Overview
Point 12,370 as seen from the Booth Creek Drainage, Gore Mountains, Eagles Nest Wilderness
Digital photo by Aaron Johnson UN 12,370 is an obscure, unranked peak in the spectacular Gore Mountains of Colorado. Located in the heart of the Eagles Nest Wilderness, this easily climbed mountain offers a stunning view of many rarely seen but well revered peaks by the climbing community.
The mountain could easily be called "Cracktop," as the ridge west of the summit sports a sizeable fissure. In geological terms, the north face of this mountain will fall away in a short time, an event which will likely happen in silence even though it would be incredible to witness.
The view from this summit is stunning. Prominent Gore peaks are seen in abundance, including Peak E, Peak F, Peak G. Mount Solitude, Vista Peak, Climber's & Skier's Points, Out Post Peak and many more. But this page was assembled to compliment the Booth Mountain page, by SP's own Jon Bradford. That well done page describes a wonderful mountain similar to Point 12,370. Both mountains offer stunning views of two extremely rugged mountains, highly regarded among Gore Range enthusiasts, but otherwise as remote and obscure as you can get: The Spider and The Fly (see photos in this section). Both are great challenges to climbers that love the Gore Range.
The Spider and The Fly
The Fly (left) and The Spider (right) as seen from Point 12,370 (Cracktop)
Digital photo by Ellen Ritt The Spider and The Fly are two of Colorado's most remote peaks, located in the heart of the Gore Range and the expansive Eagles Nest Wilderness. The shortest approach for climbing these mountains is from Booth Creek, directly to the south. The other longer approach is from the north via the Piney River drainage.
These two mountains offer a unique challenge and a deep wilderness experience, and are among the last of the best Gore summits to be submitted with respectable accuracy to SP. You can see the excellent results, thaanks to intrepid SP member Kane's excellent contribution here:
The Spider and the Fly.
The internet's foremost expert on the Gore Range is considered by many to be Theron Welch, who had established his excellent website on the Gores while SP was still in its infancy. Theron has climbed both The Spider and The Fly from Booth Lake. He includes an account of this adventure on his website. Here is a direct link to that report:
The Spider and The Fly
     
Getting ThereTake the East Vail exit 190 off of Interstate 70 and get on the North Service Road and head west. Look sharp for the Booth Trail Road on the right. The sign is brown and white and the lettering is vertical and easy to miss if you're not paying attention. A bus stop is nearby.
Go north on this road, which ends within a quarter mile at the Booth Trailhead. There is limited parking on a paved lot. The trailhead and register are just north of a locked green gate.
Red TapeNo red tape is presently applicable to hike in the Gore Range. There are residences nearby the trailhead, so if you arrive early, please be considerate and keep the noise level down.
When To ClimbThe best time to climb this mountain, or any other mountain from the Booth Creek drainage is in summer and fall. In the winter, access up this trail would be a time consuming endeavor. Upper reaches traverse beneath considerable avalanche prone slopes. In spring, expect a lot of lingering snow and winter gear may still be required.
CampingCamping sites abound along the Booth Creek trail. The further up you go, the more secluded sites you'll find. This is wilderness, so please follow wilderness protocols when selecting your camp site.
Arapaho National Forest Campgrounds
Fee Camping in the White River National Forest
Mountain ConditionsClimbing the Gores typically involves long, beautiful approaches, followed by climbing on very steep terrain comprised of solid or loose rock and tundra. Summits and ridges are often serrated points and may involve highly exposed scrambling and climbing.
It rains a lot in the Gores, and the range receives considerable amounts of snow in the winter. Avalanches are common well into June, and snow fields will persist well into June. Expect "tropical" conditions during the summer: lots of moisture and humidity in the forest, and daily thunderstorms. Things dry out in the fall, which may be the best time to visit the Gores.
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
GOES western US Satellite Image
NOAA Copper Mountain Area Forecast for the Gore Range
Dillon Ranger District
Administers the east side of the Eagles Nest Wilderness. Lots of good info at this site!
Holy Cross Ranger District
Administers the western side of the Eagles Nest Wilderness.
White River National Forest
Arapaho National Forest
(Now combined with Routt National Forest and Pawnee National Grasslands)
9NEWS Vail Webcam
Images
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Gore Range
