The prominent peak near the center of the photo is named Pingora, which is a Shoshone word meaning “inaccessible.” Indeed, it takes a two-day trip that includes driving over rutted roads and then hiking eight miles over an 11,000 foot pass just to get there. It was first climbed in 1940, and is such a challenge that it is listed in Fifty Classic Climbs in North America.
I never hiked there, but I did get to admire the area from my “off-road airplane,” the Piper Clipper mentioned in recent posts. It was tricky since some of the the surrounding mountains were higher than my plane could fly under its own power. However, by cautiously surfing upslope winds it was possible to rise well above them and catch a glimpse of the area when conditions were favorable.
#pingorapeak #cirqueofthetowers #inaccesible
Eskildoodle Photos and Feelings 