Gannett

tigerlilly · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 383

Useful link. Photos are always appreciated!

That guy is in better shape than I'm in right now. Sad

I'm not sure I can run 12 miles easily at altitude.

It looks like that route might work well, assuming you don't have a lot of water melt off.
The Wells Creek might swell up too much (this time of year?).

I'm curious to know why more people don't hike it this way, if it is so much easier.

Is the Green River Trailhead the highline trail? It is off my map.

Ammon Hatch · Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Posts: 549

pyerger · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 46

pbakwin · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 59

dfrancom · Joined: 18 Jul 2008 Posts: 96

Just thought you guys might like to know. The current speed record for Gannette is 8 hrs and 20 min by Dave Anderson from Green River Lakes Entrance. And thats CAR to CAR. 17 hrs should be nice and comfortable! ha ha right?

pbakwin · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 59

Wow, that's a pretty fast time. Is there a trip report somewhere? I would like to talk to Dave about that & put it on my "fastest known time" site: pbakwin.home.comcast.net/FKT.HTML
The next fastest time I'm aware of is 17:48 via the standard route, by the legendary Chris Reveley, way back in the day.
Thanks!
P

pbakwin · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 59

That post about Dave Anderson's speed record on Gannett kind of threw
me, as it came as I was kicking back in Pinedale getting ready to try my
own speed ascent the next day! The quoted time, 8:20 "car-to-car"
seems very very fast for any route on Gannett. Now that I am back home
& had a chance to do a search, I see that this is incorrect. According to
this site:
http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/windrivers06/
8:20 was car-to-summit. The site says:
"Anderson ...[set] the fastest known ]time] for the 18-mile ascent of
13,804-foot Gannet Peak, Wyoming’s highest summit (8 hours 20 minutes)..."
The round trip is about 36 miles, so this is clearly the ascent time only.

Soooo, as of yesterday (8/1) I'm going to claim the FKT for Gannett!
I started at the GRL TH at 4:22 a.m. and ascended via Tourist Creek.
I made the summit in exactly 7 hours. Spent 10 minutes up there
admiring the view, then down in about 5:30, a total time of 12h39m29s.
Conditions were very good. My knowledge of the route was limited to
having ascended Wells Creek in August 2004, so there were some
inefficiencies, but mostly I made good choices.

Tourist is a tough route! There is just a mind- (and quad-) blowing amount
of rock hopping. Once you leave the Highline there is virtually no easy
going. For those not wishing to do the whole 36(?) miles in a day
you either camp at the bottom of Tourist Creek & have a 14(?) mile,
7000 foot day, or you schlep your pack up 2000 vertical feet of
brutal rock hopping over just about 1.5 miles to a higher camp.
Tough stuff.

I think if Wells Creek were low enough to cross at the critical point,
or if a person were comfortable soloing exposed 5.6 rock (up & down)
in a wilderness setting, Wells Creek would be a faster option as it
is more direct and has about 1000 feet less climbing that Tourist
(on Tourist, you have to drop down into the upper Wells Creek
drainage near Scott Lake.)

When I get a chance I'll see if I can add the Tourist and Wells Creek
routes to the Gannett page.

Normally I'm basically a runner, but this year I have really been
enjoying the high peaks more, and so my "training" was pretty
good for this effort. I climbed a bunch of 14ers and high 13ers
in Colo, and the Grand Teton on 7/30.

I hope everyone is enjoying their mountain adventures!

PB

dfrancom · Joined: 18 Jul 2008 Posts: 96

pbakwin · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 59

While its fresh in my mind, I added a route page for Tourist Creek. There are some tricks to that route that can save you some time & effort. Sorry I don't have a lot of pictures -- since I was solo & going as light as possible I did not bring a camera this time. If others have pics to add that would be great. I plan to add Wells Creek sometime too.
PB

tigerlilly · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 383

We'll be heading up tomorrow. Thanks for the information on Tourist Creek!

pbakwin · Joined: 23 Jun 2003 Posts: 59

I added a few pics to the Tourist Creek route page. If you get any good ones
on your trip please either add them or send them to me & I will add them.
Thanks & have a great, safe trip.
PB

jvarholak · Joined: 29 Dec 2006 Posts: 283

good luck Tig..... have a blast..... #2's a charm..let me know how you make out....
stay safe, climb high

tigerlilly · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 383

Bad Luck! Short Version:

Went up Well's creek with full packs and hit the spot where there is a 5.6 pitch. We setup protection and a lightening storm and hail came in. Scared the hell out of me. Hustled down in a hurry. Wet rocks covered in lichen....not fun. The boulders are huge. The size of SUV's or larger.

Next day we went up Tourist creek (much easier) and got turned around by a white out snow storm. Wet boulders covered in snow and lichen. hmmm.... I'm getting used to this by now. The boulders are the size of refrigerators to dinner plates. Very loose. Tricky.
Wasn't our time this year.

The hike in is GORGEOUS and about 12 miles. Sweeet camping spots.

We flew a small plane over and found Bonny Pass is covered in snow. So, I think that is your best route this year if your trying to make the summit.

I'm short on time. I'll post photos later. Good Luck, folks.

Mosquitos were bad. Used 100% deet. Saw very few critters. It has been a wet season there this year.
-TL

Alpinist · Joined: 29 Jul 2003 Posts: 5204

tigerlilly · Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 383

The "best" route isn't always the easiest! Wink

Your assuming I wouldn't want to go back and try Gannett more than once. I thought the area was beautiful and I'd happily go back. I hope I keep failing! Laughing

I would have chosen the other route, but I'm having ethical issues with it.