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Fall at Wind River Mountain Range


Feast your eyes on this cloudy, Autumn view of the Wind River Mountain range. =]:)

The Wind River Range, or "Winds" for short, is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming in the United States. The range runs roughly NW-SE for approximately 100 miles. The Continental Divide follows the crest of the range and includes Gannett Peak, which at 13,804 feet, is the highest peak in Wyoming. 

 There are more than 40 other named peaks in excess of 13,000 feet. With the exception of the Grand Teton in the Teton Range, the next 19 highest peaks in Wyoming after Gannett are also in the Winds.

 The Shoshones and Absarokas (Crow) Native Americans, lived in the range beginning 7000 and 9000 years ago. Villages as high as 10,000 feet in elevation, dating from 700 to 2000 BC, have recently been studied by archaeologists. These villages were established by the Sheepeater band of Shoshone during pine nut harvesting season. 

 Two large National Forests including three wilderness areas encompass most of the mountain range. Shoshone National Forest is on the eastern side of the continental divide while Bridger-Teton National Forest is on the west. Both National Forests and the entire mountain range are an important part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Portions of the range are also inside the Wind River Indian Reservation.

I am a writer, outdoors enthusiast, mountain climber, avid reader and trouble maker. I live near Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

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