| Spider Peak | |
| Elevation Ft: | 12234 |
| Elevation Ref: | [1] [2] |
| Prominence Ft: | 834 |
| Isolation Mi: | 0.86 |
| Isolation Ref: | [3] |
| Parent Peak: | Downs Mountain (13,355 ft) |
| Location: | Fremont County, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Range: | Wind River Range |
| Map: | Wyoming#USA |
| Label Position: | right |
| Map Size: | 270 |
| Coordinates: | 43.3242°N -109.6528°W |
| Coordinates Ref: | [4] |
| Topo: | USGS Temple Peak |
| Rock: | granitic |
| First Ascent: | July 18, 1960 |
| Easiest Route: | North ridge |
Spider Peak is a 12234feet mountain summit located in Fremont County of Wyoming, United States.[4]
The peak is situated 1.5 mile east of the Continental Divide in the northern portion of the remote Wind River Range. It is set in the Fitzpatrick Wilderness, on land managed by Shoshone National Forest. Neighbors include Downs Mountain, 1.4 mile to the southwest, and Torrey Peak 2.4 miles to the northeast. Topographic relief is significant as the east aspect rises 1700abbr=offNaNabbr=off above Turquoise Lake in one-half mile. Precipitation runoff from the mountain drains into Torrey Creek, which is a tributary of the Wind River.
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Spider Peak is located in an alpine subarctic climate zone with long, cold, snowy winters, and cool to warm summers.[5] Due to its altitude, it receives precipitation all year, as snow in winter, and as thunderstorms in summer. This climate supports the nearby Continental Glacier and East Torrey Glacier.
Established climbing routes:[6]
The 1960 first ascent party named the peak based on the numerous hairy, dark-brown spiders they encountered here.[7]
See main article: Hazards of outdoor recreation. Encountering bears is a concern in the Wind River Range.[8] There are other concerns as well, including bugs, wildfires, adverse snow conditions and nighttime cold temperatures.[9]
Importantly, there have been notable incidents, including accidental deaths, due to falls from steep cliffs (a misstep could be fatal in this class 4/5 terrain) and due to falling rocks, over the years, including 1993,[10] 2007 (involving an experienced NOLS leader),[11] 2015[12] and 2018.[13] A 54-year-old climber from Durango fell 400–800 feet to his death from Steeple Peak in 2017.[14] Other incidents include a seriously injured backpacker being airlifted near Squaretop Mountain[15] in 2005,[16] and a fatal hiker incident (from an apparent accidental fall) in 2006 that involved state search and rescue.[17] The U.S. Forest Service does not offer updated aggregated records on the official number of fatalities in the Wind River Range.