Absaroka Range  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  1,000,013,000' Page Views:  1,516. Good page? (1 like)    Administrator:  Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Andrew Carson on Jul 23, 2012 Make this area a Favorite What's New  Printer View Add Area  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Classic view up the Clark's Fork with Pilot on the...

Description 

The Absarokas form the eastern edge of Yellowstone Park and are a mountain rampart stretching more or less from Togwotee Pass to Cooke City, MT. The region is vast, wild, home of the grizzly, and sees little traffic from man with a few notable drainages in their lower reaches. The volcanic flow and brecchia that are the bedrock of the range are visually striking while at the same time making for dangerous and unpleasant technical climbing. Many splendid summits are attainable by hiking and scrambling, however, and the range is a worthy objective if solitude and wilderness summits that might not see an ascent in a decade are appealing.
Francs Peak is one of Wyoming's few 13,000 foot summits, and above Cooke City, MT, but in Wyoming, are Pilot Peak and Index Peak, very striking summits with famous histories in the exploration of the American West. Pilot is a conspicuous technical challenge that is significantly more difficult than Grand Teton, by way of comparison.

Getting There 

There is access to all sides of the Absarokas and one's approach will depend upon objectives. Cooke City, MT will be the jumping off point for Pilot, Index, and the northern part of the range. Meeteetse and Dubois, Wyoming are also close to roadheads, as is Cody, Wyoming and the South Fk. of the Shoshone River, a drainage noted for prime winter ice. Togwotee Pass and Jackson, Wyoming will be useful for travel in the southern parts.

The Classics

Featured Route For Absaroka Range

Standard Route, Southwest Face 5.7 R  WY : Absaroka Range : Pilot Peak

We regard this a classic route not for the great climbing -- it's pretty chossy -- but because the peak itself is worthy of such a label. This is one good way to attain the summit. The route traverses completely across the south face on the huge ledge at the base of the final imposing cliffs. Towards the far, east, end there are a couple of narrow places with some exposed downclimbing to cross. From just shy of the southeast end of the peak, turn up through scree and trend left when ...[more]   Browse More Classics in WY