Peak
13,333
Hiking in Silverthorne, Summit County, Colorado
Buffalo Mountain (12,777
ft) and
Red Peak (13,189 ft)
dominate the skyline of the town of Silverthorne, Colorado. Yet,
further north along along the Gore
Range, in the Eagles Nest Wilderness of the White River National
Forest,
there are three 13,000 thousanders which form
a chasm of impressive beauty. The
peaks are not named in many maps, but
they are easily spotted surrounding Salmon Lake (11,198 ft) on
the west. Helped by their remoteness
(4.76 miles and 2,124 ftH from the nearest trailhead) the peaks see
little traffic which has preserved their beauty.
I was drawn to the chasm by Peak 13,333 (the furthest south). With it striking north face, this imposing rocky spearhead cries to be climbed. And so, on December 26, 2004, Rebecca, Jon Vermillion, and I visited the area in preparation for a winter traverse of the peaks.
 Silverthorne westward skyline from the left: Buffalo Mountain (12,777 ft), Red Peak (13,189 ft), and Peak 13,130 |
||
 Dawn over Peak 13,333 |
 Rebecca and Jon on the approach to Peak 13,333 along the Gore Ridge Trail |
 The North Face of Red Peak |
  Details of the North Face of Red Peak left: east side, right: west side |
 Silverthorne as viewed from the Salmon Willow Trail |
|
 Jon and Rebecca walking over Salmon Lake |
 The North Face of Peak 13,333 |
|
 Jon approaches the East Ridge of Peak 13,333 |
 Pedro strapping crampons at the base of the North Face of Peak 13,333 |
 Detail of the North Face of Peak 13,333 |
   Pedro climbing the North Face of Peak 13,333 |
||
 Rebecca catching some rays at the base of the East Ridge of Peak 13,333 |
 The North Face of Peak 13,333 |
 Rebecca and Jon on their way back to Silverthorne along the Salmon Willow Trail |
| Pictures were
taken using a Sony
DSC-T1 @ 5 mega pixels. Photomerges were done using Adobe Photoshop
Elements 2.0. |
 |
Pedro (completely whipped) leaving the Eagles Nest Wilderness in the White River National Forest. |
Pedro
I. Espina© 2004