Best way from Booth Lake to Upper Piney Lake (5 posts)

Topic tags: Booth Lake, Upper Piney Lake
  • Profile picture of Scott Shirey Scott Shirey said 1 year, 9 months ago:

    Two years ago I attempted a grand circumnavigation of the Gore Range but got off-track on day 1, some 20+ miles in when I attempted to bushwack towards West Booth Pass from a mile or so above Booth Falls rather than going all the way up to the lake…. ended up over on the side by Eiseman Hut.

    I’m going to attempt this route again August 24-27 but this time I’m going to go all the way to Booth Lake before trying to reach Upper Piney Lake.

    Question from looking at the ormes map…. would you recommend East or West Booth Pass as the route over to Upper Piney Lake?

    #
  • Profile picture of Tom Gosiorowski Tom Gosiorowski said 1 year, 9 months ago:

    Can’t add a whole lot, but there is an old article posted on this site that describes the route between the two drainages. If you haven’t read it, check here:

    http://www.gorerange.info/wp-content/uploads/articles/trail_and_timberline_gore_range_valley_hopping.pdf

    I’m planning a trip to Upper Piney Lake beginning at the Eiseman Hut. Any comments you could make on this idea based upon your travels in that general area would be appreciated.

    #
  • Profile picture of Scott Shirey Scott Shirey said 1 year, 9 months ago:

    Thanks for that… I had not read it and that helps… looks like the author is recommending East Booth Pass.

    I wish I could help you a little more, but I never really knew I was near Eisemann Hut until it was all over and I looked back at what had happened later. I never actually saw the hut. I had hiked in from my house in Frisco on the North Tenmile trail… over Eccles and Red Buffalo passes, through East Vail and up the Booth Creek trail all on day one. It was late afternoon before I crossed over what I hoped was West Booth Pass, only to realize I had made a mistake.

    I just remember bushwacking a few miles down a very steep forest before finding some diamonds nailed to trees. After camping I kept following the diamonds the next morning until they eventually came to a more well-defined trail that took me out to Vail. I came out by some horse-stables.

    Thanks again for the link!

    #
  • Profile picture of Jim Gabriel Jim Gabriel said 1 year, 9 months ago:

    Sounds like you were cruisin’ through Middle Creek to the west of Bald Mtn. There are trails that hook it up with Spraddle Creek. The stables are were we start our ski tours to Bald Mtn. Awesome skiing off the back of Bald into Middle Creek. We skin back up and ski out Spraddle. Huge timbers back there. There’s a trail (the diamonds) that splits off heading from/to the Eisemann Hut in the winter. I have some friends that thought it would be a good idea to Mt Bike down from the Hut that way. They should have brought a chainsaw. Regarding Booth to Piney, I would hit both passes if possible. I’ve used West Booth Pass a lot. That old trail is special that comes from the Booth Lake Trail. That trail peters out often just before you climb steeply north along side a creek that drains from the pass. The creek you had been following continues up towards Druid Pass.Use trail, but don’t trust it too much. As you near the bottom of the north side of W.Booth Pass a trail comes and goes through the swampy area as you round Spider and Web. E.Booth Pass is cool too. It’ll be less moisture management and more scrambly. That tarn between Booth Lake and E.Booth Pass is sweet! If you work your way from Booth Lake to the tarn towards the west ridge of W.Partner, the pass is rather obvious when you are on it. Check out the recent trip reports for peak h for pics of W.Booth Pass and Upper Piney area

    #
  • Profile picture of Scott Shirey Scott Shirey said 1 year, 9 months ago:

    Thanks Jim! That is awesome information!

    #