View source for Fitzpatrick Wilderness

{{Short description|Wilderness area in Wyoming, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox protected area 
| name = Fitzpatrick Wilderness
| iucn_category = Ib
| photo = File:Wind River Range July 2017 1.jpg
| photo_caption = [[Fremont Peak (Wyoming)]] in the [[Wind River Range]] near the Fitzpatrick Wilderness
| map = USA
| relief = 1
| map_caption = 
| location = [[Fremont County, Wyoming|Fremont]] / [[Sublette County, Wyoming|Sublette]] counties, [[Wyoming]], [[United States]]
| nearest_city = [[Lander, Wyoming|Lander, WY]]
| coordinates = {{coord|43|12|N|109|38|W|region:US|display=inline, title}}
| area_acre = 198,525
| established = 1976
| visitation_num = 
| visitation_year = 
| governing_body = [[United States Forest Service|U.S. Forest Service]]
}}
The '''Fitzpatrick Wilderness''' is located in [[Shoshone National Forest]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wyoming]]. The wilderness was originally known as the Glacier Primitive Area, but was redesignated a wilderness in 1976.

==Overview==
[[U.S. Wilderness Area]]s do not allow [[motor vehicles|motorized]] or [[mechanization|mechanized]] vehicles, including [[bicycle]]s. Although [[camping]] and [[fishing]] are allowed with proper permit, no roads or buildings are constructed and there is also no [[forestry|logging]] or [[mining]], in compliance with the 1964 [[Wilderness Act]]. Wilderness areas within [[United States National Forest|National Forests]] and [[Bureau of Land Management]] areas also allow [[hunting]] in season.
{{multipleimage |header=Fremont Peak ([[Wind River Range]]; [[Rocky Mountains]]; [[Wyoming]], [[United States]])|align=center |direction=horizontal |width= |image1=Upper Fremont Glacier.jpg |caption1=Upper Fremont Glacier on the north slope of Fremont Peak |width1=300 |image2=|caption2=Upper Fremont Peak viewing south from the south slope of the Peak - during a [[Backpacking (wilderness)|backpacking trip]] |width2=300 |footer= }}

==Hazards==
{{Main|Hazards of outdoor recreation|Mountaineering#Hazards}}
Encountering [[Bear danger|bear]]s is a concern in the Wind River Range.<ref name="WR-20170424">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Bear Safety in Wyoming's Wind River Country |url=https://windriver.org/bear-safety-in-wyomings-wind-river-country/ |date=April 24, 2017 |work=[[Wind River Indian Reservation#Tourism|WindRiver.org]] |url-status=live |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726133155/https://windriver.org/bear-safety-in-wyomings-wind-river-country/ |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> There are other concerns as well, including [[Insect|bugs]], [[wildfire]]s, [[Classifications of snow|adverse snow conditions]] and [[Rocky Mountain National Park#Elevation|nighttime cold temperatures]].<ref name="PD-20050727">{{cite news |last=Ballou |first=Dawn |title=Wind River Range condition update - Fires, trails, bears, Continental Divide |url=http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/WindRiverRangecondit.htm |date=July 27, 2005 |work=PineDaleOnline News |url-status=live |archivedate=April 21, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421050551/http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/WindRiverRangecondit.htm  |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref>

Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including [[accidental death]]s, due to [[Mountaineering#Falls from rocks|falls from steep cliffs]] (a [[wikt:misstep|misstep]] could be fatal in this [[Yosemite Decimal System|class 4/5 terrain]]) and due to [[Mountaineering#Falling rocks|falling rocks]], over the years, including 1993,<ref name="AAC-1993">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Falling Rock, Loose Rock, Failure to Test Holds, Wyoming, Wind River Range, Seneca Lake |url=http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13199308300/Falling-Rock-Loose-Rock-Failure-to-Test-Holds-Wyoming-Wind-River-Range-Seneca-Lake |date=1993 |work=[[American Alpine Club]] |url-status=live |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726124452/http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13199308300/Falling-Rock-Loose-Rock-Failure-to-Test-Holds-Wyoming-Wind-River-Range-Seneca-Lake  |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> 2007 (involving an experienced [[National Outdoor Leadership School|NOLS leader]]),<ref name="CLMB-20070814">{{cite news |last=MacDonald |first=Dougald |title=Trundled Rock Kills NOLS Leader |url=https://www.climbing.com/news/trundled-rock-kills-nols-leader/ |date=August 14, 2007 |work=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] |url-status=live |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726131458/https://www.climbing.com/news/trundled-rock-kills-nols-leader/  |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> 2015<ref name="TRIB-20151209">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Officials rule Wind River Range climbing deaths accidental |url=https://trib.com/outdoors/officials-rule-wind-river-range-climbing-deaths-accidental/article_eca43632-2f91-519f-bb81-0c59ed52e07e.html |date=December 9, 2015 |work=[[Casper Star-Tribune]] |url-status=dead |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726124448/https://trib.com/outdoors/officials-rule-wind-river-range-climbing-deaths-accidental/article_eca43632-2f91-519f-bb81-0c59ed52e07e.html  |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> and 2018.<ref name="WYO-20180814">{{cite news |last=Dayton |first=Kelsey |title=Deadly underestimation |url=https://www.wyofile.com/deadly-underestimation/ |date=August 24, 2018 |work=WyoFile News |url-status=live |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726124437/https://www.wyofile.com/deadly-underestimation/  |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near [[Pinedale, Wyoming|SquareTop Mountain]]<ref name="MP-2009">{{cite web |last=Funk |first=Jason |title=Squaretop Mountain Rock Climbing |url=https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106521163/squaretop-mountain |date=2009 |work=[[Mountain Project]] |url-status=live |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726095630/https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106521163/squaretop-mountain  |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> in 2005,<ref name="PD-20050722">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Injured man rescued from Square Top Mtn  - Tip-Top Search & Rescue helps 2 injured on the mountain |url=http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/Injuredmanrescuedfro.htm |date=July 22, 2005 |work=PineDaleOnline News |url-status=live |archivedate=July 26, 2021 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726131552/http://www.pinedaleonline.com/news/2005/07/Injuredmanrescuedfro.htm |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent [[Accidental death|accidental fall]]) in 2006 that involved state [[search and rescue]].<ref name="WD-20060901">{{cite news |author=Staff |title=Incident Reports - September, 2006 - Wind River Search |url=http://www.1.wildernessdoc.com/Report.aspx?IN=13 |date=September 1, 2006 |work=WildernessDoc.com |url-status=dead |archivedate=January 27, 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127232916/http://www.1.wildernessdoc.com/Report.aspx?IN=13 |access-date=May 31, 2022 }}</ref> The [[U.S. Forest Service]] does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.

==See also==
* [[List of U.S. Wilderness Areas]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{cite web |url=https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=185 |title=Fitzpatrick Wilderness |work=The National Wilderness Preservation System |publisher=Wilderness.net |access-date=2006-08-16}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?z=12&n=4785996&e=609940&s=100&size=l&u=7&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25 |title=USGS Gannett Peak (WY) Topo Map Quad |format=map |publisher=TopoQuest |access-date=2008-06-30}}
* {{cite web |url=https://wilderness.net/learn-about-wilderness/key-laws/wilderness-act/default.php |title=Wilderness Legislation: The Wilderness Act of 1964 |work=The National Wilderness Preservation System |publisher=Wilderness.net |access-date=2006-08-16}}

{{Protected Areas of Wyoming}}
{{Mountains of Wyoming}}
{{Wyoming}}
{{Portal bar|Geography|Geology|Mountains}}

[[Category:Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem]]
[[Category:IUCN Category Ib]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Wyoming]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Fremont County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Sublette County, Wyoming]]
[[Category:Shoshone National Forest]]
[[Category:Wilderness areas of Wyoming]]


{{Wyoming-protected-area-stub}}