Best Gore Range lake to backpack to?

[Steve Gio]

As a side note for photography enthusiats. In the shot of Slate Lake above you see the sky is completely washed out and the mountains hazed. The reflection however is deep colorful and shows the blue sky and the coulds. The sun's position was probably high in the sky but the reflection tells the real story. Pretty cool. Think I need a Gore trip this weekend. Just don't know If I want to deal with the I-70 ride home on Sunday.

[caseygries]

While we're on the topic of Gore range lake hikes and mountain reflection photography, I figured I'd better share one from Upper Cat Lake looking at Eagles Nest Peak over July 4 weekend. Great hike but, as mentioned earlier in the thread, it was a constant battle with the mosquitoes.

9270874963_874c640a80_c.jpg (345.9 KiB) Viewed 1199 times

[boudreaux]

Deluge Lake was pretty bad, I remember the all the little depressions in the forest held water once you got into the upper Deluge Creek basin. Every one of them seemed to have billions of skeeters. I didn't have any repellant so I was eaten alive!

Booth & Pitkin are beautiful, Lost Lake not too bad! Piney River with Peak C in the background awesome!

[ColoradoEd]

Here are a couple of shots of the cabin at Deluge Lake (taken on 9/9/12):

[Gareth]

Wow, the cabin used to be missing a good deal of the floor. I wonder if some D.B. had torn up some of the plywood for firewood.

[Hornet22]

How is Gore Lake itself? Still full of crazy mosquitoes at the end of August? Looking to take a friend on her first overnighter.

[bohlsen]

How is Gore Lake itself? Still full of crazy mosquitoes at the end of August? Looking to take a friend on her first overnighter.

Not sure about the end of August but it was completely bug free when I was up there in late September, although that may have had something to do with the early season snowfall. Absolutely gorgeous hike in any case, definitely recommend it.

[WhoDang]

How is Gore Lake itself? Still full of crazy mosquitoes at the end of August? Looking to take a friend on her first overnighter.

I was in the Eccles pass basin last weekend for an overnighter and didn't have any mosquito problems.

[Aug_Dog]

I would like to take my fiance on her first over nighter. I'm also dying to get into the Gores. We are looking to hike to and camp next to a beautiful lake as well as OP. Trail would be the least strenuous? I'm thinking it's either between Deluge or Upper Cataract. Climbing is sort of secondary, at least for her, but I would love to bag my first 13er in the range, which is why I think it's between Upper Cat and Snow. I doubt she would end up doing either. I've looked at lots of beta on Eagles Nest, but I haven't found much on a route from Upper Cat. Can anyone help?

Also, how difficult would snow be from Deluge?

Are the two lakes I've mentioned the easiest to hike to?

[Monster5]

Deluge is a grunt with a 2K' plod section best done in the dark, but probably your best bet given the criteria. Snow is class 2+ and likely 3 hrs RT from the lake for the average party via the easiest route up the faint trail to the Valhalla saddle; hook a right.

The NE ridge of Eagle's Nest from Upper Cataract is class 3 with a talus hop start. Bypass ridge spice to the W (according to Kramarsic's book). Longer approach and route.

"Easiest" gets a bit tricky, but I think your best bet for gentle trail/lake/short 13er access would be Salmon/Rain or Willow, Deluge/Snow, and the little lakes in the NE Pitkin sub valley/Solitude and Vista. The Pitkin Lake approach is long but fairly gentle - E. Partner's S Ridge goes at c3 with a short c4 section.

"Easy" isn't exactly a good word for Gore Range peaks and access. While the range may be popular, as ol' Scotty loves to remind us, the 13er summits and higher valleys are fairly secluded. The Grand Traverse and Powell do seem to be gaining popularity.

[Aug_Dog]

Thanks for the info. I'm comfortable at class III and wouldn't mind some class IV, but I would prefer not attempt any class IV solo.

That said, I'm beginning to feel like The Gores are not for us this weekend. Does anyone have any suggestions that would meet my criteria outside of The Gores?

I've been going through all of my books marking viable options, but some help would be greatly appreciated.

Honestly, if there is a relatively easy approach to a nice lake, where we could both get a 13er together, that would be so choice! Again, this will be her first overnighter and 13, but not her first 14er. She's done Sherman, Elbert, Handies, Bierstadt and Evans via Spalding. Again, a relatively moderate approach and a nice lake to camp at is choice. Climbing is secondary. I'm thinking it needs to be kept at under 10 miles RT to the lake.

[Scott P]

I've looked at lots of beta on Eagles Nest, but I haven't found much on a route from Upper Cat.

I assume you saw my route page? Perhaps it wasn't detailed enough (it was actually written a few years after I had been there)?

http://www.summitpost.org/cataract-lake ... ute/160648" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyway, if Eagles Nest is too much, how about Meridian Peak from Upper Cataract?

http://www.summitpost.org/meridian-peak/152486" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The entire route is very beautiful and you still get to see Upper Cataract Lake.