Medicine Bow

[edfrank]

NTS,

  Today Monica and I climbed Medicine Bow Peak in the Medicine Bow Range of the Wyoming Rockies. The summit is 12,013 feet, and we felt every foot of it. But it was worth the pain. What a great place.

   Here is a view from the trail looking south toward Old Main, the Diamond, etc. Old Main is 11,755 feet elevation. The Diamond is 11,720 feet. Please remember to double click to see the images in larger format.

               

                       

                                       

               

  Here are two shots of Monica on the trail. She did fabulously. There were lots of people climbing the peak, and all were in excellent shape.

               

                       

                                       

               

               

                       

                                       

               

    The rocks near the summit are fascinating. We needed Ed for an interpretation. Lots of quartzite, but there were other types of rocks as well. Some are ancient. The peak on tye horizon is Elk Mountain, a detached part of the Medicine Bow.

               

                       

                                       

               

    The flat summit in the distance is Browns Peak.

               

                       

                                       

               

     Here is a distant view of Medicine Bow Peak.

               

                       

                                       

               

     Sugar Loaf.

               

                       

                                       

               

     Libby Lake. Elevation 10,722 ft.

               

                       

                                       

               

               

                       

                                       

               

      Fireweed

               

                       

                                       

               

      Lingering snow, high on Medicine Bow.

               

                       

                                       

               

      More to come.

Bob

[Joe]

Bob, regarding that steep face of the mountain, I wonder if anyone bothers to climb that? I can see all the loose material that is accumulating at the bottom so the cliff might be unstable- it would probably be very difficult even for the best techincal climbers- though of course that makes for a challenge. Or, maybe that loose material is glacial debris. Ed?
Joe

[edfrank]

Joe,

I am unsure about the geology there.  The rock looks like it has plenty of cracks, but I would not know about the stability without seeing for myself.  I would guess the debris at the base are pieces from the cliff itself rather than glaciers.  Mountain glaciers would carve a clean path while growing and would deposit till as they retreat, but I don't think that distribution would be from till.

Ed

[dbhguru]

Joe, Ed,

  Ed, your explanation is correct with respect to the talus slopes. The overall topography is glacial, as to be expected. Lots of erratics. Joe, there are places where the rock is excellent for climbing, but nobody climbs the loose stuff.

  More images.

   Libby Lake

[attachment=1]MB-17.jpg[/attachment]

   Looking toward Old Main, the Diamond, and School House Rock.

[attachment=0]MB-22.jpg[/attachment]

   Well, it is eastward ho in about an hour.

Bob

[jamesrobertsmith]

One of my pals climbed that mountain last year. He had to race a thunderstorm down the mountain. It hit the summit just as he got back down, fortunately. Looks like a peak that should definitely be on my someday bag-list.

[edfrank]

Bob-
As a once avid backpacker of wildernesses, these photos are tantalizing!
Regarding the two images with Monica in them, the backdrop includes glacial lakes (called tarns), and if I'm interpreting the topography correctly, a series of tarns descending along the base of the steep (perhaps glacially carved) ridge, called 'pater noster' lakes (latin for prayer beads, as I recall from my Junior College Geology class).
Well done on the 10K/12K elevations, were you prepared for the unfiltered UV up there?
-Don

[edfrank]

Don,

  Reasonably prepared for the UV. Sun was intense. Here is the last batch of Medicine Bow images.

  Lake Marie and 11,755-ft Old Main.

               

                       

                                       

               

  Monica contemplating the superlative scenery on her perch above Lake Marie.

               

                       

                                       

               

  Looking across Marie toward Sugar Loaf.

               

                       

                                       

               

  The 11,720-foot Diamond

               

                       

                                       

               

  SURPRISE!!

               

                       

                                       

               

               

                       

                                       

               

  We were grateful to Medicine Bow for the gifts it bestowed on us.

BOB

[Larry Tucei]

Bob,   The images you have posted from Medicine Bow are inspiring. I'll bet you could drink from the Lake and the fishing must be great.  What an impressive climb for you guys. Beautiful!  I sure hope I get to go to all the places you and Monica have visited in the last couple of months.  Thanks for sharing. You know Bob you could almost start a NWS (Native Wilderness Society), or NMS (Native Mountain Society) with all your adventures!  Love the Moose photo. That is one huge animal!   Larry

[dbhguru]

NTS,

  This is a photo looking northward toward Medicine Bow Peak. My previous shots from the climb  were from the side of Medicine Bow looking in the direction of this photo. Schools House Rock, the Diamond, and Old Main are seen in the image. Medicien Bow Peak is the slightly rounded summit in the distance.

               

                       

                                       

               

Bob