Mount Helen (Wyoming)
Mountain in the American state of Wyoming
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mount Helen (13,620 feet (4,150 m)) is located in the Wind River Range in the U.S. state of Wyoming.[3] The peak is the fourth highest peak in the range[4] and the fifth tallest in Wyoming.[5] The summit is located in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest, immediately west of the Continental Divide. The eastern flanks of the mountain are covered in snowfields and glaciers, including Helen and Sacagawea Glaciers, all of which are in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest.
| Mount Helen | |
|---|---|
North aspect | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 13,620 ft (4,150 m)[1] |
| Prominence | 820 ft (250 m)[1] |
| Coordinates | 43°09′04″N 109°37′52″W[2] |
| Geography | |
  Mount Helen Location in Wyoming  Mount Helen Location in the United States | |
| Location | Sublette County, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Parent range | Wind River Range |
| Topo map | USGS Gannett Peak |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | 1924 by Herman Buhl and Albert Ellingwood |
Notable Ascents
- 1974 Northwest Ridge of the First Tower, NCCS III F8 A1, 11 pitches. FA by Dean Hannibal, Dennis Turville and Lynn Wheeler.[6]
Hazards
Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[7] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.[8]
Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993,[9] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader),[10] 2015[11] and 2018.[12] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain[13] in 2005,[14] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue.[15] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.
