PRINT: Rock Climbing in Mitchell Peak, Wind River Range

Mitchell Peak

Wyoming > Wind River Range > Cirque of the Towers

Description

Home to at least 4 5th class routes and several 3rd and 4th class jaunts, Mitchell is a nice break from some of the more crowded routes in the Cirque.

Mitchell sits East of Jackass Pass and above Lonesome Lake. Walk offs come down the South/ South West slopes through fields of wild flowers.

The Most popular climb is the North Face Center route.

Getting There

From camp sites above Lonesome Lake traverse South East to the base of the North Face.

Routes from Left to Right

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a 74 ● North Face Center (Ecclesiastes) Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b 15 ● North Face Left Trad, Alpine 9 pitches
3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a 1 ● South Ridge Trad, Alpine

● North Face Center (Ecclesia…

5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Alpine 9 pitches

● North Face Left

5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad, Alpine 9 pitches

● South Ridge

3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a Trad, Alpine

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

The cirque from the summit plateau of Mitchell. July 2010

Mitchell from near [[105825209]] of Pingora

Mitchell from near Northeast Face of Pingora

Mitchell Peak at sunrise from the top of Pingora. Summer '77

Mitchell Peak, Lonesome Lake and Pingora from NY Pass. Summer '77

Mitchell Peak

Mt. Mitchell from camp in the cirque in black and white and showing a bit of route detail.

North Face of Mitchell Peak

Mitchell Peak. Photo by Blitzo.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

George Bell
Boulder, CO

This peak was named for Finis Mitchell en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finis… (1901-1995), an avid explorer of the Wind River Range. He wrote a hiking guide amazon.com/Wind-River-Trail… to the area in 1976 which was recently reprinted. He probably spent more time in the range than anyone else, and populated many of the lakes with trout. Over the course of his life, Mitchell climbed 280 of the 300 peaks in the Wind Rivers. Jul 24, 2007

Darin Lang

Mitchell is the high point of a long ridge that forms the backdrop to Big Sandy on the hike up. A 4th class scramble up Mitchell from Jackass Pass and a ridge run to hit the other four summits makes for a fun, if non-technical day. Jul 25, 2007

George Bell
Boulder, CO

Just to clarify, it is very easy (class 2?) to get from Jackass Pass to the summit of Mitchell. The class 4 rating must be for continuing on past it? Jul 25, 2007

Darin Lang

George is correct - there is a very easy class 2 route up from Jackass Pass. If you go straight up instead of winding around I'd say it's more like class 3+. I'd call it class 4 down from the summit of Mitchell if you try to stay right on the ridgeline, and then class 2 for the rest of the day. Jul 26, 2007

Jeff Shafer
Highlands Ranch, CO

On 8/7/12 was climbing this peak near the top and took a pretty nasty leader fall and was injured (luckily not too seriously). Had to leave gear in order to get off the mountain quickly and to the hospital and learned the next day when we ran into the party that was climbing behind us they had picked it up. The party didn't have the gear with them when we ran into them but said they'd send it back to us and I gave one of them my address. Still haven't seen the gear in the mail which really surprises me as the group was really good guys. They were from the east coast. I believe in the New England area if I remember correctly. Maybe my address got lost somehow? Would love to have the gear back. PM me if you see this and have the gear or info on who the guys were and have a way to contact one of them. Thanks a lot!! Sep 23, 2012

Gumby King
The Gym

I found starting at the gulley at North Lake an easy 2nd class path to the top of Mt. Mitchell. I did this when there was lower water flow in the gulley. Jul 25, 2021