Alright, I've been running a lot in the Gore Range the past few years but I have only hit one summit. I've been obsessing over a route. I'd like to link up Willow Lakes to Gore Lake. Has anyone done it? I have seen several reports of climbs from both lakes but it is still difficult to piece it together. I have a map of the area but it lacks the detail I need. Can anyone recommend a quality map? I'm going to make the attempt on Saturday. Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks,
Walter
Gore Range help!!!!
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
- waolsen
- Posts: 57
- Joined: 3/19/2009
- 14ers: 40 2
- 13ers: 20
- Trip Reports (0)
Gore Range help!!!!
"The mountains are calling and I must go"
- FireOnTheMountain
- Posts: 1181
- Joined: 2/28/2011
- 14ers: 53 1 23
- 13ers: 269 29
- Trip Reports (23)
Re: Gore Range help!!!!
Gore lake to Red Buffalo pass then all the way around to Willow? Super ineffecient but its either that or descend Reds north face (probably a scree fest) or find a weakness in zodiac ridge. Maybe JBchalk could help you out there
Everyday is a G r A t E f U L Day here in the ID...?
- planet54
- Posts: 485
- Joined: 4/11/2011
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 20
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Gore Range help!!!!
What map do you have? USGS Willow Lakes 7.5 minutes is as good as it gets. I do know that you can go south from the highest of the Willow Lakes turn west and gain the ridge on a talus slope, C2 but I have not descended the other side. On the map the contours look to be steep and doable for about a quarter mile, and then it should be a breeze for a mile and a half to Gore Lake. I would say go for it but don't cuss me if you get into some scree/talus.
I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. H D Thoreau
-
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 8/12/2013
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Gore Range help!!!!
A little late, but crossing just south of the Zodiac is a beautiful grassy hike. No real routefinding needed. I stayed a little high in the Gore Creek drainage and had no trouble at all getting to Gore lake.
Crossing back over to South Rock Creek from Deluge was a whole different story.
Crossing back over to South Rock Creek from Deluge was a whole different story.
-
- Posts: 21
- Joined: 5/19/2012
- 14ers: 34
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Gore Range help!!!!
Use http://www.caltopo.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Best online, free mapping software. You can get distances, elevations, print maps of various sizes, etc.
As for your specific question, yes, it is possible to use a direct route across the zodiac spires to Gore Lake. You will not be running, but it is scrambling. Hike west of the Willow Lakes and the northern most part of the spire has a loose couloir that you can ascend. It is broken rock columns and loose, but ascent is possible. You then cross two grassy ridges and will then descend to Gore Lake. Again, get on caltopo.com and you can see the route. I will attach a sample route. Once you ascend the couloir across Zodiac Spires ridge, you have many options for gaining Gore Lake. I listed the link to the route below:
http://caltopo.com/map?id=7F7F" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Real easy.
As for your specific question, yes, it is possible to use a direct route across the zodiac spires to Gore Lake. You will not be running, but it is scrambling. Hike west of the Willow Lakes and the northern most part of the spire has a loose couloir that you can ascend. It is broken rock columns and loose, but ascent is possible. You then cross two grassy ridges and will then descend to Gore Lake. Again, get on caltopo.com and you can see the route. I will attach a sample route. Once you ascend the couloir across Zodiac Spires ridge, you have many options for gaining Gore Lake. I listed the link to the route below:
http://caltopo.com/map?id=7F7F" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Real easy.
- Hornet22
- Posts: 35
- Joined: 6/28/2010
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Gore Range help!!!!
ekviatnie, that caltopo website is awesome! Now I will never get actual work done at work. Thank you for that
Re: Gore Range help!!!!
Bill Middlebrook did that to me years ago with this site. <sigh>Hornet22 wrote:ekviatnie, that caltopo website is awesome! Now I will never get actual work done at work. Thank you for that
I take the mountain climber's approach to housekeeping - don't look down