Mount Fitzpatrick

Overview

Mount Fitzpatrick is the highest peak in the Salt River Range, a range that parallels the higher Wyoming Range and the two are separated by Greys River. The peak is not visible from most directions and the best places to see the peak from a distance are from the east, high on the slopes of the Wyoming Range.



Besides its elusive nature, Mount Fitzpatrick is one of the best kept secrets in the area. The Crow Creek Lakes trail is not regularly used and provides an excellent backcountry alpine setting. The Crow Creek Lakes themselves are very beautiful with a glacial green-blue color. Lower Crow Creek Lake seemed to have the best colors, but in my opinion Upper Crow Creek Lake was more scenic with rugged Mount Fitzpatrick as an awesome backdrop. If you are backpacking into the area, either of these lakes would make an excellent camp spot.

With all the great scenery down below, the summit views from Mount Fitzpatrick will also not disappoint. To the north you will have great views along the Salt River Range, and on clear days the Tetons will make an appearance at about 70 miles away. To the northeast is Mount McDougal and a little further south Triple Peak. To the southeast is Wyoming Peak. All three of these peaks belong to the Wyoming Range. To the south are more of the Salt River and Wyoming ranges. To the southwest the small Sublette Range can be seen and to the west is the Aspen Range, both about 35 miles away.

Mount Fitzpatrick has 2247 feet of prominence and comes in at #22 for Wyoming peaks with the most prominence. Click here for Wyoming’s top 100 peaks with the most prominence.

A panorama from the summit of Mount Fitzpatrick looking east towards the Wyoming Range. Mount McDougal can be seen to the left, followed by Triple Peak a little further right. Looking all the way to the right is the flat topped Mount Coffin and pointy Wyoming Peak in the middle. The Crow Creek drainage is seen just to the left of the summit ridge. 7/1/2007

Getting There

One nice aspect of the Greys River Road and the access roads is that they’re drivable for a passenger car from either direction. If you are coming from the south the road is a little bumpier in spots.



From Salt Lake City (230 miles) :

There are several possible driving routes from Salt Lake, but I will describe the one I think is fastest.

Head east on I-80 towards Evanston, WY. Take exit 5 in Evanston and get on US highway 89 and head north. Soon you will cross in Utah, and 89 is also labeled as 16, following 16 north through Woodruff, about 19 miles later you will be at Sage Creek Junction, take a right onto US Highway 30/89. Following for another 8 miles as you pass back into Wyoming, take a left onto 89 and head north towards Cokeville, WY. Continue heading north for another 40 miles from Cokeville along US highway 89 to the well graded dirt road signed Smiths Fork Road. Take a right onto Smiths Fork Road and follow it for 24 miles to the intersection (just past the LaBarge Guard Station) with Greys River Road. Take a left onto Greys River Road and head north for 16 miles to the signed Crow Creek Lakes trailhead on your left. There is a small parking area.

From Alpine, WY (42 miles) :

If you are coming from the north side of the range the easiest way to access the Greys River Road is from Alpine, WY. From Alpine, follow the nicely graded Greys River Road south for 42 miles, where the last 10 miles are bumpier, to the Crow Creek Lakes trailhead on your right. There is a small parking area.

From Pinedale, WY (63 miles) :

From Pinedale, WY head north (really west) on US highway 191, for 10 miles to Daniel Junction. At Daniel Junction, turn left onto US highway 189 and head south for 3 miles to Cottonwood Ryegrass Road (paved a short distance then turns to a well graded dirt road) and take a right. Follow this road westward for 14 miles to Ryegrass Junction, and take a right onto North Cottonwood road. Follow North Cottonwood road for just under 15 miles westward to Greys River Road. Take a left onto Greys River Road and head south for 10 miles to the Crow Creek Lakes Trailhead on your right.

When To Climb

The best time to visit the peak would be late June-September during a normal snow year. The area is known to have unusually cool temperature and the route up from Crow Creek Lakes heads directly up the north side of Mount Fitzpatrick, therefore snow will stay longer on this side.

Both sides (north & south) of Greys River road do not open until June 1st, and could also be longer depending on the snow. The north side of Greys River Road also approaches elevations of over 9000 feet, and access from this side may be closed even longer.

Camping

If you are planning on camping in the range, whether on Greys River road or backpacking to the Crow Creek Lakes, one thing to plan for is cold nighttime temperatures. Because of its’ topography, the range traps cold air in, and creates unusually cold nighttime temperatures within the range.

Primitive camping is available almost anywhere throughout the range, but many spots exist within a few miles of the trailhead on Greys River Road. In my opinion the best spots were a few miles to the south of the trailhead on Greys River Road.

If you are looking for an established campground, there are several on the northern portion of Greys River Road, ranging from 15-25 miles driving distance from the Crow Creek Lakes trailhead. To access these campgrounds, head north from the trailhead on Greys River Road. More information about these campground can be found here.

Red Tape & USGS Quads

Mount Fitzpatrick and the Crow Creek Lakes trailhead are part of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Please follow wilderness area rules.

Box Canyon Creek (1:24k)

Red Top Mountain (1:24k)

Greys River Ranger District

Greys River Office

125 Washington St.
P.O. Box 339
Afton, WY 83110
307-886-5300
Fax: 307-885-5339

Mountain Conditions

A predicted forecast for the area can be found here.

Local weather for Afton, Wyoming can be found here.

Images

View Mount Fitzpatrick Image Gallery - 45 Images