Third times the charm! Felt so great to finally complete this after multiple years of attempts. First attempt was in 2023 with Brian Ralph. We underestimated the amount of time it would take and had to bail out Tosi Basin after dusk fell on the summit of Doubletop. I made a second attempt with Janelle Smiley in July 2025 but we were caught in unexpected storms before we could summit Hodges Peak. This third time I decided to reverse the route, starting at Rock Creek at 2:30am on August 3rd and heading westward towards Sheep. I liked this direction more as you get to summit the higher peaks earlier in the attempt and finish with the long alpine tundra and the Nose of Sheep. The Sawtooth to Hodges was all new to me and I found it to be a really excellent ridge although it does cliff out in a number of places. I want to note that the backside of Eagle is incredibly loose and steep and has the potential to slide. There are a few good places to refill water just after Hodges Peak.
Joey Sackett accompanied me for the first 30 miles to shoot footage along the way (hence the supported effort) and I went on alone after the Swift Creek intersection. Climbing off Antionette Peak and down the gully is certainly not as easy and climbing up it, but it's manageable if you move slowly and carefully (very very loose rock). There is still enough water on the ridge in early August to complete the traverse without carrying too much water. The final place I found to fill up was Packsaddle Pass just before Pyramid Peak and from then on it's pretty sparse until you drop to Flat Creek. The weather throughout the day was great- warm with very little wind. The sun went down on Pyramid Peak and from there I traversed the final miles along the alpine tundra to the Nose. I have heard it's possible (although high risk) to connect the Nose with the true summit of Sheep across the gap. Personally I have not been able to find a good way but it would make a better line if connected. I scrambled off the Nose and finished at the TH by Flat Creek Ranch around 3am on August 4th. My pace was a mix of running, jogging, power hiking, and scrambling. Not super fast but efficient for a 24 hours time. Joey and I also paused to shoot footage and photos a few times before he left.
I think this is a really adventurous and fantastic way to experience the more technical high country of the Gros Ventre Range but it certainly should only be attempted by folks with solid mountain and climbing experience. The Gros Ventre are full of cliffs and chossy rock. There are also grizzlies, black bears, mountain lion, and moose so be very alert out there.