TR: Gore Range, Outpost Peak 11/24/2005

[shera]

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.
.
.
.
So...
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!

---Dr. Seuss

Whenever you chat with your backcountry partners, do you get into these cool little conversations where you run through ideas on places to go? Usually I have a huge wish list, but lately I've been so busy that I haven't been able to think about the mountains much, let alone get out there for a day. Well, Dave came to the rescue and a couple of the possibilities were in the Gore Range. I love all the mountains of Colorado, but these are closest to my heart.

For those of you that might not know the Gore, it's a little unusual because it's a wild and remote place, even though in very close proximity to Frisco, Silverthorne, Vail Valley - some of the most populated of the mountain areas. Anyway, the range is incredibly beautiful with rugged spires and miles of knife ridges. The skiing there could keep you busy for a lifetime.

So yesterday Dave and I climbed and skied this mountain out of the Pitkin Lake Trailhead - called Outback Peak. (Not Keystone's. )

It was far, like any trip into the Gore. About ten miles round trip and over 4000 vertical feet, topping out at 12,362. Just on the edge of what I can accomplish and stay strong throughout. It is amazing and wonderful how well our bodies respond to mountain climbing. That groove you get into where time is non existent and your mind is perfectly clear. I never feel better than I do when I am a couple of hours into a really good hike. And this one was really good. Hard to believe five hours had passed when I reached the summit.

The weather was perfect. We found snow that was perfect - shady west facing woods. Once again I am struck by the wonderful comraderie of climbing and skiing with Dave. So much fun. Thank you for getting me out and for setting such a nice bootpack and skintrack. I hope we'll be heading into the Gore many more times.

Without further ado, here are a bunch of pictures and I think Dave has some video too. I won't even try to figure out which ones are best - I like all of them. Dave took all these incredible scenic pictures, I just took the ones of him skiing.

Ascent through aspens:













My fabulous, patented skinning technique.


The front side of Vail is over my right shoulder, and over my left is the huge Aspen glade on Bald Mountain. Really want to ski that.


Here's another shot showing some of Vail across the road and I guess that must be Holy Cross in the back. This is actually far away, so Dave's camera has some serious zoom.


Vail again - this time it's Mushroom Bowl, which is just a little out of bounds. Some very cool skiing with huge drops in from the top.


Ok, back to this side of I-70. Here I'm looking down into some east facing couloirs. Good lines there.


Here's the prettiest line we were able to scout for a spring descent. This coulie has got to be close to 2000 feet.






Views from the top - the obligatory point.


Please note that you can't see any dirt on my clothes.


More scenics from the top, and this is just one slice of the Gore.






And then we went skiing. On the open face from the top, the slope angle measured at exactly 25 degrees. But with all the anchors and kinda thin cover, I would've skied even if it was steeper. Snow was slabby.


We skied back the way we came until we got to this huge face of steep woods we had check out on the way up. The snow was so incredibly good in there. I heart trees.

Here's Dave in his happy place.










And me.










And that's it. Well, the trip out the drainage was an adventure, trying not to get stuck in the creek at the bottom or get cliffed out going up too high. And the snow got a little weird like it wanted to move on us, especially where there was sun exposure. But we managed to ski all the way to the trailhead. Good cover. Up there in the woods, there was more snow than the length of my pole.

Really amazing awesome day. Thanks again, Dave.

[mrryde]

Wow! that looks incredible.

[bklyn]

Please note that you can't see any dirt on my clothes.

SheRa - so fresh and so clean.

[iskibc]

Nicely said Mir. Now that I look at this pic a little closer, it looks like both of those coulies are skiable from entrance to exit




So many good lines and amazing terrain back there. The Gore is by far my favorite mountain range in Colorado. It's one of the last frontiers for Colorado. The dramatic ridges and summits are riddled and gnarled like a dragon's tail with tooth-like spires and pointy peaks. Couloirs everywhere you look with big descents. The fact that there are no trails leading into the heart of this range shows you this terrain was left for those who live for exploring and digging deeper. Summits and peaks without names, just numbers or letters. It's amazing how close this little slice of heaven is to civilization, yet very few venture into it.

Can't wait to get in there again and find newer and bigger possibilities. I think I have a new project on my hands, but this one will take some time.

Thanks again for a great day SheRa. It's always a pleasure touring and skiing with you.

[Tuckerman]

Kool pix and looks like alot of options.

[berko]

Really nice work......again.

Those pics are so money. Dave what kind of camara are you using and do you know what it weighs? (I know you don't care about weight, but I do.)

[Chowda]

Sweet TR, Pics, and to repeat great mountians.

Looked Like an awsome day.

[brutah]

Nice TR. The gore range is so dope, I love it. I was up at Pitkin Lake over 4th of july weekend this year, it is really beautiful up there and there doesn't seem to be much traffic up there. I wanted to do a hut trip there this year, but it looks unlikely, anyways way to get after it.

[bcrider]

sweetness!

way to get sum.

[iskibc]

Really nice work......again.

Those pics are so money. Dave what kind of camara are you using and do you know what it weighs? (I know you don't care about weight, but I do.)

It's a Panasonic DMC-FZ5. I love it. It only weighs 11.5 oz, but has a sweet Leica lens and 12X optical zoom. Great camera. Highly recommend.

[skifishbum]

givin thanks for stoke

[Powder Seeker]

Lovin' it! Thanks for the pics and stoke!

[jpcm]

sheRa,
great pics, looks like a much better time than fighting the beaters at BC opening day. can't wait to get back there.

[KANUTTEN]

It's a Panasonic DMC-FZ5. I love it. It only weighs 11.5 oz, but has a sweet Leica lens and 12X optical zoom. Great camera. Highly recommend.

How the hell were you able to take a photo of your camera???














...that is a lame joke, even by my standards

[Dside11-11]

Kick ass. SheRa looking quite clean indeed. I am sure your clothes have been scrubbed clean by all of the pow you have been raging through lately. Great pics. Good work.

[shera]

I think I have a new project on my hands, but this one will take some time.

That is the best news I've heard in a while. I am your number one supporter on this. So pleased. Do it!

Thanks again for a great day SheRa. It's always a pleasure touring and skiing with you.

Then let's go again!

I'll take the big fat coulie from the top and you can have that skinny steep narrow thing off to the side.

edit - it would be so cool to get two different groups up on the same day, one on outpost and us on those lines in the pics. Then we could take turns doing video of each other skiing entire lines, top to bottom. With radio communication we could even talk each other down lines if you can see the whole thing from the other side...

[Benny Profane]

It's a Panasonic DMC-FZ5. I love it. It only weighs 11.5 oz, but has a sweet Leica lens and 12X optical zoom. Great camera. Highly recommend.

Very nice! and again, again. My desktop is happier!

How old is the camera? How many megapixels? Leica optics????!!! expensive?

I was looking at Nikon products recently, and the nice bright menu finder swayed me. How's the screen?

[Cirquerider]

How the hell were you able to take a photo of your camera???

Look at the HTTP address, the camera pic is from dpreview.

Great trip report. We are hurting here in Tahoe, but the hiking and biking has been good. I think we are ready for a change. I can't wait to see some snow on the summit again. Thanks for sharing.

[iskibc]

Very nice! and again, again. My desktop is happier!

How old is the camera? How many megapixels? Leica optics????!!! expensive?

I was looking at Nikon products recently, and the nice bright menu finder swayed me. How's the screen?

Thanks! I'm still trying to figure all the bells and whistles out on this camera. It's a fun digi cam for ski trips. I am pleased with the quality of pics so far. Ultra fast processor, makes taking action ski shots much easier than the Olympus E-10 I used to have.

Camera is only a couple weeks old. 5.0 megapixels. As for the Leica optics:

"Leica Lenses
Leica camera AG is a camera and lens maker lauded by photographers around the world. Two of Leica's most popular lenses, the Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens and the Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens, are now featured in Panasonic Lumix® cameras, bringing Leica's advanced optical technology to the world of digital photography.

Thanks to Leica lenses, Lumix® cameras can take digital photos that have the same emotional warmth, impact and subtlety as photographs shot on film.

Leica DC Vario-Summicron Lens
The head of the Leica lens family, the DC Vario-Summicron lens features an exquisite soft-focus effect, vibrant colors and a general enhancement of nuance and depth."

I bought the camera brand new off an ebay auction for around $125 less than retail. I've seen them at Circuit City for $425.

Nikon makes a really nice DSLR at a great price point ($500ish). Was real close to pulling the trigger, but got the chance to see what the Panasonic put out before purchasing. The LCD display is pretty decent on the Panasonic.

[PTracy P1]

Boyaah for da stoke. I land in Aspen at about 11:30am tomorrow. Everything is lookin coolio. Super super super dooper stokered.

Great fotos.

[Benny Profane]

hey, thanx, you're, like so coolio steezy souper dooper BC.

[Mcwop]

Thanks! I'm still trying to figure all the bells and whistles out on this camera. It's a fun digi cam for ski trips. I am pleased with the quality of pics so far. Ultra fast processor, makes taking action ski shots much easier than the Olympus E-10 I used to have.

Camera is only a couple weeks old. 5.0 megapixels. As for the Leica optics:

"Leica Lenses
Leica camera AG is a camera and lens maker lauded by photographers around the world. Two of Leica's most popular lenses, the Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens and the Leica DC Vario-Elmarit lens, are now featured in Panasonic Lumix® cameras, bringing Leica's advanced optical technology to the world of digital photography.

Thanks to Leica lenses, Lumix® cameras can take digital photos that have the same emotional warmth, impact and subtlety as photographs shot on film.

Leica DC Vario-Summicron Lens
The head of the Leica lens family, the DC Vario-Summicron lens features an exquisite soft-focus effect, vibrant colors and a general enhancement of nuance and depth."

I bought the camera brand new off an ebay auction for around $125 less than retail. I've seen them at Circuit City for $425.

Nikon makes a really nice DSLR at a great price point ($500ish). Was real close to pulling the trigger, but got the chance to see what the Panasonic put out before purchasing. The LCD display is pretty decent on the Panasonic.

I have the 2 megapixel version (a few years old), and it takes great photos. It was < $300 when I bought it.

[LeeLau]

Love the close-up pictures. You can feel the smiles and happy glow

[Z]

Awesome pics. That coolie better have a checkmark by it come this summer.

HUGE!!

P.S. sweet jacket mir! where'd you score that?

[FiveLarge]

How the hell were you able to take a photo of your camera???














...that is a lame joke, even by my standards

Lame, sure...but I liked it...probably because I have the same sense of humor. I guess that makes me lame?