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Hey all,

I'm considering hitting up some of the CO high peaks for my spring break (March 19-28; in my mind, it beats partying on a beach, ha). I've been looking at avalanche forecasts and weather conditions for the area recently, and I'm getting a sense that the past week or two has brought some storms around the area--correct me if I'm wrong. I'm hoping to do the Lost Rat or the Dead Dog couloir on Grays and Torreys Peak, and I was planning to take some friends out there with me. Has anyone been up there recently? I've heard the top of the route can vary in difficulty depending on the presence of a cornice on the summit ridge. Any info on recent conditions would be very much appreciated.

Cheers.

I was just in Steven's Gulch this weekend to climb Grays but was turned back due to wind at about 13k. It's still the middle of winter there and I don't think those climbs will set up for months. Can't say I paid much attention to either route but there is a lot of snow with more forcasted this week. I had some concerns coming around Kelso on the main trail. There are certainly good winter route options on either but probably not a snow climb yet. Both routes are done in winter but I'm sure it's a much bigger undertaking. I aslo went over and looked at the Chihuahua gulch winter TH as I was looking at doing the SW ridge. Went in a couple miles. In either case you would need snow shoes for most of the route just to get in. I wore mine all the way up Stevens Gulch. I guess you could have gotten away without them from I-70 to the summer TH but you would need them after that. I can take a look at my pics to see if I have any good shots when I get home.

Yep, Lost Rat or Dead Dog are usually not in until early May at the earliest. There are plenty of avy safe lines, just stay way left of Kelso. The trail cuts right underneath the east slopes, which are generally loaded.

Yeah, I was thinking that would be the case. I guess all my recent all-nighters working have been putting wishful thoughts into my head. I guess ridges are the order of the day, especially since I've been a bit sketched out by the dramatic ricocheting of the CAIC avi forecasts (but then again, this is the first year I've had to seriously use avalanche forecasts, so I'm a little unfamiliar with their winter season trending...). Alright, good to know. I think there are some winter route pages on SP that I'm going to take full advantage of. Thanks!