Huntsman's Ridge

Running north from McClure Pass, Huntsman's Ridge wraps around the west side of the Coal Basin west of Redstone, Colorado.  The trail climbs about 1,700 feet before leveling out.  This used to be a 4WD road, but the gate appears to have been closed the entire season (it was open last fall when I went up there, and a number of hunters had made camp part way up).  The sign says that dirt bikes and ATVs can still use it, but they obviously are not.  Given the downed trees across the road/trail, I can't imagine how even an ATV could navigate this.

I wasn't in the mood to drive far for a hike today, and this one is just a few miles from my home.  I like how steeply it rises (great for exercise), how quiet it is (I was surprised when I saw two other hiking parties on my way down), and the incredible views of the Crystal River and North Fork (Gunnison) valleys.

panorama from the meadow

crooked aspens

Another early season hike up Avalanche Creek

I've posted a few times to this blog about my favorite early season hike.  Because it's relatively exposed, and tops out at only 9,000 feet, the Avalanche Creek trail is a great one to do when the others are muddy or choked with snow fields.

We saw a number of folks out enjoying the trail yesterday, as it was a Saturday and the weather was great.  Here are a few shots showing the scenery and high water.

panorama from the overlook

Hell Roaring creek

shooting stars

The Avalanche Creek trail begins at the eastern end of the USFS Avalanche campground, several miles east of highway 133, between Redstone and Carbondale, Colorado.

American Lake, near Aspen, Colorado

American Lake is in the Castle Creek valley, southwest of Aspen, Colorado.  It's in the Snowmass-Maroon Bells Wilderness Area.  Like nearby Cathedral Lake, it's a popular hike for both the scenery and proximity to the famous ski town. 

I had hiked there once before, but the skies were cloudy, and I wasn't terribly pleased with my photos.  We had perfect weather for the hike and for photography yesterday, and here's what I brought back.

the upper half of the trail passes through pine groves

the gray jays, known as camp-robbers, are used to seeking food from hikers

visitors are struck by the beautiful color of the lake

Yule Creek...again

The Raggeds Wilderness area spreads out to the south of the upper Crystal River valley.  From Marble, Colorado, my favorite access is the Yule Creek trail.  Though smooth tent sites are scarce there, I hope to bring a backpack up and spend the night there once.  Until then, I'll have to be happy with my day hikes.

from the overlook above Thompson Flats

Yule Creek

Lyle Lake and Mormon Lake

Sometimes I'm reluctant to write about hikes that are so great I fear they'll become popular through my blog, and we won't be able to enjoy the near-monopoly we have when we're hiking there.  Even during the peak months of summer, hikes out of the Frying Pan river valley into the Holy Cross wilderness area are never as crowded as those one finds near Aspen.  Ours was the ninth vehicle at the trailhead on Sunday, and yet we only occasionally encountered other hikers (most on the way down from overnight camping there).  Once at the lakes, we had them all to ourselves.

Unlike my past visits, the mosquitoes were out in force this time.  The only bothered me when the breeze died down and we stood still for any length of time.  My girlfriend, however, was nearly eaten alive.  She had about thirty bites on her arms and shoulders, and was rather miserable.  Despite that, she was able to appreciate the hike and called it the most beautiful she had ever seen.

Lyle Creek, just below Lyle Lake

Lyle Lake lunch break

Lyle Lake on the trail up to Mormon Lake

pond and view above Mormon Lake

Lyle Lake from the saddle

Yule Creek in the Ragged Mountains

I know enough about this trail to avoid it early in the season.  It's north-facing and pretty shady, so it can hold a lot of snow well into June.  We were able to catch a glimpse of the mountains at the south end of the valley from about ten miles away last week, and could see they held lots of snow.  But after several days of warmth, I figured it was safe to try the hike.

stream or trail?

The beginning of the hike was wet.  What ought to have been a seasonal stream crossing the trail became a seasonal stream on the trail.  The top third of the hike alternated between shallow snow and easy hiking.  One place was deep and steep, and I prudently walked around it.

snow on the trail

Before too long I reached the overlook above Thompson Flats and was rewarded with one of my favorite views in Colorado:

the view 

Blogspot is very touchy lately, making photo uploads difficult (if not impossible), so you're seeing the black & white version instead of the color one, as that's the only one that would load.  Because it was mostly cloudy, I actually like the B&W landscape better.

Thomas Lakes on the slopes of Mt. Sopris

west Thomas Lake

east Thomas Lake

For the distance (eight miles r/t), views, degree of difficulty (~500 ft/mile), and proximity to Carbondale, I'm always surprised this trail isn't more crowded.  Don't get me wrong, it's a very popular hike, and one that usually has a couple of dozen other hikers on it.  But that's not very many.  And that's coming from someone who prefers not to find any other hikers on his trails.

The trail is snow-free now, though we did find some snow in the shady places around the lakes.  We encountered quite a few people who were camping overnight, including two parties we knew.  But with a dozen established campsites, there were still some open ones.

Despite the near-average snowpack this year, the east lake was a good four or five feet below normal.  Just like last year.  Not sure what's going on there.  Also the stream crossings were very easy for any time of the year, but especially this early in the season.

My girlfriend tripped on the way down and hurt her knee, so I don't know if we'll be able to hike next weekend.  I hope so, even it's an easy one.

Hiking season is open!

It was the first weekend at home since the weather turned warm, and we were eager to get in a hike.  We talked about Yule Creek, but that's a shady north-facing trail that can often have a lot of snow on it well into June.  My girlfriend had never been up Huntsman's Ridge, so I suggested that as an alternative.

The trail is on the Forest Service road, but as it's a challenging drive, there's almost never any traffic there.  The gate was locked for some reason, and with no other cars in the parking area, we knew we would have it to ourselves.

I will either hike to the highest point on the ridge or cross a meadow a few hundred feet below the top and follow the ridge out to a point that affords tremendous views of the upper Crystal River valley.  The latter option is the one we chose.

To get down, we bushwhacked through the aspen forest, which is where I took the photos of the mature aspen tree trunks.

Upper Elevation Snowpack is About Average Heading Into Memorial Day Weekend

The relatively mild winter could fool one into thinking that high country hiking and backpacking will be hazard-free, but late snows and cool temperatures in April and May brought the mountain snowpack levels up to the average (Aspen SkiCo is opening Ajax Mtn this weekend for skiing).

If you're going up high, or will be on north-facing or shaded trails, wear gaiters and be prepared to post-hole.  Also expect high water stream crossings, as the warm weather is accelerating the snow melt now.

To get up-to-date snowpack data, follow this link: SNOTEL

Grizzly Creek -- another great early season hike

grizzly creek cascades

bouldering opportunities along the trail

black and white riverscape

Early season in Colorado, otherwise known as mud season, is characterized by snow-clogged trails, muddy trails, and fast-moving water crossings.  Or you can seek out low elevation hikes with good sun exposure.  I've written about how Avalanche Creek is one of those.  Several more can be found in Glenwood Canyon. 

No Name Creek, Grizzly Creek, and Hanging Lake/Dead Horse Creek are some of the trails that lead north from the Colorado River into the Flat Tops wilderness.

Duley Park on the Avalanche Creek trail

About four and a half miles up the Avalanche Creek trail is Duley Park, an open expanse that looks like a great place to build your dream home.  For day-hikers, this is a great spot to enjoy lunch and take photos.  Backpackers could make camp in the pines near the creek.  On the other side of the clearing the trail continues its gentle climb toward Avalanche Lake - the last mile and a half of which is rather steep.  There's also a junction with a trail that goes over a pass into Lead King Basin.

I often hike Avalanche Creek early in the season because of its low elevation and southern exposure.  September is a nice time too, as the golden fields compliment the blue skies and puffy white clouds.  In a couple of weeks, the aspens that cover the northern slopes of the valley will be ablaze in color, and I may return to photograph them.

The Avalanche Creek trailhead is in the campground at the end of the USFS road that turns east from Highway 133 about ten miles south of Carbondale, Colorado.

The Savage-Carter Lakes loop in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area

Ever since we discovered that one can descend from Carter Lake via the "non-inventoried" trail, our annual trips to Savage Lake always include Carter Lake.  Another common thread is the deterioration of the weather on those days we choose to do this hike, and thus I've not been very satisfied with the photos I get of the upper Savage Lake or Carter Lake.  Still, the hike is always a pleasure, and this past weekend was no different. 

Because of light rain, I left my camera in the pack at Savage Lakes, but did pull it out when we crossed the stream leading out of Carter Lake, and got these shots of Elephant Heads and a fisherman plying the waters (with great success).

The trailhead for this hike is in the Frying Pan river valley.  Just east of Thomasville, past the road to Eagle, there's a dirt road on the left that leads to several USFS campgrounds and the trailheads of this hike and Josephine Lake.

Colorado's Holy Cross Wilderness Area

Of the four wilderness areas close enough to my home for day hiking, the one to which we most frequently return is the Holy Cross Wilderness Area.  Named for the Mount of the Holy Cross, and dominated by the Sawatch Range, the Holy Cross Wilderness Area is most easily accessed from the south via the Fryingpan River valley, and from the north via several roads leading out of the Eagle-Edwards-Avon corridor along I-70.

Some of our favorite hikes, including those we do annually, include:
Lyle and Mormon lakes
Savage Lakes (and the Savage-Carter loop)
Josephine Lake
Eagle Lake

Coming out of the Roaring Fork valley, these are the ones most accessible to us, but the area is rich with great trails, and contains some of the best scenery you'll find anywhere.

Lost Lake Slough and the Three Lakes Trail loop

Not far from Kebler Pass, at the base of the Beckwith Mountains, is Lost Lake Slough.  In addition to being a great car-camping area, it's the trailhead for the Three Lakes trail loop.  The loop is relatively easy and takes you past a great waterfall in addition to the lakes.

To reach Lost Lake Slough, take the Kebler Pass road west out of Crested Butte or east from the Paonia Reservoir.

Cathedral Lake near Aspen

The Castle Creek valley, south of Aspen, Colorado is host to several great trails.  One I'm eager to do again is Cathedral Lake.

The trail is moderately steep and rocky, but not difficult, and hikers are rewarded with great views on the way up and a spectacular scene at the top.  The above shot was taken in late summer, when the water levels were lower.  I'm eager to do this hike earlier in the season, along with its neighbor, American Lake.

The trailhead for Cathedral Lake is not too far past the ghost town of Ashcroft, on the right hand (south) side of the road.

Eagle Lake in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area

Eagle Lake, in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area of Colorado, is a relatively easy hike worthy of your time.  Unlike most of the Holy Cross hikes we do, that are accessible from the Frying Pan River valley, this one seems to draw more visitors from the Eagle River valley. 

Sharp-edged ridges and peaks surround the lake on three sides, and only the view to the west (above) is open.  The lake empties into a series of waterfalls, which look better than they photograph.

Shrine Mountain and Shrine Ridge

A few miles southeast of Vail, Colorado, and a short distance off of I-70, is Shrine Mountain and Shrine Ridge.  Because of it's proximity to the main tourist corridor, it's a very popular hike.

The photo above is the namesake feature as seen from the top of the trail.  It's a relatively easy hike through fields of wildflowers, and the ridge offers long views in all directions. 

Avalanche Creek - great early season hike

Once skiing is done, we in Colorado refer the next few weeks as "mud season."  Like the name implies, the retreating snows leave behind a lot of muddy trails.  One of my favorite early season hikes is Avalanche Creek.  It works well for a few reasons.  The first is its elevation.  The trailhead starts at 7,400 feet, which isn't too high.  By mid-April, that area is usually snow-free.  The east-west orientation of the valley also works toward its favor, as it gets sun all day long by then, and dried out quickly.

Because of the seasonal closure of the Avalanche Creek road (to protect the bighorn sheep), you might need to park at the gate and walk a couple miles to the trailhead.  The walk itself is pleasant enough.  Crossing Bulldog Creek is easy, and the first mile of the trail past the campground ought to be dry. 

In May, when higher elevation and northern-facing trails are still holding much snow, you can hike all the way past Duley Park (but not too much farther).

Thomas Lakes and Mt. Sopris

It may be the heart of winter (the first two mornings of the year saw fifteen degrees below zero for the low temperatures), but that doesn't mean we can't think of summer.  While I don't get far from home in the winter, the lengthening days has me thinking about what trips to take this coming year.

One hike we do at least once every summer is Thomas Lakes, on the northern slopes of Mt. Sopris.  From the trailhead near Dinkle Lake, it's about four miles to Thomas Lakes.  There are two big ones, and several smaller ponds - all worth exploring.  There are also over a dozen approved campsites, as this area is popular with those seeking to climb Mt. Sopris in a two-day adventure.

The above shot is taking from the northern shore of the eastern lake.  As it clouded over quickly on our first visit, we returned a few weeks later, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Mt. Sopris is several miles south of Carbondale, Colorado.  To reach the trailhead, turn east on Prince Creek Road, and head uphill until you see a well-defined turn-off to your right (south).  Proceed to the large lot above Dinkle Lake.  There are often plenty of cars there.

Snowshoeing fun!

Combining ten photos into a gif file made this interesting "mini movie" of Mark and Angela descending on snowshoes.

Click on the image if it's not animating for you.