by JoshFM » Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:50 am
Hello,
The distance could be a mighty long one. It really depends on how passable the road (FSR 27) is up to West Ten Sleep Lake (9000 ft), which is a common summer starting point and from there it is about 23 miles round trip and 4000 feet elevation gain. Other routes are possible, but require more investigation. The main challenge with each of these three peaks is the long approach, which can be extended in winter conditions. Right now, I would say for Cloud Peak in winter, 3 days is optimistic and 4 days could be a reality, depending on conditions. Someone out there might have better local knowledge, but I have not come across any news on winter ascents of Cloud Peak.