CDOT opened Independence Pass on Thursday, so Friday I drove up there to see the twenty foot walls of snow and take both photos and videos.
On the way down, I stopped at the ghost town of Independence. You can see the snow is very deep. Well above average snowpack at the higher elevations this year will either delay spring hikes or make them more challenging. I was post-holing on top of the pass, where the wind prevents it from getting too deep (though it's very deep just below the top).
It's time to start looking at my favorite low-elevation and south-facing trails to see where I can get out and explore. Or I can bring snowshoes, and check out the other trails...
