Massive Free Routes in Wyoming’s Wind Range

On Aug. 14 and 15, Nate Mankovich, Ryan Krum and Michal Matyjasik completed the first continuous free ascent of Discovery V 5.12+/13- up the north face of the Monolith in the Winds. The line had been attempted since the 1970s, was completed with one section of aid by Sam Lightner Jr. and his

partners in 2015, and the crux pitch 11 was freed individually by rappelling in the summer of 2018. “It’s one of the best granite wall climbs any of us have completed, and represents only a small amount of the vast potential the Wind River Range has to offer for free climbing,” said Matyjasik. As we were hiking into the Winds, Casey Elliott and Cass Bindrup from Salt Lake City were hiking out and reported they had freed the historic 1962 Beckey/Chouinard/Gran route on the northwest face of East Temple peak. They called the route Drought Year IV 5.11. That route had been sitting mostly dormant for 57 years until they freed it with a variation at the top due to a wet corner system on the original aid line. The line is proud, iconic, and obvious to the many hikers and climbers trekking into the Cirque of the Towers and the Deep Lake areas. “There are many other iconic lines waiting to be freed and discovered in the Wind Rivers, with dozens of cirques with faces from 300 to 600 metres,” said Matyjasik. “There is climbing potential for many lifetimes. The recent free climbing activity in the area, particularly for free climbs 5.11 and harder, is inspiring. Motivated climbers willing to hike will be rewarded with solitude, high quality rock, and limitless potential for first ascents.”