I had left my lip gloss and I was sorry.
last edited: 11/29/04 10:31:25 AM”
StoveStomper
10:30:17 AM
11/29/04
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“We might could be interested, summer plans up in the air right now with the possiblity of moving to Denver, but definitely will be in the Winds at some point.”
Bison
10:31:20 AM
11/29/04
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“i was thinking it's no big deal if i can't find anyone else who wants to do the horseback thing if i could link up with others just for the backpacking part of the trip.”
sacco
10:31:26 AM
11/29/04
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“what kinda temps* did you guys have during the day? 50s? 60s?”
sacco
10:48:11 AM
11/29/04
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“50s - 70s somewhere in there, and down in the 20s and 30s at night.”
Bison
10:49:06 AM”

“that big copy/paste was so i could find all that info again couple months from now.”