I will always provide a route map for free, but you can also download a hike/drive GPX track of this route to assist on your outing and to help support my site. Before sharing my tracks with others, please remember my site is a free resource and I'm charging nominal fees for GPX tracks in an attempt to offset my substantial website costs.
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I highly recommend skipping this trip report and instead checking out my much more updated outing 5 years after doing this one. The only reason I'm keeping this page up is for sentimental value and in case you want to compare snow photos versus no snow. We made many mistakes on this hike, and I wanted to return to do a better job, plus we got a couple of extra peaks on the newer hike. However, if you decide to read this page, note that the attached map reflects the other hike's route since our track for this hike was overly dangerous and quite wrong much of the time.
Jul 10, 2017 — This incredible hike in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada to Mt. Gilbert and Echo Lake gets you through a massive lush valley, up a great scramble to a beautiful peak, and to an isolated and serene lake.
We had difficulty finding the trailhead for the Right Fork Lamoille Creek Trail, and we ended up starting on the wrong side of Lamoilly Creek (west). You definitely want to keep east, because on the way back we followed a super nice trail, whereas the way up was a rough bushwhack. After finding the trail continue until you get to the base of Mt. Gilbert, cross Lamoille Creek, and start heading up the grassy slope. Keep to the left as much as possible until the base and then cross right on a ledge until you find Class 2+/3 that takes you to the summit. Thanks to Bob Burd for beta on the route on Mount Gilbert.
After taking in an incredible view of Nevada, head just west of the north ridge and scramble down a gully that includes a Class 3 section that takes you to fairly flat ground, where you then head south along the cliffside for a while until you see a rocky gully, the sketchiest part of this route. It's loose, but nothing crazier than Class 3. From here, continue left along the ridge to a notch that overlooks Echo Lake and head down. Echo Lake is the largest lake in the Ruby Mountains, and it's an effort to get to, though easily worth every second. When we were done enjoying Echo Lake, we were ready to head back into Lamoille Canyon, but messed up and went up an appealing slope to the northeast, not knowing the opposite side of the slope would be nearly impassable (dark blue line on attached map). If you go this way out of the cirque surrounding Echo Lake, expect exposed Class 4. However, you can instead head to the pass to the south of Echo Lake and work your way around on tame terrain, minimizing the absurd risk of death.
Find the Right Fork Lamoille Creek Trail and head back the way you came. What an amzing adventure in the Ruby Mountains this was. Can't wait to go back.
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