LoJ: #498 (Pre-LiDAR #501) / 13,180' "Mount Valhalla" UN 13180
Range ›
Gore Range
Quadrangle ›
Willow Lakes
Summit Location ›
N 39° 39' 40.79", W 106° 13' 05.40"
(Not Field Checked)
N 39° 39' 40.79", W 106° 13' 05.40"
(Not Field Checked)
Neighboring Peaks ›
"Grand Traverse Peak" [Formerly UN 13041 B]
"Snow Peak" [UN 13039]
"Grand Traverse Peak" [Formerly UN 13041 B]
"Snow Peak" [UN 13039]
Peak Summary
Mt. Valhalla climbed as a traverse from Grand Traverse Peak (UN13,041) is a Class 2+ ridge walk with just minor scrambling through some troughs and over some rocky points. It can also be ascended directly from Deluge Lake. The Deluge Lake trailhead is accessible to any passenger car. Reaching Mt. Valhalla involves a steep trail hike of over 4 miles one way before beginning the main ascent. We have sequenced Valhalla with Grand Traverse Peak as part of a backpack trip that also picks up Snow Peak and Mt. Silverthorne (Willow BM).
Mt. Valhalla West Ridge Route
Class 2+
Backpack + Medium Day
Climbed with
"Grand Traverse Peak"
RT From Deluge Lake/Gore Creek TH:
12.25 mi / 5,225'
RT From
Deluge Lake
with
"Formerly UN 13041 B":
3.25 mi / 2,175'
From "Formerly UN 13041 B":
1.25 mi / 850' (One-Way)
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Deluge Lake/Gore Creek TH
From either direction on I-70, take exit 180 about 4 miles east of the main town exit for Vail. As you exit, go south and onto Big Horn Road. Drive east on that road 2.3 miles through condo and residential village to the trailhead. Big Horn Road will turn NE and cross under the interstate, then make a broad curve to the east and SE. Parking for the trailhead is on that curve. Just a short distance past the trailhead is the entrance to the Gore Creek Campground. There may be some more shoulder parking on the road just beyond the CG. A little more past there, the road is barred from vehicular traffic and becomes the bike trail over Vail Pass. On weekends, the available parking fills beyond capacity. Arrive early if you want to park close to the trailhead.
Camping
Just east of the trailhead parking is the Gore Creek Campground, a National Forest Service fee area with vault toilets and water. Reservations may be made for campsites at www.reserveamerica.com. Other than that, there is virtually no other place close by with at-large/primitive camping. Your best bet may be to go up to the summit of Vail Pass and drive down the Black Lakes Road where there is a pullout parking area right where the road is barred from vehicular traffic and becomes the Vail Pass bike trail, east end. This is not a primitive camp location but you may be able to sleep in your vehicle.
Campsite Locations
Gore Crek CG › N 39° 37' 37.14", W 106° 16' 26.33"Fee required. 8750 elevation. Lots of interstate traffic noise.
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From Deluge Lake/Gore Creek TH via Deluge Lake & "Formerly UN 13041 B":
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Grand Traverse PK SE Slope Class 2 / 1.0 mi / 1,325’ One-Way
Click thumbnail to view full-size photo + caption
Open This Route in a New WindowFrom Deluge Lake cross the lake outlet to the west side and circle around to the north end of the lake where you begin your ascent on mostly tundra adjacent to some rock/scree, to a saddle, almost directly north of the lake, at 12,420 ft. Though steep, the hike up to the saddle is fairly easy. Lower down, there is clear trail evidence that fades as you hike higher. The trail leads through some lush growth, offering wildflower viewing. At the saddle turn west and continue your ascent on tundra giving way to talus and rock until you arrive at the summit. There's a little bit of rock scrambling along the summit crest. It took us one hour from our camp location at Deluge Lake to gain the summit. We debated that this may have been the easiest Gore summit we had done if you discount the rugged backpack in.
From this summit, and along the hike up, you have very good views of the ridge between Grand Traverse Peak and North Traverse Peak. This ridge is often referred to as "The Grand Traverse" and offers an interesting and challenging route of 3rd and 4th class scrambling. A preferred route for doing this traverse is to hike up Bighorn Creek, ascend N. Traverse first, head south along the ridge to Grand Traverse Peak and then either exit down Deluge Creek where you've stashed another vehicle (or perhaps bike) at the trailhead, or descend back down into the Bighorn Creek drainage and pick up the trail to return to the same start. If interested, be sure and see Gary Neben's report on the Mountain Handbook link provided below. Also, this traverse is written up in Dave Cooper's book, "Colorado Scrambles."
If timing and weather permit, consider proceeding on to Mt. Valhalla, a long mile ridge traverse to the east. Surprisingly, that traverse can be completed in a little over an hour.
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Click thumbnail to view full-size photo + captionRoute Description
Year Climbed: 2012Mt. Valhalla is sequenced with Grand Traverse Peak (UN13,041). One-way mileage and elevation gain are measured from the summit of Grand Traverse. Round-trip mileage and elevation gain assumes completion of the sequence. The sequence mileage is measured from a campsite a little south of Deluge Lake.
The ridge connection to Mt. Valhalla from Grand Traverse Peak is fairly straightforward, even though it appears to have several complications. At times there is even some trail. When not on the ridge crest, we always stayed on the south side. The initial section goes quickly on tundra and then you get into some gullies and a little bit of some rock work and up & down stuff, but there is never anything real intimidating or that should slow you much. There is one little steep upclimb to gain a minor saddle that is just west of the summit where a minor, no-count, rocky pinnacle will draw your attention. The final summit block is some class 2+ scrambling over solid rock. From Grand Traverse Peak, the ridge traverse took us 1:15. The views again of the entire Gore Range, stretching to the north and south are remarkable, even though the atmosphere can be rather hazy. If drawn to the minor rocky pinnacle just NW of the summit, that is a 15 minute 3rd class scramble.
On the way back down, retrace your steps to the saddle by the pinnacle. From the saddle, descend down south on loose scree and dirt, then veer to the right to get on some more solid footing tundra. Avoid an entrenched gully by passing on the right and then follow tundra on down into a curving drainage that will lead back to lake level and your campsite if you have made this trip into a backpack. For an account of a Valhalla-Snow Peak traverse, follow either of the links below.
Additional BETA
Links to other information, routes & trip reports for this peak that may be helpful.Lists of John › Mount Valhalla -
"He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done." Leonardo DaVinci
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