Here's a report of my latest trip at Dondo Outdoors.

Edited by Dondo on 07/09/2009 23:42:08 MDT.

Dondo I loved your pictures and trip report. Thanks for sharing with us. I will be in Colorado in mid August with the plan of doing the CT. Your trip report makes me want to start now.

Thanks for the comments, Carlos. Mid august sounds like it will be a great time to start the CT this year. Just below treeline there are still spring conditions on the northern slopes. You know, walk a few yards on mud, walk on top of the snow until you fall through through to your knees, walk on mud again and repeat. ;-) Mosquito conditions will also be much better by then.

Nice post! I'll be in Frisco the first week of August and have heard from family that the snow melt was late this year, so it's swampy on the trails and the local streams are at high flow.

Too bad about the camera battery, but you still got some great pics. The Gore range doesn't quite get the attention it deserves since it lacks a 14er. Great jagged peaks though.

Thanks, Chris. The jagged peaks and steep terrain hold a lot of appeal for me. I know that you'll be in the Collegiates (great choice) this summer but if you have an extra night, there are some great hikes right out of Frisco. The hike up Meadow Creek, over Eccles and Red Buffalo Passes and down Gore Creek to Vail is excellent. It can actually be done in one day if you are very fit. For less fit types like myself, two days is more reasonable.

Edited by Dondo on 07/10/2009 22:25:00 MDT.

That's some very nice country you were walking through, nice to see and hear about all of the wildlife. Thanks for sharing.
Tom

Thanks for that, Thomas. It was a lot of fun. I can't wait to get out again.

I lived in Vail back in the mid 80's and hiked the same trail from Vail....Thanks for posting.

Nice report!!

Thanks, guys. John, the Gore Creek trail down to Vail is also one of my favorites. And the side trip to Gore Lake is just amazing.

Great Report!

Last August I did this same route. Parked my car at Copper and got picked up in “hometown” Vail. First night was up at Wheeler Lakes, the second was below Eccles Pass. I was in the Weminuche Wilderness a couple weeks before so comparatively I thought the scenery was just…par. Looking at the pictures helps remind me of just how beautiful it is up there. The only downer about this trail is the crowds, and the fact that for much of the trail you can see/hear the interstate all around you.

Thanks for checking out my blog, Tim. I would agree that the Weminuche Wilderness has some of the finest scenery in Colorado.

My experience with interstate noise and crowds on the Gore Range Trail was quite different than yours, though. As I mention in my trip report, I was aware of I-70 only for the first mile of my hike. After that, it felt as if I were in the middle of nowhere. Similarly, most of the other hikers I ran into were day hiking to either Wheeler Lakes or Willow Falls, at the very beginning and end of my trip. On my second evening I did observe a couple of trail runners who had run up from Frisco along Meadow Creek. Other than that, I was totally alone.

So, I think it's possible to obtain solitude in summer while relatively close to civilization. The trick is to avoid holidays and weekends and, of course, fourteeners. ;-)

Edited by Dondo on 07/19/2009 10:07:12 MDT.