Gannett Peak in Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming

Many long and difficult routes await climbers who wish to scale the highest point in Wyoming at 13,804 feet above sea level, but some can make the hike shorter for a price.

Gannett Peak is a very remote mountain in the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains in western Wyoming. The standard routes from the east (Glacier Trail) and the west (Pole Creek) are long, rugged routes that involve demanding hikes of over 20 miles through backcountry, with snow and glacier climbs through chutes and over bergschrunds near the summit to the views of the Wind River Range.

However, climbers can cut off a significant portion of the hike and the multiple creek crossings from the east by nearly 15 miles if they are prepared to pay for the privilege. The Ink Wells Trail meets the Glacier Trail, but access to Ink Wells is on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Access can be arranged by calling the reservation’s Ranger Station at (307) 455-2466 well in advance of your excursion. A guide will have to be hired to drive the climbers to the trailhead and the Reservation Trespass fee per day will have to be paid as well.  As of 2011, climbers should expect to pay upwards of $300 per person, with a maximum group size of six, should they wish to use the Ink Wells Trail.