I am planning a backpacking trip for mid-August in the Cloud Peak Wilderness with my boys before they head back to school. We're flying into Billings, renting a car, and plan some sort of backcountry loop for 5-8 days. We are avid backpackers and comfortable scrambling and navigating in the backcountry. We're not experienced climbers, though, nor do we have technical climbing gear. Maybe someday

Red River Gorge and Great Smoky Mountains are our stomping grounds so we're excited for our first backpacking trip out West and to spend some time above 9,000'. I have been reading the summit post descriptions for the Big Horn range. My plan is to try something like Point 11,120 early in the week with the goal of tackling Cloud Peak by the end of the trip (once we acclimate a bit). Bomber Mt might be on the list if only because of the history behind the name. We really just want to find a bit of solitude, hike up a few big rocks, and come home with enough stories to last til the next trip.

I understand that there is still a glacier on Cloud Peak's east face. My boys (and I) are enamored with the idea of exploring the glacier if we can do so with just crampons. Is it reasonable that we could safely trek a bit on the glacier or is that best left off the list for this trip?

Any suggestions or advice on camping locations or summits we may want to consider tackling (or ones to avoid)? I appreciate any advice.

Thanks,
Dirk

My suggestion would be to camp somewhere down low for a day or two to acclimate a bit. When we lived in Wyo we lived at 4500' and would go up Cloud Peak in a two day deal and never had any trouble. Theres lots of places to camp but keep in mind in the wilderness (above 9200') you cant have a fire so youll need a good stove setup. The main hub to Cloud Peak is West Tensleep but we would go out of Battle Park because less people and better scenery in my opinion. BP is shorter distance but steeper if I remember right. There's many peaks you can hit that are lower or you could go part way up Cloud, Bomber, Bighorn, Mathers or any other then just come down. There is a small glacier on the east side of Cloud and I've never been to the bottom of it but I've heard its a real bear. Lakes guard it from the east with bushwacking around them I've heard of people rafting across however to eliminate the bushwacking. To get to the glacier from the east is a thirty plus walk/four wheeler trip if I remember right. You can see the glacier easily from the summit. I would purchase a good map of the area, National Geographic makes a great topo of the wilderness area and a little of the surrounding area as well. There's also a publication of the Falcons guide (Backpacking in the Bighorn Mountains) I think. This book is a great tool in that country. It tells you everything you will need to know and then some I would highly recommend this purchase. We never worried much about predators up there. In all the time we spent we only saw one bear and heard one lion. They are there so use you head and keep a clean camp. Bear spray is not a bad idea but I'd worry more about the moose. A cow with her calf can be a very dangerous animal so I would observe from a safe distance because they can cover country as fast as a quarter horse. Good luck, be safe and enjoy some amazing country. I'm jealous of you, we live in Alaska and even with the mountains here I still miss the Bighorns a LOT.

I would take 16 west from Buffalo to forest road 27 (deer haven). Soon after take 24 to the left to Battle Park trailhead. Take trail 164 north just past Grace lake and then east on 38 to the east side of Lake Solitude. There is good camping on the east side in the tree line. Day 2 you can do a day hike on the same trail east until you come to a bridge with a waterfall. Follow the left side of the falls up unnamed lakes near peak 10164. Many of the peaks here can be scrambled from some aspect. The lakes in this basin are filled with Golden Trout. You can follow the chain of lakes and streams up into Wilderness basin all the way to beautiful west views of alpine rock peaks called Blacktooth, Woolsey, Gargoyle, and the Innominate. You will also be staring at the striking west face of Cloud Peak. There is 4th class couloir on this face, but the rock is loose. You can do Solitude to Wilderness basin and back in an easy day. Day 3 you can continue on trail 38 east to Misty moon lake, or continue on it into Florence canyon for an attempt on Bomber mountain. The best bet for getting to the wreckage is to go around the west side of the lake and ascend the peak from the north side.....straight across from where you view the face when cresting the trail and the lake comes into view. That would be a easy 3rd day. I wouldn't recommend taking your boys onto the glacier as it's a pretty steep angled bugger. You could turn all of that into longer days/multiple days if you wish. You can even camp in Wilderness basin. Feel free to pm me if you have any questions about any other routes/ climbing info. I'll be on the east face of Cloud in 2 weeks and can give you a conditions report if you plan on the standard sw ridge ascent. I was just in Wilderness basin near the west face yesterday and it was snowing on the summit that night. Prob 2-4".

Wow nothing like having an itinerary when youre looking for adventure. I havent been in those woods for about two years but if my memory serves me right those trail numbers wont do much for you because theres no markings and really there should t be. Hope to read your info when you get out and have a chance to post. Enjoy Gods country and know He took His time when he created the place youre fixin to step into!

jharrwyo wrote:Wow nothing like having an itinerary when youre looking for adventure. I havent been in those woods for about two years but if my memory serves me right those trail numbers wont do much for you because theres no markings and really there should t be. Hope to read your info when you get out and have a chance to post. Enjoy Gods country and know He took His time when he created the place youre fixin to step into!

Those trail numbers are at every junction, and the trees are blazed.....have been for a very long time on nearly every trail I've been on... And I've climbed nearly every major peak from multiple aspects, and fished some of the most remote unnamed lakes and streams. Even the unnamed lakes at or above treeline have easy to find game trails to follow around so you don't get hung up in the swamp brush. Trails are marked with cairns above treeline.

Guess i dont remember seeing much signage but wyosummit is correct the trails are very easy to find and thanks to horseman even little used trails are in good shape. Either way have a great adventure

Just back on the grid and seeing your posts. Thank-you both for the feedback - I really appreciate it! We fly out on Aug 9th. I'll digest the info and may reach out with a few specific questions. I did pick up the NatGeo topo map as well as Erik Molvar's book.

Really, can't thank-you enough for taking the time to share your experience and advice.

dirklc wrote:Just back on the grid and seeing your posts. Thank-you both for the feedback - I really appreciate it! We fly out on Aug 9th. I'll digest the info and may reach out with a few specific questions. I did pick up the NatGeo topo map as well as Erik Molvar's book.

Really, can't thank-you enough for taking the time to share your experience and advice.

I'll be coming off the Cloud Peak glacier/East face of Cloud on the 9th. I'll message you a conditions report. In the West and East Tensleep drainages, you are required to pack out all human waste and trash.