Thinking of spending a full weekend in the Gore Range - probably the Mount Powell area from Piney Lake. Currently looking at two options:
1) Cross Kneeknocker Pass, go north and drop over to Duck Lake, camp there, climb Powell via the east couloir, return
2)Cross Kneeknocker Pass, go east and south and camp at Bubble lake, climb peaks G and/or F via the glacier/snowfield, possibly descend the south-facing G-F gully to the Piney Creek valley, hike out
Any comments on either of these, any variations on them, or something different altogether? Thanks!
Gore Range questions
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- AlexeyD
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Re: Gore Range questions
I still haven't climbed Powell yet ( ), but Bubble Lake is one of the neatest places in Colorado that I've been to. Thus far, it is also the most scenic places in the Gores that I have been too and it has an isolated feel to it, even though it isn't as remote as some other places in Colorado.
Both of those trips sound really great though.
Both of those trips sound really great though.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
- AlexeyD
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Re: Gore Range questions
Did you approach from Piney Lake? If so, do you know anything about going back down via the G-F col, rather than back through KK pass?Scott P wrote:I still haven't climbed Powell yet ( ), but Bubble Lake is one of the neatest places in Colorado that I've been to. Thus far, it is also the most scenic places in the Gores that I have been too and it has an isolated feel to it, even though it isn't as remote as some other places in Colorado.
Both of those trips sound really great though.
- Furthermore
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Re: Gore Range questions
The descent from F-G col is doable but it's steep and obnoxious. Expect some boulders and bushwhacking. If ascending this col from Piney Creek, the correct gully can be hard to identify. At least with KK, you would have a "trail."
- AlexeyD
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Re: Gore Range questions
Thanks, good to know. We'd probably only be descending, not ascending (just to make a loop out of it). Or, might just go back the same way.Furthermore wrote:The descent from F-G col is doable but it's steep and obnoxious. Expect some boulders and bushwhacking. If ascending this col from Piney Creek, the correct gully can be hard to identify. At least with KK, you would have a "trail."
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Re: Gore Range questions
Both sound great. FYI. just past the falls, on the left is a trail up to Kneeknocker; it's a surprisingly good trail. Takes about an hour to get to the falls; after that the vertical becomes fairly extreme until the top of kneeknocker. It's a grunt! But amazing views.
- lordhelmut
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Re: Gore Range questions
That Duck Lake/Powell East Couloir idea sounds real solid as well. The East Face of Eagle's Nest held some intersting lines as well, if they are still in, which I doubt.
Hard to pass up Bubble though. I agree with Furthermore re: G/F south gully steep and obnoxious. Another option is to run to H from G and descend via a class 2 grass slope to Upper Piney.
Hard to pass up Bubble though. I agree with Furthermore re: G/F south gully steep and obnoxious. Another option is to run to H from G and descend via a class 2 grass slope to Upper Piney.