There is probably no finer representative of the typical spike shaped high peaks of the Gore Range than “Peak L”.
-Joseph D. Kramarsic, author of a Mountaineering in the Gore Range
Lightening had been striking south of me when I left town for the drive to the Rock Creek trailhead. The weather was still unsettled when I started hiking with gray skies and strong winds. Occasional sprinkles put an additional damper on the scene. I should have been happy – the winds and clouds would keep the hike in cooler. Unfortunately, the majority of the trees in this area were dead, killed by the pine beetle. I feared one of them may snap above me as I hiked along.
It was with this background that I suddenly saw something large and black run through the trees on my right. “Bear!” I thought, before realizing it was a moose. Actually two, a mother and her calf. We stared at each other for a while then I slowly walked off.
As excited as I was to be back in the Gore Range, I definitely missed having a partner along for this hike. The Gore Range was the location of my first introduction to Colorado’s backcountry, some 15 years ago in an Outward Bound course. It’s a rugged range and not nearly as visited as those containing 14,000 foot mountains.
For most of the hike I followed the Gore Range Trail, which partly encircles the range. Once I reached the turn off for Boulder Lake, I was in new territory. I’d visited Boulder Lake both in Outward Bound and years later on a day hike.
My discombobulation increased as I kept an eye out for the Slate Creek trail. My map showed it turning left before the Gore Range trail crossed Slate Creek. As I marched over the bridge I hoped there’d been a reroute since the map was published. Thankfully, that was the case. The Slate Creek trail then turn west and proceeded through a valley in full bloom.
I was undecided if I should stop at Slate Lake or hike another 1,000 feet higher to the upper lake. When I reached Slate Lake at 8pm I decided to stop here. A group of 5 was sitting around the campfire as I approached and we chatted a bit before I went looking for a tent site of my own. I followed a trail a little ways until it led to the base of a cliff that presented an easy scramble. Against my better judgment I decided that just maybe there was a site up the cliff. It didn’t look promising, but I managed to find a spot just big enough for my 1 person tent. Once setup I went back down to join the group.
The five guys were old school friends who get together once a year and do a backcountry trip. I was impressed that they’d found the Gore Range and we chatted about our trips and lives. I ended up staying up later than I’d planned, given the long day I had in mind for tomorrow. But sitting around the fire and talking with other people was just the cure I needed for the mild unease I’d had on the hike in.
The next morning I enjoyed a beautiful sunrise.
At 6am I left camp and headed to the Upper Slate Lake. I chatted briefly with a camper there who had hiked in late and followed the trail in the dark arriving around 4am. Crazy. A bushwhacking trail runs around the south side of the lake, which I was mostly able to follow – only really losing it once. As usual, my punishment for missing the trail was a thick patch of willows to bash through.
By 7:30 am I’d hiked well past the upper end of the lake and located a crossing of Slate Creek. I’d also acquired my own personal herd of mosquitoes.
Once across the creek I headed north west and found some grassy slopes and talus slides to ascend. The terrain was only class 2, but the mosquitoes were definitely class 3.
Probably due to the mosquitoes’ “help” I was able to scurry to the ridge crest (a gain of 1,700 feet) in less than an hour. Once on the ridge top the mosquitoes disappeared. Whether that was due to a slight breeze or their dislike of exposure, I’m not sure.
On the ridge I had a great view of Mount Powell to the northwest. Powell is the highest peak in the Gore Range and a mountain I climbed a year ago. Looking at the terrain more immediately in my vicinity I decided it was time to don a helmet. I then scrambled up some 4th class rocks.
Once on top of the first obstacle, I could see that the next would be easily passed on the north side of the ridge. After that, the route should get more interesting.
Scrambling up the next feature got me to the start of the knife edge. I could also see the summit waiting above.
The knife edge wasn’t too difficult, but then I had to descend to a small gap and contemplate the route to the summit.
I followed two parallel cracks straight up from the gap then when they ran out I traversed left and was soon on the summit. It had taken me about 25 minutes to traverse the ridge and I spent 15 minutes enjoying the views. The weather wasn’t threatening any thunderstorms right away, but I didn’t want to hang around too long. So at 9am I started reversing my route.
I took a slightly different route down, staying a little further east initially on easier terrain, then traversed back to the parallel cracks. Once on the knife edge, I setup my tripod and took a self portrait.
For the rest of the ridge I mostly took easier options, usually further from the ridge crest, to make the descent a little safer. The talus slopes were tiresome to descend, but at least the mosquitoes didn’t reappear until I was back down at the lake.
I navigated along the south side of the lake much better on the return trip and managed to avoid the protracted willow bashing experience. I ran into the two late night hikers again and stopped to chat with them for 15-20 minutes.
I arrived back at Slate Lake well before noon and had collected a pile of snow in a gallon-sized ziplock to present to my fellow campers. They planned to use the snow for tonight’s daiquiris. I quickly scrambled up to my campsite and brought down my gear to repack.
At noon I said goodbye to the group and headed out. I stopped a few times in the Slate Creek valley to pour water on my head and cool off. I also admired the wildflowers in bloom (again).
Looking back, I could see Peak L up the valley.
The hike back out took me 15 minutes longer than the way in. Even with a lighter pack (less food and fuel) the heat and tired legs kept me to a slower pace. Just before arriving back at the trailhead it started thundering, but it only began to sprinkle and rain right when I drove off.
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