Fremont Peak (Wyoming)
Geography
The peak is located on the Continental Divide and is the second highest peak in the remote Wind River Range after Gannett Peak. The east flank of the peak is in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness of Shoshone National Forest, while the west side is in the Bridger Wilderness of Bridger-Teton National Forest. The Upper Fremont Glacier is located on the north slopes of the mountain.
Climate
Climate data for Fremont Peak 43.1228 N, 109.6142 W, Elevation: 13,268 ft (4,044 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 17.1 (−8.3) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
21.9 (−5.6) |
27.2 (−2.7) |
36.1 (2.3) |
46.5 (8.1) |
56.0 (13.3) |
54.8 (12.7) |
46.2 (7.9) |
34.0 (1.1) |
22.9 (−5.1) |
16.7 (−8.5) |
33.0 (0.5) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 7.8 (−13.4) |
6.6 (−14.1) |
11.8 (−11.2) |
16.6 (−8.6) |
25.3 (−3.7) |
35.1 (1.7) |
43.6 (6.4) |
42.4 (5.8) |
34.9 (1.6) |
23.9 (−4.5) |
13.7 (−10.2) |
7.6 (−13.6) |
22.4 (−5.3) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | −1.6 (−18.7) |
−3.2 (−19.6) |
1.7 (−16.8) |
6.0 (−14.4) |
14.6 (−9.7) |
23.7 (−4.6) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
23.6 (−4.7) |
13.8 (−10.1) |
4.5 (−15.3) |
−1.5 (−18.6) |
11.9 (−11.2) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.54 (90) |
3.62 (92) |
3.97 (101) |
5.78 (147) |
4.48 (114) |
2.99 (76) |
1.78 (45) |
2.01 (51) |
3.05 (77) |
4.03 (102) |
3.25 (83) |
3.54 (90) |
42.04 (1,068) |
Source: PRISM Climate Group |
Climbing
Due to the remote location and difficult ascent, most mountain climbers spend a total of three to five days hiking up to the mountain, climbing to the summit and then later hiking back to their starting point.
Hazards
Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range. There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.
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, 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader), 2015 and 2018. Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near SquareTop Mountain in 2005, and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue. The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.