Heading towards Red Buffalo Pass on a near-perfect fall day.
With no shortage of warm, dry weather still hanging around Colorado late into October, it was time to head out for another local trail run. Brian and I decided on a point-to-point run from Frisco to East Vail, connecting the Meadow Creek and Gore Creek Trailheads. It was a fun day out and nice to check off another route that’s long been on the wish list.
The route can be run in either direction but Frisco -> Vail seems like the way to go.
Frisco to Vail has been known as a classic run/through hike basically ever since the trails came into existence. Clocking in at roughly 14 miles and 3,200 ft in total, the route is very obtainable but also not one to necessarily scoff at depending on what kind of shape you’re in. Climbing up and over the southern part of the Gore Range proper, the day is situated such that you get one big climb at the beginning followed by one big descent at the end with a short alpine traverse between Eccles and Red Buffalo Passes in the middle.
Breaking into the alpine in the Eagle’s Nest Wilderness.
Jax at Eccles Pass with 12er Deming Mountain behind.
The route was almost entirely dry with just a few hints of snow here and there from our first and only snowstorm of the season. After 5 miles of climbing from the Meadow Creek TH we crested Eccles Pass, where Brian felt the urge to go out and nab “Eccles Peak”. Jax and I just hung around and soaked in the colors and views on this gorgeous day (while trying not to freeze our nuts off).
From Eccles Pass the route takes on a short traverse in the alpine where the views to the north and east are dominated by Red Peak and Buffalo Mountain. We made quick work of this scenic section of trail, jogging past a few frozen ponds with a brisk wind biting at our heels. Soon we hit Red Buffalo Pass, entered Eagle County and had pretty much all of the elevation gain over and done with for the day.
At Red-Buffalo Pass looking northwest at “Snow Peak”, which we skied this past May down the obvious, visible face.
Following the faint trail from the pass down into upper-Gore Creek.
Once in Gore Creek we took a minute to admire an old friend in the “Deming Drop”, then after a mile or two more came upon the Recen Brother’s grave site which marks the split with the trail that climbs up to Gore and Snow Lakes. From there it was just a cruiser descent down the final few miles to the Gore Creek TH.
Close to the finish line with beer in our near future.
Anyone looking for a fun idea who doesn’t mind setting up a shuttle, I’d recommend checking this one out sometime. It’d be fun to add a little more creativity to the day as well, maybe by tacking on an ascent up and over Snow Pass on the way down Gore Creek?
At any rate, thanks for reading…
The end.
Nice work, fellas. How was the deadfall in there? Can be pretty heinous on those trails if they haven’t cleared it out in a while. Seems like the Frisco side is always especially bad for whatever reason.
Thanks man! Deadfall wasn’t an issue in Meadow Creek or Gore Creek, so this route is still fine, but we did come across some people who had just climbed up from the trail that wraps around the north side of Buffalo and they said it was terrible in there. Hundreds of downed trees they said, made worse by the crazy winds earlier in the month.
Fun day. I like runs where the beginning is entirely uphill and the end entirely downhill. Nice choice in post trail beverage. Had a Water Colors last night. ORB is now “cheaper” than Weldwerks down here.
Water Colors is great. I wonder how much craft beer is going to cost in like 2045?
My guess is the average New England IPA will cost $45 for a 16oz 4-pack. Odells will still have a wide selection and somehow still cost $9.99. If Odells gets compromised, I guess I’ll just go full circle and start drinking Natural Light again.