Peak Z Trip Report 09/16/2010

Peak(s):	"Peak Z" - 13,227 feet "Peak X" - 13,094 feet "Mt. Solitude" - 13,085 feet "North Traverse Peak" - 13,085 feet
Date Posted:	09/16/2010
Date Climbed:	08/22/2010
Author:	astrobassman

Gore Range August 2010
I don't want to anger the Gore Gods and share too much about these esoteric peaks, but figured I should post something as it was a memorable weekend for me. My plan was to do the Grand Traverse Friday and pack into the basin between Solitude and East Partner that afternoon, then do the Solitude group on Saturday, and X and Z via Usable Pass on Sunday. I got up at 3am in Denver on Friday and drove to the Bighorn Creek TH. I sat in a standstill on I70 for a couple of hours in the middle of the night due to a UPS truck that crashed and spilled packages all over the highway. I got to the TH much later than I wanted and started hiking in a misty drizzle. I wondered up the trail and above tree line I generally followed what I thought was the way to North Traverse peak, and found myself climbing steep grass, using good moss chunks as hand holds. This is typical of the range. Climbers Point Once on the pass I stayed directly on the ridge which made for fun scrambling. There is however easier terrain on the west side of the ridge. The views started to open up. Gore Range I got to the summit and my shoes and the rock were soaking wet. The Gore Range is a lush place. I sat up there for a good hour contemplating the traverse; even starting it but ultimately turning around due to the clouds which I thought could open up at any time. The Grand Traverse is the last place I would want to be in a storm. Of course the sun came out in full a few hours later. At least there were occasionally some good views as the clouds permitted. Grand Traverse with clouds swelling over Southern Gores Gore Range Gore Range After heading down the Bighorn Creek trail, I relaxed for an hour at the car before heading up the Pitkin trail with a couple days worth of gear. The plan was to meet my friend Larre from work on the trail somewhere that afternoon. I eventually found him, and we slogged up until we got to where we thought the basin towards Usable Pass was. We made the easy bushwack up into the basin and found a good camping spot along the creek. We set up camp and started drinking beer. We each had a 12 pack and killed a lot of it that first night. The camp fire was a bit excessive for only two dudes, but when you're blitzed in the middle of no where in the Gore who cares. We got an alpine start of 10am the next morning and headed up the gentle slope right above camp. We hit "Vista Peak" and Mount Solitude. The views towards the next day's objectives were enticing. Peak X and Z from Vista Peak The summit of Solitude was anything but solitude. We encountered no less than 5 people on the ridge. You know more people are coming to the mountains these days when you see this many people on such remote peaks. We met a nice couple on the summit of Solitude called the Climbing Cooney's, who had climbed more than 500 of the 13ers. Quite impressive. Back at camp we met up with Mike (Chicagotransplant), and we chatted mountains all night before heading to bed. It's always fun to hike with Mike because he knows so much about the surrounding peaks. The next morning we got up and headed for Usable Pass. After an hour we were on top of the pass. The west side is quite gentle, but the east side is steep. Usable Pass from the west Usable Pass from the east Peak X from Usable Pass We scrambled down the pass and headed up Peak X. Before you get to the ridge, the terrain is loose and annoying, but not too steep. Once on the ridge, the climb becomes much more enjoyable as solid class 3 is encountered. It only took 2 hours from camp to get to the summit. Mike decided he wanted to hit the XYZ ridge and I decided I wanted to putz up Boulder Creek towards Peak Z. Larre headed back to camp. Boulder Creek basin is a great lonely place where you won't see anyone. My kind of place. Boulder Creek Basin I headed towards Z and strolled up to the shoulder where I ran into Mike again. We headed up easy 2+ terrain until we got to the high saddle between Z and Z'. Z' Summit of Peak Z The route to the summit can be kept to easy class 3, but we found a few more interesting ways to spice it up. The views from the summit were impressive. Peak L and N Gore Range East Z The summit log showed that a SarahT was on the summit the prior week, and it was her 500th 13er. Quite an accomplishment to say the least. We headed down Z and enjoyed the views. Heading back up Usable Pass, 5 feet below the top my shoe slipped as the sole completely ripped in half. If I didn't have a good handhold I would have tumbled down the pass. My shoe was destroyed as I hiked out with my toes sticking out of the old Merrels. That is a steep pass to take seriously. Usable Pass looking down toward Boulder Creek Back at camp we packed up and headed out. I got disoriented on the bushwack and my dumbass ended up balancing on a log 20 feet above a creek. The log started to shake when I was halfway across and I sat there trying to decide what to do. After I found my way we hiked back to the TH and then I had the pleasure of sitting in traffic for 4.5 hours from Vail to Denver. At least the $12 I spent at Wendy's satisfied my belly. I'm looking forward to getting back to the Gore in the next year. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Gore Range August 2010

I don't want to anger the Gore Gods and share too much about these esoteric peaks, but figured I should post something as it was a memorable weekend for me. My plan was to do the Grand Traverse Friday and pack into the basin between Solitude and East Partner that afternoon, then do the Solitude group on Saturday, and X and Z via Usable Pass on Sunday. I got up at 3am in Denver on Friday and drove to the Bighorn Creek TH. I sat in a standstill on I70 for a couple of hours in the middle of the night due to a UPS truck that crashed and spilled packages all over the highway. I got to the TH much later than I wanted and started hiking in a misty drizzle. I wondered up the trail and above tree line I generally followed what I thought was the way to North Traverse peak, and found myself climbing steep grass, using good moss chunks as hand holds. This is typical of the range.

Once on the pass I stayed directly on the ridge which made for fun scrambling. There is however easier terrain on the west side of the ridge. The views started to open up.

I got to the summit and my shoes and the rock were soaking wet. The Gore Range is a lush place. I sat up there for a good hour contemplating the traverse; even starting it but ultimately turning around due to the clouds which I thought could open up at any time. The Grand Traverse is the last place I would want to be in a storm. Of course the sun came out in full a few hours later. At least there were occasionally some good views as the clouds permitted.

Grand Traverse with clouds swelling over

After heading down the Bighorn Creek trail, I relaxed for an hour at the car before heading up the Pitkin trail with a couple days worth of gear. The plan was to meet my friend Larre from work on the trail somewhere that afternoon. I eventually found him, and we slogged up until we got to where we thought the basin towards Usable Pass was. We made the easy bushwack up into the basin and found a good camping spot along the creek. We set up camp and started drinking beer. We each had a 12 pack and killed a lot of it that first night. The camp fire was a bit excessive for only two dudes, but when you're blitzed in the middle of no where in the Gore who cares.

We got an alpine start of 10am the next morning and headed up the gentle slope right above camp. We hit "Vista Peak" and Mount Solitude. The views towards the next day's objectives were enticing.

The summit of Solitude was anything but solitude. We encountered no less than 5 people on the ridge. You know more people are coming to the mountains these days when you see this many people on such remote peaks. We met a nice couple on the summit of Solitude called the Climbing Cooney's, who had climbed more than 500 of the 13ers. Quite impressive.

Back at camp we met up with Mike (Chicagotransplant), and we chatted mountains all night before heading to bed. It's always fun to hike with Mike because he knows so much about the surrounding peaks.

The next morning we got up and headed for Usable Pass. After an hour we were on top of the pass. The west side is quite gentle, but the east side is steep.

We scrambled down the pass and headed up Peak X. Before you get to the ridge, the terrain is loose and annoying, but not too steep. Once on the ridge, the climb becomes much more enjoyable as solid class 3 is encountered. It only took 2 hours from camp to get to the summit. Mike decided he wanted to hit the XYZ ridge and I decided I wanted to putz up Boulder Creek towards Peak Z. Larre headed back to camp.

Boulder Creek basin is a great lonely place where you won't see anyone. My kind of place.

I headed towards Z and strolled up to the shoulder where I ran into Mike again. We headed up easy 2+ terrain until we got to the high saddle between Z and Z'.

The route to the summit can be kept to easy class 3, but we found a few more interesting ways to spice it up. The views from the summit were impressive.

The summit log showed that a SarahT was on the summit the prior week, and it was her 500th 13er. Quite an accomplishment to say the least. We headed down Z and enjoyed the views. Heading back up Usable Pass, 5 feet below the top my shoe slipped as the sole completely ripped in half. If I didn't have a good handhold I would have tumbled down the pass. My shoe was destroyed as I hiked out with my toes sticking out of the old Merrels. That is a steep pass to take seriously.

Usable Pass looking down toward Boulder Creek

Back at camp we packed up and headed out. I got disoriented on the bushwack and my dumbass ended up balancing on a log 20 feet above a creek. The log started to shake when I was halfway across and I sat there trying to decide what to do. After I found my way we hiked back to the TH and then I had the pleasure of sitting in traffic for 4.5 hours from Vail to Denver. At least the $12 I spent at Wendy's satisfied my belly. I'm looking forward to getting back to the Gore in the next year.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

cheeseburglar	Really out there. 9/17/2010 5:04am That's pretty far out there. But not that far. Buy a little gas, blow off school stuff, and meet me for Chair Mountain.
ThinAir	Nice TR 9/17/2010 1:42pm The Gore Gods have rendered their verdict. You are forgiven. Don't do it again.
susanjoypaul	What are the odds... 9/17/2010 2:05pm ...of running into three people - in person and via register - who've done 500 13ers? There just aren't many of them out there... but apparently they're all saving the Gores for last! Thanks for posting the report - I have read it and wiped it from my memory banks. I'm not getting haunted by those scary Gore ghouls...
Chicago Transplant	Move along... 9/17/2010 3:15pm ...nothing to see here, there are no good peaks in the Gore Great trip, good to get up X and Z with you, sorry the Grand Traverse didn't work out, I have those peaks separately and want to run the ridge some day, keep me in mind when you go back!
lordhelmut	Usable Pass 9/17/2010 3:38pm I was about to say, that west side looks pretty tame, but the east is a beast. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say the ridge from L to N looks more daunting than the Ripsaw. That could be another project in that region. And talking about mountains with Mike? Who would've thought....
Floyd	Great Photoshop Skills 9/17/2010 8:25pm That range is so boring and ugly, you must have spent some time making those pictures look descent. Did you happen to experience the knife edge on X (between it and W)? Thanks for the TR.
rpb13	Love the Gores 9/17/2010 11:26pm Nice trip in an awesome place!
astrobassman	Thanks for the comments 9/18/2010 3:47am Craig I can't do Chair. I'm in no climbing nerd mode until May. Good luck with it though. I'm happy the Gore Gods forgave me. There are still a lot of 12ers in the range without any trip reports. I know Mike and Scot will get up all of them someday. Helmut, I just noticed the N TR, and the L-Guyselman traverse looks tough to say the least from that one picture. I do want to get up those peaks next summer.

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