Lander Area in July - Wild Iris or Sinks?

We're heading to the Lander area this week for a few days and haven't decided where to setup camp and focus our time--Wild Iris or Sinks. We haven't been to either place and are interested in sport climbing. I'd appreciate the opinion of those of you that have been to both places...

Which area has the better climbing? Which area has the better primitive, tent camping opportunities? An established campground is cool too if it's not crazy expensive.

Thanks and happy Fourth of July.

Hey Jason,

I think Sinks Canyon is a better place to climb. The routes are longer and more aesthetic IMO. Wild Iris is fun too, but I remember a lot of sharp holds and shorter routes.

The camping at Wild Iris was more primitive, but pleasant among pines and aspens. There is established, pay-camping in Sinks. I believe there is free primitive camping nearby Sinks as well, but I have not stayed there.

If you get a chance, check out Baldwin Creek outside of Lander. The rock is similar to Wild Iris, but longer and more sustained. The town of Lander itself is pretty cool too.

All of this information is from my spotty memory from nearly two decades ago.

Good luck!

JY

My gf and I spent a week in Lander last Summer on a Wild Iris > Ten Sleep > Spearfish Canyon limestone tour. We'd originally planned to free camp in the Lander city park and savor all that Lander has to offer, but ended up camping and spending all of our time at Wild Iris (except for the occasional trip to the Lander Bar). It was that good! Of course I have a propensity towards aesthetic, clean quality, technical pocketed limestone. Plus Sinks was really hot!

IMHO Lander is a worthy gem!

Finding shade at Sinks can be challenging for sure. I forgot about that. I think we found some shade in the "Killer Cave".

There are plenty of good lines at Wild Iris to keep you busy. Be sure to check out "Wind and Rattlesnakes" and "Tomahawk Slam" if you go there. The "Gun Street" area stands out in my mind too.

The Main Wall at Wild Iris, as well as just about everything that *isn't* the OK Corral, is of higher quality than Sinks, gets more shade, and is cooler. The camping is primitive, but quiet and secluded. The area remains my favorite Wyoming sport crag.

I am by no means a well traveled climber to these parts, but I went to Wild Iris recently and these were my impressions + some beta I got from the Lander gear shop and other climbers:

The camping at Iris is superb. Beautiful, secluded, lush, shady. I was in love. You just have to make sure to bring in water. The Main Wall faces south and, while the base would get shade, I cannot see how the actual routes would be ideal to climb on a hot day. The OK Corral wall faces west and gets far more shade throughout the day, especially early of course (so Brian's comment about Main Wall being cooler confuses me). All the walls seem to face either south or west or some combination thereof so hot days would require earlier starts I imagine.

We were interested in going to Sinks as well but the gear shop warned that it would be far too hot to climb there at this time of year. The guy said they often climb there even in December. A local Lander climber I spoke to while at W.I. said you can climb in Sinks in the summer, especially the higher elevation stuff, but primarily only in the early and late parts of the day.

Thanks a ton for all the info and suggestions you all. I appreciate it and I'm looking forward to exploring the Lander area for the first time.

Aerili wrote: A local Lander climber I spoke to while at W.I. said you can climb in Sinks in the summer, especially the higher elevation stuff, but primarily only in the early and late parts of the day.

This is correct. Sinks is totally doable during the summer (its fairly high in elevation). Just get up early and climb in the morning, then take a break during midday (hop in the river, go fishing etc.), and then return for climbing in the evening hours (very similar to how climbing works at White Rock, which I know you are familiar with). Just don't plan on climbing during midday because you will cook. As someone else said, do not miss the Killer Cave, which is totally climbable in the summer and is freeking amazing.

theres free camping in sinks higher in the canyon in my opinion defiantly the way to go. Only a hop skip and and jump to the main wall

Aerili wrote:The Main Wall faces south and, while the base would get shade, I cannot see how the actual routes would be ideal to climb on a hot day. The OK Corral wall faces west and gets far more shade throughout the day, especially early of course (so Brian's comment about Main Wall being cooler confuses me).

Well, I said *more* shade, but on hot, still days, a lot of routes can be unpleasant. The area around The Devil Wears Spurs can be like that, although the awkward corner just left of it actually gets a lot of shade; pity its such a bad route. Of course, since the Main Wall is not really 1 wall, but lots of little buttresses close together (unlike Sinks' nearly continuous length), the possibility for chasing shade is actually there. Plus, you get some relief from the sun when you aren't climbing, which can be a god-send. Certain walls, like the one with Tomahawk Slam on it, do get a lot of tree-shade in the afternoon, while other walls, like Cowboy Poetry, are really only good if you can snowmobile into the wall in February.

Both are sick!

PS- anyone headed to Lander for the International Climbing Festival July 11-14th? I'm looking for a few people stoked on the event to meet up with there! I'll be rolling in from Jackson.