What is it about the Gores?

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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SSC_43
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What is it about the Gores?

Post by SSC_43 »

...that seems to deter people away from them?

You'll have to excuse me, I'm a lurker settled in Michigan always looking ahead for the next time I head out to the mountains. When I originally moved out to Colorado, I was enamored with the magical "14" number. The more trip reports and various things see about other peaks, though, the more I'm swayed away from chasing a tangible number. Is it because there's no peak in the Gores that starts with '14...' ?

Are they difficult climbs? Isolated?

Again, please forgive my ignorance but I'm genuinely curious. I've some beautiful stuff about the Gores and given their relative proximity to Denver it confuses the heck out of me why these aren't more aggressively pursued by the mountaineering community (that I'm aware of.)
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by peter303 »

They arent 14,000 feet, although are spectacular and easy to drive to.

Sherman's twin Diamond sees about one percent of the traffic of Sherman for the same reason
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by benners »

No 14ers, no Centennial 13ers, one Bicentennial 13er, and the rest are just "lowly" 13ers and 12ers. There are very few good access roads that penetrate the range as there wasn't much mining in the Gores back in the day (relative to other ranges). Most of the access is right along the Vail frontage roads or else blocked by private property on the east side, making for long, steep approaches to many of the prominent peaks often starting from 8,700' or so. Many of them require pack ins. There are also rarely trails up the peaks once out of the major drainages, so navigational skills and the ability to forge your own way are key. The terrain is rugged and demands respect. All of this combined together has a net result of most people not being very interested in the range compared to other options out there.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by vonmackle »

I-70
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Hungry Jack
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by Hungry Jack »

I think access is a pretty significant issue. For example, it is a 5 mile hike up about 2,000 ft from the nearest public trailhead to reach Salmon Lake, which is stunning. Compare this to the relatively easy drive in and hike to McCullough Gulch and falls and Mohawk Lakes.

The Upper Cataract Lake loop hike is one of the better loops around, yet I have rarely seen others on this route past Surprise Lake.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by benners »

vonmackle wrote:I-70
That too, and CDOT (Continually Disrupting Our Transportation) projects. Though if you drive up to the Gore at 3am you likely won't have any I70 issues. It's getting back that's the hard part.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by lordhelmut »

benners wrote:
vonmackle wrote:I-70
That too, and CDOT (Continually Disrupting Our Transportation) projects. Though if you drive up to the Gore at 3am you likely won't have any I70 issues. It's getting back that's the hard part.
CDOT is about to be granted 3.5$ billion dollars for the "I-70 Disrupt-it Plan". What this essentially means is if there is a prolonged stretch of highway that has harmonious flowing traffic, CDOT will assemble 20 assclowns in hard hats, getting paid 30$/hr to place 1000 orange cones along a 10 mile stretch of the road and then go stare at bighorns for 8 hours a day. This also means Summit and Eagle County locals will finally get what they've always wanted - less weekend warrior Front Rangers in the Gores.

Benners laid it out pretty well, specially the part about there being 1 peak in the top 200 (and its #200).
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by Scott P »

...that seems to deter people away from them?
It's actually a myth that the Gores are little known or unvisited. It is true that the Gores aren't as crowded as say the Colorado 14ers, but they are still well known and well visited. For example, try and find many long term 14ers.com members that haven't visited them or know about them.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by Hungry Jack »

Even before building the Beaujeau's Expressway down by the Springs the Gores were relatively empty.

Let's hope it stays that way.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by Somewhat of a Prick »

Hipster range.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by Scott P »

What this essentially means is if there is a prolonged stretch of highway that has harmonious flowing traffic, CDOT will assemble 20 assclowns in hard hats, getting paid 30$/hr to place 1000 orange cones along a 10 mile stretch of the road and then go stare at bighorns for 8 hours a day.
I used to work for CDOT (11 years as a consultant or direct). Actually, the people (usually working for the traffic control companies) placing the cones got $9.41-$12.12 an hour and with no benefits (no insurance, paid time off, holidays, etc). They also have a pretty dangerous and important job as well. Very few people working for CDOT get $30 an hour.
Last edited by Scott P on Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What is it about the Gores?

Post by djkest »

I don't know, what IS it?

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