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Let's find some no-posthole trails for early Spring
Posted:
Sun Mar 20, 2011 4:59 pmby cdgraves
I'm looking to get my outdoor season started ASAP, especially with our dismal snowpack this year, but don't have snow gear. I'm looking for general info and updates on trails around the Front Range that are clearing up. Jeffco Open Spaces and Flatirons, of course, but has anyone visited a wilderness lately to check conditions?
In particular, I'm curious about: Indian Peaks/4th of July Rd and Lost Creek Wilderness/South Park area. Anyone been out there this year? If not, maybe I'll just take a jaunt up the hill and see how far up the Ben Tyler I can get!
Re: Let's find some no-posthole trails for early Spring
Posted:
Sun Mar 20, 2011 8:14 pmby Teresa Gergen
I've been climbing 10ers and 11ers and some lower peaks in the Puma Hills, Gold Camp Rd, Tarryall Rd, and Crags areas west of Colo Springs all winter looking for low-snow areas while recovering from an injury and unable to use snowshoes. Snow has generally run no more than 8" deep and has averaged more like 4-6".
Re: Let's find some no-posthole trails for early Spring
Posted:
Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:17 amby CSUMarmot
Ive climbed 5 mountains this year and only ran into snow on one of them, the key is to stay below 10000 and stick to east-south facing slopes. Trails are extremely limited around here, so most of my hikes have been off trail, good bushwhacking warm ups I guess
Re: Let's find some no-posthole trails for early Spring
Posted:
Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:25 pmby cdgraves
well I drove up 285 to about Bailey and the mountains are looking pretty good so far. The snow in Mt Evans/Buffalo Peaks area is patchy and kinda thick under the trees, but on the tundra it looks already about 50% melted (before the current storm, at least). Did a short hike in Pine Valley Open space up to about 7300' and it was completely dry.
Re: Let's find some no-posthole trails for early Spring
Posted:
Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:04 amby mtnjim
Mt. Lady Washington from the Longs Peak trailhead usually goes pretty well. The trail gets so much use that it's well packed to timberline and then blown more or less clear above (good old front range winds). I haven't been up there for a couple of weeks but I don't think it's been warm enough that the packed trail will have become too soft. Closest place to get up to 13k from my house!
Trying to get in shape for spring races so I've been hitting Round Mountain out of Loveland for something to run on that avoids snow entirely (almost). 2970' vert in 4.9 miles so about the same grade as Pikes via the Barr trail.