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Deep Lake and Cirque of the Towers ~ August 2-7, 2006
Location... The Cirque of the
Towers - for me, invokes medieval imagery. And the name alone made me want to go there.
Then I read other's trip reports, saw a few photos, and the deal was sealed.
I had to go! I could picture myself standing amongst the alpine lakes surrounded by the high
granite spires bathed in morning alpenglow. The quest was on! I attempted to
plan the trip last year, but my busy schedule just wouldn't budge.
So this year I started planning earlier, set the dates, sent emails to
others interested, and finally scheduled the trip on
the calendar (in ink).
The Cirque of the Towers lies at the Southern end of Wyoming's Wind River Range. The cirque itself is technically located in the Popo Agie Wilderness, within the Shoshone National Forest, on the East side of the Continental Divide. But much of the surrounding area, including the Big Sandy Opening Trailhead, lies in the Bridger Wilderness, within the Bridger-Teton National Forest. The peaks which make up the cirque are also inspiring by name alone. They create a half-circle on the topo map, along the Continental Divide and include (from South to North): Warbonnet Peak (12,369 ft), Warrior Peaks I and II (12,406 ft), Pylon Peak (12,378 ft), Watch Tower (12,326 ft), Block Tower (12,210 ft), Shark's Nose (12,229 ft), Overhanging Tower (12,164 ft), Wolf's Head (12,163 ft), Pingora Peak (11,884 ft), Camel's Hump (12,537 ft), and Lizard Head Peak (12,842 ft). The spectacular scenery and classic technical rock climbing make the cirque a popular destination for both backpackers and climbers alike. In addition to the cirque proper, the surrounding areas are also quite spectacular, if less-known. The Deep Lake and Temple Lake areas are much less traveled and just as beautiful. And we added these destinations to our route. The Photo Experience... I had been planning and looking forward to this trip for over a year. And the Cirque of the Towers certainly did not disappoint! Due to the steep terrain of the mountains and the deep lake-filled cirques, the lighting conditions can be difficult. But we found countless photographic subjects and experienced plenty of sweet light. At the Deep Lake location, both mornings and evenings were productive with both great light and photo opportunities. Temple Peak and distant views of the Cirque of Tower are bathed in warm light at dawn. And East Temple Peak and the spire towering above Deep Lake were spectacular in the evening. The Cirque of the Towers is a more difficult subject. We found the best light in the mornings. But many peaks lie in the shadow of the summer morning sunrise and don't receive light until later in the day. Regardless, the proximity of the peaks, the many tarns and lakes, and the abundant wildflowers of late summer make this a premier site for photography. It was my pleasure to have great hiking and photo companions on this trip. Rick Dunn and Jack Brauer are both good friends and extremely talented artists. We had a great time together - pounding the trail, lounging in camp talking photography and sharing our admiration of the mountains. I must say, we had a couple of the best backcountry campsite views I've ever experienced.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our trip. None of the
photo locations are secret. If you're willing to put in the work to get
there, I'm happy to share information to help you enjoy your trip.
Note: Throughout this travelogue you will find links to GPX and Google Earth files.
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