Another snowshoe outing in Colorado's North Fork valley

Several miles below McClure Pass, in the North Fork Valley, the landscape is a mix of ranches and public lands.  There's a little known trail here, straight west of Chair Mountain, that we tried to find yesterday.  No luck on that front, but we did have a good time snowshoeing over the ridges and through the gullies of this area near the Ragged Mountains.  Breaking trail is hard work, and our best progress was made when we rotated the lead.  Though less than six weeks from the winter solstice, the sun is already climbing in the sky, and despite the mix of clouds yesterday, I managed to get a little sunburn on my face. 

Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon

One of the more popular tourist destinations in Colorado is Glenwood Canyon, through which the Colorado River flows on its way towards Glenwood Springs.  The most popular place in Glenwood Canyon is Hanging Lake.  The trail climbs about six hundred feet in a mile and a quarter.  While often crowded on summer weekends, it's nearly deserted in winter when the above photos were taken.

See some videos of Hanging Lake in the spring here.

Huntsmans Ridge in Winter

Snowshoeing up Huntsmans Ridge this morning, I was puzzled as to why, the higher I went, I still hadn't seen anyone.  When I crested the ridge, about 1,500 feet above McClure Pass, I saw my answer.  The skiers that preceded me skied off the north side, into the valley below.  The south side, while much safer, and the route everyone takes up, was pretty settled and it would have been a challenge to carve turns there.  The snow on the north side was probably outstanding, but one needs to have good avalanche knowledge and some well-equipped friends before trying such a thing.

Huntsmans Ridge extends north of McClure Pass, on highway 133.  It has its own parking area, or you can park at the top of the pass and walk downhill a hundred or so yards.

Kebler Pass

West of Crested Butte, east of the Paonia Dam and Reservoir, and south of the Redstone/Marble area of Colorado is Kebler Pass.  Numerous trails (e.g. Three Lakes, Beckwith Pass, Dark Canyon, Ruby Anthracite) have their trailheads on this dirt road that is closed in winter due to the high elevation of the pass.

East and West Beckwith Mountains (seen above) dominate the landscape for much of the road west of Kebler pass.  The large aspen groves make the area very popular in autumn, with cars stopped every few hundred yards to photograph the incredible colors.

Lyle Lake in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area of Colorado

The first time we hiked to Lyle Lake, it instantly became one of our favorites.  We've been back several times since, including an overnight stay last summer.  I'm sure we'll return again this coming summer.

The Lyle and Mormon Lakes trailhead is on the road toward Hagerman Pass, in the upper reaches of the Frying Pan River valley.  Starting at over 10,000 feet, with a very moderate elevation gain, one hits the 11,300 foot Lyle Lake relatively quickly.  Take some photos, grab a snack and drink, then continue around the lake toward the saddle that leads to Mormon Lake.  The overall round trip is a medium-distance day-hike that offers incredible views of the Holy Cross Wilderness Area, wildflowers, and more.

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.