Steeple Peak
Northwest aspect
Highest point
Elevation12,040 ft (3,670 m)[1][2]
Prominence400 ft (120 m)[1]
Parent peakEast Temple Peak (12,605 ft)[3]
Isolation0.37 mi (0.60 km)[3]
Coordinates42°42′53″N 109°09′33″W / 42.71472°N 109.15917°W / 42.71472; -109.15917[1]
Geography
Steeple Peak is located in Wyoming
Steeple Peak
Steeple Peak
Location in Wyoming
Steeple Peak is located in the United States
Steeple Peak
Steeple Peak
Steeple Peak (the United States)
LocationSublette County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent rangeWind River Range
Topo mapUSGS Temple Peak
Geology
Type of rockgranite
Climbing
First ascentAugust 22, 1961 Chouinard[4]
Easiest routeclass 5.8[3] South ridge

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

Geography

The peak is situated 1.5 mile west of the Continental Divide in the remote Wind River Range. It is set in the Bridger Wilderness, on land managed by Bridger-Teton National Forest. It is on the ridge between Haystack Mountain 1.2 mile to the north, and parent East Temple Peak 0.37 mile to the south. Other neighbors include Schiestler Peak, 2.2 mile to the northwest, and Temple Peak 1.25 mile southwest. Topographic relief is significant as the northwest aspect rises 1,500 feet (460 meters) above Deep Lake in one-half mile. Access is via a half-day hike on the Big Sandy Trail. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into tributaries of the Big Sandy River, which in turn is a tributary of the Green River.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Steeple Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[5] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer.

Steeple Peak (left), East Temple Peak (center)

Climbing

Established climbing routes:[6]

  • South Ridge – class 5.8 – 1961 – Yvon Chouinard, Art Gran, John Hudson
  • North Ridge and Upper West Face – 1964 – Richard Ream, Gerry Holdsworth[7]
  • East Ridge – 1979 – Alan Bartlett, David Black, Rick Bradshaw
  • West face Major dihedral – class 5.11 – 1995 – Tim Wolfe, Chris Abbott, Susan Wolfe
  • North Ridge (aka Great North Chimney) – (III 5.8)

Hazards

Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[8] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.[9]

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,[10] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader),[11] 2015[12] and 2018.[13] A 54-year-old climber from Durango fell 400–800 feet to his death from Steeple Peak in 2017.[14] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near Squaretop Mountain[15] in 2005,[16] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue.[17] 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), Steeple Peak, and East Temple Peak rise above Deep Lake

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Steeple Peak, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  2. ↑ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493001354, page 385.
  3. 1 2 3 "Steeple Peak - 12,060' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  4. ↑ Orrin H. Bonney, Lorraine G. Bonney, 1965, Guide to the Wyoming Mountains and Wilderness Areas, Sage Books, page 211.
  5. ↑ 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.
  6. ↑ Joe Kelsey, 2013, Climbing and Hiking in the Wind River Mountains, Falcon Guides, ISBN 9781493001354, page 430.
  7. ↑ Richard Ream, North America, United States, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Steeple Peak, North Ridge and Upper West Face, 1965, Americanalpineclub.org
  8. ↑ Staff (April 24, 2017). "Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country". WindRiver.org. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  9. ↑ Ballou, Dawn (July 27, 2005). "Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide". PineDaleOnline News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  10. ↑ Staff (1993). "Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake". American Alpine Club. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  11. ↑ MacDonald, Dougald (August 14, 2007). "Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader". Climbing. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  12. ↑ Staff (December 9, 2015). "Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental". Casper Star-Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  13. ↑ Dayton, Kelsey (August 24, 2018). "Deadly underestimation". WyoFile News. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  14. ↑ Nick Learned, Climber Falls to His Death in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, August 31, 2017, k2radio.com
  15. ↑ Funk, Jason (2009). "Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing". Mountain Project. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ Staff (September 1, 2006). "Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search". WildernessDoc.com. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
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