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Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:00 pm
by Brian Thomas
Floyd wrote:I feel that that adding more "mystique" and suspense to the range would draw more people than more information
Scott P wrote:To me, it’s very weird that people consider the Gore Range to be some sort of “secret”
tylermacguire wrote:I would be very willing to show hiking partners some of my favorite areas in the Gore but, it is not something I talk about in a public forum
If you look at my 13er peak list, you'll see that I've never summited anything in the Gore Range, and this is why:
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Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:35 pm
by Scott P
Have you ever been to Duck Lake at the head of the Black Creek Drainage?
No. Sounds like a good summer trip. A good 14ers.com gathering perhaps? I'll have to get into the Gores often this summer. I will have a lot more spare time in the summers from now on.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 2:54 pm
by FireOnTheMountain
Scott P wrote:
Have you ever been to Duck Lake at the head of the Black Creek Drainage?
No. Sounds like a good summer trip. A good 14ers.com gathering perhaps? I'll have to get into the Gores often this summer. I will have a lot more spare time in the summers from now on.
Black Lake approach is hell on earth. Screw the fact that its private property and the lady sucks because she is doing you a favor....I think I went maybe a mile without touching solid ground (not exaggerating) and we didn't even get CLOSE to getting out of tree line.

That being said, I think the best way to get to Bubble is via kneeknocker pass. Or...you could do yourself a favor and go a little more north of black lake approach to the Cataract basin approach but that would put you pretty north of Bubble and you would have to crest over Eagle Nest's east ridge.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:02 pm
by Scott P
Black Lake approach is hell on earth. Screw the fact that its private property and the lady sucks because she is doing you a favor
The private land is avoidable if you come in from Lost Lake. That's how we approached Bubble Lake in 2001. It was tedious, but wasn't terrible back then, but I guess it could have gotten worse (beetle kill maybe?). It's just the price you have to pay to get somewhere that is at least somewhat remote (although the word "remote" is kind of stretching it) in the Gore Range.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:21 pm
by milan
Like this thread, I also wanted to get a little look at the Gore range this summer.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 3:22 pm
by FireOnTheMountain
Scott P wrote: The private land is avoidable if you come in from Lost Lake. That's how we approached Bubble Lake in 2001. It was tedious, but wasn't terrible back then, but I guess it could have gotten worse (beetle kill maybe?). It's just the price you have to pay to get somewhere that is at least somewhat remote (although the word "remote" is kind of stretching it) in the Gore Range.
Good to know Scott.

I would bet money areas of the San Juans are farrrrr more remote than the Gores.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:08 pm
by TravelingMatt
Brian Thomas wrote:Isn't "the first rule about the Gore Range is that you don't talk about the Gore Range", or something like that?
No, that's the second rule.
Anything on the east side besides Keller makes for some tough going and LONG approaches due to the private property issues. The Vail side is probably where you want to be for an intro to the range.
Silverthorne/East Thorn is dayhikable from the the east side, as is Red. Oh crap, I just talked about the Gore Range; they're going to revoke my permit.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 8:49 am
by Chicago Transplant
I agree that the trails are popular, but the peaks really are not. I have climbed 42 out of 48 ranked peaks in the Eagles Nest Wilderness (plus a few repeats and unranked ones) and only shared a summit once with someone not in my party. The Vail trails can be quite popular though, and I have seen over 100 people on the trail to Booth Falls before, but they were spread out enough to not feel too crowded.

Buffalo Mtn is the most popular and the only one with a class 1 trail to its summit. That can be easily dayhiked from Silverthorne up in Wildernest: http://www.summitcountyexplorer.com/HIK ... 0Trail.htm

Some good class 2/2+ peaks would be Grand Traverse Peak from Deluge Lake, Powell from Piney, Solitude from Pitkin, Red from Wildernest and Deming from Meadow Creek. Easier Class 3 like Valhalla from Deluge or West Partner from Booth are good too.

I have lived in the Vail area for 8 years and been climbing in the range just as long. There is a definite increase in trip reports and interest in the peaks in recent years, but so far I haven't noticed it "getting crowed" on the high peaks. Once you leave the trails you are usually not going to see anyone else. Actually with the early starts most peak climbers have, usually you won't see anyone until you are descending the trail back to the car. Of course I could say the same thing of 13ers in about any range.

I think the rugged nature of the peaks in the Gore and the generally vague route information keeps some people away. Buffalo is the only peak with a marked route to its summit, so people who are used to following trails and cairns tend to be a little intimidated by having to route find on class 3 peaks on their own. Also the traverses can get very difficult and complicated with numerous towers so the peaks tend to be "one trick ponies". Even short traverses can get complicated and time consuming (N-O is .3 miles but really caught us by surprise).

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:12 am
by MtHurd
Chicago Transplant wrote:I have climbed 42 out of 48 ranked peaks in the Eagles Nest Wilderness (plus a few repeats and unranked ones) and only shared a summit once with someone not in my party.
You are definitely living the dream. I know most of the summits in the Gores have awesome views, which one is your favorite? Have you done Ripsaw from C to H in one shot?

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:16 am
by jbchalk
Mike, I'm with ya man. Of all the Gore summits or even for that matter the climb itself I've been on and done, I cant think of a climb or summit in which I have ever seen another person other than from my own party. Yes, the East Vail trails can house some people and hikers, but not the peaks themselves.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:27 am
by Chicago Transplant
Barry Raven wrote:
Chicago Transplant wrote:I have climbed 42 out of 48 ranked peaks in the Eagles Nest Wilderness (plus a few repeats and unranked ones) and only shared a summit once with someone not in my party.
You are definitely living the dream. I know most of the summits in the Gores have awesome views, which one is your favorite? Have you done Ripsaw from C to H in one shot?
Its not a bad place to call home that is for sure! (right Brandon?)

I have not done the Ripsaw in one shot yet, would like to though, need some perfect weather for that one :D

I really liked the summit views on Peak X, South Piney Bristle and The Spider. L and N were pretty good too. Anchoring the range, Powell at the north and Silverthorne at the south are both good ones.

Re: Gore Range Recommendations

Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2012 10:30 am
by Papillon
On my first trip into The Gores last September, our group ran into Joe Kramarsic on the summit, if you can believe that. I then proceeded to give him all the information he would need about lord helmut - name, address, physical description, vehicle description, idiosyncrasies, etc. I basically sang like a canary and Joe just nodded his head and took extensive notes.