An Iowans Escape to Wyoming: Summiting Medicine Bow Peak
I'll be honest the week leading up to my family's vacation in Wyoming's Snowy Range was a tense one. We watched as hikers chatted the snow conditions on All-Trails and hoped that it would all melt before our journey up to the peak began. It didn't all melt, but it wasn't too much of an issue.
The first day driving the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, we had a fun but daunting surprise as snow began to fall on our vehicle. Now let me be clear, snow in July and even August is not unheard of in this area, but it would definitely make the trail harder to do for our kids, and we hadn't planned on bringing spikes to deal with any ice or snow. We were fully reliant on the temperatures and their ability to melt significant portions of snow before we arrived to hike.
Well, our trip was a resounding success. Much of the ice had melted along Medicine Bow Peak when we arrived in Wyoming, and the snow we did encounter, for only a small amount of time, equated to no more than a limited "dusting" at most. The real challenge was, "were my kids ready to take on high elevations and long trail miles?" I wouldn't have to wait long for an answer.
Medicine Bow Peak rises to 12,018 feet, making it the highest point in Wyoming's Snowy Range. While that number might not mean much from the comfort of your couch, standing at the trailhead near Lake Marie and looking toward the summit is enough to make anyone question whether they're up for the challenge. To be fair, I wasn't worried about myself or wife as we're avid hikers and had spent a weekend and some 15 miles on the trails backpacking through Yellow River State Forest, and many other smaller Iowa hikes. Honestly? I thought the backpacking trip was MUCH harder than this, but elevation can get tricky, especially if it makes you sick, and unfortunately, we did have a couple issues with headaches as we came back down the mountain.
The route itself is considered one of the premier hikes in southeastern Wyoming, and is considered "demanding." Starting near Lake Marie, the trail winds through alpine terrain, past a multitude of crystal-clear lakes, rocky outcroppings, and stretches of rock covered tundra; like nothing we experience in Iowa. The trail also spends much of its time above timberline, leaving hikers exposed to both incredible views and whatever weather conditions the mountain decides to throw their way. In our case, deafening winds at time. It's not super fun to spend a day being wind-whipped, but it was much better than the freezing wind-chill from the day before; when we cruised along the scenic byway. Fortunately for us, the weather cooperated for the most part and the top of the mountain, even with a breeze, was a cool 50+ degrees.
Our family set out from Lake Marie with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. My wife and I had hiked enough to know what to expect, but mountains don't care about your previous experience. Every hike is different. Every elevation gain feels different. Every kid responds differently when the trail gets steeper and the air gets thinner. My daughter Sawyer seemed to have the most issues on this hike. As I had told the twins earlier in the summer, "playing video games all day won't get you prepared for the mountains to come."
The views became more impressive with every switchback we conquered. Looking back toward Lake Marie and the surrounding alpine lakes of Mirror and Lookout, the kids had plenty of excuses to stop for photos and catch a breath or two. The higher we climbed, the more obvious it became that winter wasn't entirely finished with the Snowy Range.
Several snowfields still lingered along portions of the route. Most were manageable, but one section near the summit demanded our full attention and scared even my oldest kid. The trail disappeared beneath the snow on a ledge section near the peak, leaving us to carefully pick our way across the slope while keeping an eye on footing and balance, while fighting the wind. In this instance, the snow actually helped to create a sort of faux path to place our feet between it and the rock outcropping. Now, it wasn't dangerous if approached carefully, but it was definitely the sketchiest section of the entire hike and one that required patience from everyone in our group, and a whole lot of courage and concertation from the kids. And that's where my kids impressed me the most.
Bennett and Sawyer, may have complained a little (what 11 year old wouldn't), but Hayden never did. They never asked to turn around. They simply listened, took their time, and worked through each obstacle as it came. For kids who spend most of their year in Iowa, navigating a snow-covered mountain trail above 11,000 feet isn't exactly an everyday experience.
In fact, during our entire hike, we never encountered another child on the mountain. Every hiker we met was an adult and said how impressed they were by my kids. That made it even more rewarding to watch my twin 11-year-olds and their 16-year-old sister steadily work their way toward the highest point in the Snowy Range.
The final push to the top rewarded us with panoramic views stretching across southeastern Wyoming. Alpine lakes shimmered below. The Snowy Range Scenic Byway cut through the landscape below us. Peaks and valleys extended toward the horizon in every direction. It was beautiful.
At 12,013 feet above sea level, the summit offered more than just another checkmark on my family's growing list of mountain adventures. It provided proof that Bennett, Sawyer, and Hayden were capable of far more than they probably ever realized. For a parent, it's an amazing thing to see your kids look at a mountain as just another hike, as opposed to an insurmountable task.
As we left the summit, we found one lingering snowfield that offered an opportunity too good to pass up. Rather than carefully navigating around part of the snow-covered route, we decided to do a little glissading. That's what the official name is for what I prefer to call, "butt-sledding."
Before anyone launched themselves down the slope, I made sure the runout was safe and free of hazards. Once I was comfortable with where everyone would end up, I positioned myself at the bottom to make sure the kids had a safe landing zone. What followed was one of the most memorable moments of the trip.
Myself and the kids laughed the entire way down as they slid across snow that had somehow survived into July. For a family from Iowa, spending part of a summer vacation sledding on a mountain wasn't exactly something I'd anticipated when packing our bags. After this it was your basic trail to the bottom and back to the car. All 8 miles of it in just under 7 hours of total time. Our moving time sat at around 5 hours, but hey, you have to take pictures and breaks for hydration at altitudes and in the dry mountain air full of wildfire smoke wafting in from Colorado. Check out the full adventure below!
The hike challenged my kids physically. The elevation challenged them mentally and physically. And the snow-covered sections tested their confidence. They passed every test. Standing on the highest point in the Snowy Range, it was hard not to feel proud. Not because we reached the summit, but because of how we got there. One step at a time, three Iowa kids conquered a mountain that many people only admire from a distance. And if you ask me, that's a pretty good way to spend a family vacation.
Photos: Michigan's Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore
Gallery Credit: Tom Ehlers
Photos: Iowa's Backbone State Park
Gallery Credit: Tom Drake
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