Earlier this fall Brian, Steve and I set off from the Gore Creek Campground and hiked “Hail Peak”. It was a sweet day out, and was one of the last summer-esque days before the area received it’s first real snowfall.
“Hail Peak” is a high point along the ridge line connecting Mt. Valhalla and Mt. Silverthorne just northeast of Snow Lake. It’s a reclusive peak and one that doesn’t see very many ascents on an annual basis. The only reasonable route to the top is via the peak’s southeast slopes, though I know at least one party that’s run the connecting ridge over to Mt. Valhalla. The approach from Gore Creek TH takes the long trail up the drainage to the Recen Brother’s grace site, then up the trail to Gore Lake. From there, you have to split off the trail and hike up through the open meadows towards Snow Lake. Eventually you’ll be standing right at the base of “Hail Peak” with nothing but a few thousand feet of boulder hopping between you and the summit. Keep Reading….
Sometimes climbing these mountains can be a massive logistical undertaking. But other times the trips just write themselves. That was the case for me on a random weekend in the autumn of 2025. I was feeling pretty burned out with the relentless responsibilities of life. As such, mountains have been hard to come by this year. A trip to the hills was long overdue. I was originally planning on working on my centennial list via the apostles group. But an early dusting of snow made me reconsider. As I did, I settled on the Mt. Solitude group. Keep Reading…
Twelve years ago lordhelmut put up one of his old legendary TR’s about a trip into the Gores. Their crew did a series of ridge runs that day, culminating in a connection between Peak Z (13,327′) and the “barnacle attached to Z’s backside,” Peak Z Prime (12,975′).
Times were much simpler back then. And as such, the unbridled enthusiasm of virgin Gore summits combined with the pre-apocalyptic internet era inspired Brian to publicly christen Peak Z as “Deion Sanders Peak.” This was due to the fact that since Deion believed he “deserved a salary that equaled a QB’s, Z-Prime probably feels it deserves just as much respect and attention as its larger, ranked neighbor.” And so naturally, the connecting ridge between Z and Z Prime became “The Prime Time Traverse.” Keep Reading…
Just before New Years I joined up with Rick, Dave and Zach on an exploratory tour into the northern Eagles Nest Wilderness. After a long sled approach we skinned out along Elliot Ridge and skied off Meridian Peak before exploring the Cataract Creek basin a bit in search of some bonus turns. It was a fun day out, and really the first true backcountry day of the season for me. Keep reading…
