Yay for random cabins next to the Gores!
Food... lots of food. Oh, and not walking 'up' anything. That's really all I wanted when I got back to the car after this hike. Wait, that was a lie: I also really wanted a shower. I looked at the topo map before we headed out; seeing a ton of lines super close together and our trail splicing right through them got me pumped. This trail starts in East Vail and takes you right up into the Gore Range. The Gores are pretty rugged and after seeing them almost every day for the past year from 'down' here I was extra stoked to have the chance to get up close and personal with them.
Vince and Pope are hiking machines... MACHINES. They summit 14ers like they're walking on the beach and, yes, they were the ones I went with. I probably shaved 2 hours off my time going with them and trying to keep up, which of course made it even better. The first mile we switched back through Aspen groves, most were naked but a few were still trying to hold on to early Fall. The trail was narrow and snaked across a steep face that would've chutes-and-ladders-ed you back to the start if you slipped. The next mile, even steeper, was forested and near the top we reached a few patches of snow. The remaining 2 miles to the lake was a nice steady incline that almost seemed downhill compared to the brutality of the first few miles. The forest opened up into a big golden basin of tall grass surrounded by the jagged Gore peaks topped with a dusting of snow. (of course I then started thinking about how cool it'd be to trek up there in the winter with our skis and do some backcountry laps)
The lake was small, more of a pond, and a bright green/teal color: the way you'd hope your water looked at the source. After spending 2 seconds looking at it we checked out the small cabin next to the lake and ate (I wasn't hungry before we left so I did the no-no of not eating breakfast... I was starving!)... and played with the sledge hammer and pick axe :) Why the sledge hammer and pick axe? I dunno, why the cabin?
Definitely a hike I'll do again (hopefully in better shape next time). I'd love to see it in summer with the wildflowers, early fall with fully clothed Aspens and winter.
Distance: 8 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: 3,085 feet
Highest Point: 11,765 feet
Soreness Factor: guessing an 8 (to be confirmed tomorrow :) )
# of other hikers we saw: only 4
2,300 feet of elevation gain in the first 2 miles!
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