South Fork Shoshone River, Cody, WY

getting there

• From Cody, take Hwy 291/Southfork Road for 42 miles to the end of the road near Cabin Creek. North  side/South facing ice routes can be seen from the road enroute. Roadside or pullout park for access. Many of North facing/South side routes  can be accessed from Hunter Creek Road. Parking is available roadside or at the gate closure along Hunter Creek Road.
• Yellowstone Regional Airport is the closest regional airport. Denver International Airport is the closest international Airport. 

Accommodations

• The Double Diamond X Ranch (DDX)  is the closest lodging available; roughly 2-3 miles from trailhead. DDX accommodations range from hostel-style bunkhouses ($50) to large, furnished cabins  ($470).
• Cody offers a variety of hotel and Airbnb options.

Climbing Area & Routes

• The South Fork Shoshone area is separated into two sides; South facing/North side and North facing/South side:
  • South facing climbs will often have shorten approaches (15-30mins) and  will commonly allow you to work on your tan lines. By the same token, these climbs can also suffer from the sun exposure, especially in late Winter/Spring.
  • North facing climbs endure the warming temperatures better but require a longer approach (1-2 hours). Several of the North facing climbs accessed from the Cabin  Creek parking area will require crossing the South Fork Shoshone River either by snow bridge or fording.

Resources/Guidebook

• MountainProject.com offers the best route descriptions for the area.
• Caltopo.com has an excellent GPX map for most of the area's climbs.
• Coldfear.com is an excellent resource provided by Aaron Mulkey. It includes a Conditions Report
• 'Winter Dance: Select Ice Climbs in Southern Montana and Northern Wyoming' (2004) is outdated and long out of print. An updated guidebook is being created, but as of 2024' there's no completion or release date.

notes

• Generally the Southfork Road conditions are good. On occasion, wind drift snow can create difficult driving conditions. Deer, elk, and pronghorn are regularly present on the road.
• The Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center provides the closest avalanche forecast for the area, at roughly 50 miles away. There is no specific forecast for the South Fork Shoshone area. 
• South Fork Shoshone Cody is NOT recommended as a instructional or cragging venue. Cragging, setting up a top rope, or otherwise 'camping' at the base of any of the routes is highly frowned upon.
• To access many North facing/South side climbs, you will walk around Majo Ranch located at the end of Southfork Road. This is private property. Stay on the trail.
• There are no bathrooms at the end of the end of Southfork Road/Cabin Creek parking area. A bathroom is available at the Hunter Creek parking.

• Suitable Activities: Climbing
• Climbing Category: Water Ice
• Seasons: January, February, March, November, December
• Weather: View weather forecast
• Avalanche Terrain Rating Simple

• Difficulty: *Varies*

• Land Manager: Shoshone National Forest
• Parking Permit Required: see Land Manager
• Recommended Party Size: 3
• Maximum Party Size: 12
• Maximum Route/Place Capacity: 12