Cold Front

Maximum insulation mandated for sub-zero adventure in Wyoming’s remote Greys River Range.

- Luke Nelson

Shuffling down a hot, dusty road in the Greys River Range last summer, my friend Ty Draney and I pondered what it might be like to traverse the range during the icy grip of winter. The heat may have cooked our good judgment, but on a smoldering August afternoon, Ty and I hatched the idea of traversing its 70-mile length, on foot, during the coldest time of the year.

The Greys River Range lies about 50 miles south of Jackson Hole, in the northwest corner of the state, right in Ty’s backyard. It is a sleepy range, but not because of its lack of beauty. The area regularly posts the coldest temps in the state, and holds several feet of snow.