Gore Range - lakes

[YonderMountain]

I’m looking for an overnight backpack to an alpine lake in the Gore Range. Some of the criteria I’m looking for:

1. 10-15 miles roundtrip
2. At or near treeline
3. Not crowded

Gore Lake and Mirror Lake seem to fit the criteria. I just don’t know how popular they are for backpackers. I know we aren’t supposed to talk about the Gore Range so if anyone has suggestions, please send me a PM. Thank you !

[Scott P]

Define "crowded". There's a good chance that you will run into others at both Gore Lake and Mirror Lake. Both of those lakes are really easy to get to and they are well know, thus the possibility that other campers will be there.

If you want solitude, places like Bubble Lake offer a much greater chance of being alone.

[Tony1]

The Boulder Lakes drainage has a lot of what you are looking for, and the upper part of the drainage has many lakes to choose from. I suggest loading a topo map which can show your location on your phone so that you can see where you are when you're up there. Chances are you can totally find solitude; it's a large area. I haven't been to the upper lakes myself, but I have heard the trail isn't too hard to follow. It fades in and out a little.

Bubble Lake is another good suggestion, although I (honestly) don't yet know how to get there in detail.

Pitkin and Booth Lakes probably will have other people camping due to their ease of access from Vail. Although, for overnight camping, I probably still wouldn't call them "crowded" by my definition (up to a couple other tents, perhaps).

[YonderMountain]

Define "crowded". There's a good chance that you will run into others at both Gore Lake and Mirror Lake. Both of those lakes are really easy to get to and they are well know, thus the possibility that other campers will be there.

If you want solitude, places like Bubble Lake offer a much greater chance of being alone.

Don’t need complete solitude but want a good chance of finding a great campsite on a Saturday afternoon. I’m going with my girlfriend so bubble lake would be too much for her. Thanks

[YonderMountain]

The Boulder Lakes drainage has a lot of what you are looking for, and the upper part of the drainage has many lakes to choose from. I suggest loading a topo map which can show your location on your phone so that you can see where you are when you're up there. Chances are you can totally find solitude; it's a large area. I haven't been to the upper lakes myself, but I have heard the trail isn't too hard to follow. It fades in and out a little.

Bubble Lake is another good suggestion, although I (honestly) don't yet know how to get there in detail.

Pitkin and Booth Lakes probably will have other people camping due to their ease of access from Vail. Although, for overnight camping, I probably still wouldn't call them "crowded" by my definition (up to a couple other tents, perhaps).

Great info - I like the idea of many lakes to choose from and will look into that drainage. Thank you Tony!

[Chicago Transplant]

I do some volunteer ranger work in the Eagles Nest and Holy Cross Wilderness areas. Just letting you (and anyone else really) know about some new regulation changes for 2018.

1. Eagles Nest now requires self-permitting. The permits are free and there are boxes at the trailheads. This is the same system as several other areas, fill it out, put the white slip in the box, keep the hang tag.
2. Regardless of fire restrictions, all campfires are banned above 11,000' in the Eagles Nest. This is to avoid confusion, the previous regulation was no campfires within 1/4 mile of treeline, but that was proving hard for people to follow, so its now no fires above 11,000 to avoid that.
3. In addition, no fires within 1/4 mile of any lake or 100 feet of any trail or stream regardless of elevation.
4. Campsites must be at least 100 feet away from all trails and lakes. So you can still camp 100+ feet away from an above treeline lake/stream/trail as long as you have no fire.

I know, people don't like "rules" in the Wilderness, but I try and remind people the rules are there to keep the Wilderness as free from human impacts as possible. Its not people who are free in the Wilderness so much as it is the Wilderness that is free... from us (well as much as possible anyway )

Have a good time. Camping in the Gore has increased in popularity, Pitkin and Booth especially. Most ranger patrols I do there are people camped at them every weekend. The more remote lakes that don't have trails will have less likelihood of people but may require bushwhacking or coming over a high pass to get to them.

[YonderMountain]

Chicago- Thank you for the reminders. Do you have any suggestions for non-crowded Holy Cross wilderness lakes?