GoreRange.info

Yesterday Elke Dratch and I did the East Ridge of Peak V starting from about the halfway point between V and W. We then descended the full S Ridge back to the Pitkin Trail. Total = 11 miles in 9.5 hours. Excellent Class 3-4 rock on the ascent route (and descent). Route is simply to take the trailless fork of Pitkin Valley at about 11000 and then curve around the nice slopes to the VW ridge.

We found an old mine on the last slope down to the trail with a 12-foot deep square hole and many old metal tools.

Has this ridge been climbed before? Since I believe Robert Porter of Breckenridge did just about the whole divide N to S, he has surely descended the VW ridge. The recent post on Peak X has a nice view of the VW ridge.

Some news from earlier in the season:

Valhalla: On June 22, 2011, Jonathan Kriegel and I put in a big one-day effort to get to the summit of Valhalla with our skis, starting from Vail, we then skied the E Face (some avy issues), and descended out to rock creek. Details at http://www.stanwagon.com/wagon/coloski/summitco/summitcoGore/summitcoGore.html

On July 22, 2011, Joe Kramarsic, David Nebel, and I did the full E Ridge of North Ten Mile Peak. Rope used, though I think it can all be called Class 4. This is the peak (12736) that some call West Deming.