Haystack Mountain (Wyoming)

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

Haystack Mountain
North aspect
Highest point
Elevation11,978 ft (3,651 m)[1]
Prominence538 ft (164 m)[1]
Parent peakSteeple Peak (12,040 ft)[2]
Isolation1.22 mi (1.96 km)[2]
Coordinates42°43′54″N 109°09′59″W[3]
Geography
Haystack Mountain is located in Wyoming
Haystack Mountain
Haystack Mountain
Location in Wyoming
Haystack Mountain is located in the United States
Haystack Mountain
Haystack Mountain
Haystack Mountain (the United States)
LocationSublette County, Wyoming, U.S.
Parent rangeWind River Range
Topo mapUSGS Temple Peak
Geology
Type of rockgranite
Climbing
Easiest routeclass 4[2] Grassy Goat Route

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)

Climbing

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

  • North Gully – (class 5.2)
  • North Face – (II 5.6) – 1958 – Jack Curtin and John Wells
  • Minor Dihedral – (III 5.9) – 1964 – Pete Croff, Phil Fowler, Richard Schori
  • Major Dihedral – (IV 5.9+) – 1964 – Fred Beckey, Jerry Fuller
  • Flashflood – (II 5.9) – 1969 – Harvey Carter, James Ebert
  • Railroad Tracks – (III 5.8) – 1973 – Joe Kelsey, Bill St. Jean
  • Central Corner – (III 5.9) – 1973 – Elaine Mathews, Stuart Phillips
  • Southern Wall Left – (IV 5.10c) – 1974 – Joe Kelsey, Dave Loeks, Dick Williams
  • Seams Thin – (IV 5.10d) – 1995 – Tim Wolfe, Chris Abbott
  • Pika Alliteration – (II 5.8) – 2010 – Jared Spaulding, Jake Koplen, Jackson Smith
West face of Haystack Mountain

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

See also

References
  1. "Haystack Mountain, Wyoming". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  2. "Haystack Mountain - 11,978' WY". listsofjohn.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  3. "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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