Grays Conditions

[chasrobt]

Does anyone have any updated info. about the access road conditions to summer TH & the trail up to Grays? re. snowshoes, crampons... Thanks.

[CVV15er]

I was up there yesterday (12/5). Made it to the summer TH in an AWD CRV w.o any issues. The snow was mostly hard packed all the way to the summit so snow shoes weren't necessary. I wore MircoSpikes which helped with traction on the way down but the two others I hiked with were fine w.o them. Again, this was yesterday, so I don't know how much the conditions have changed since the snow started falling... (but at least its finally starting to fall!)

[cwm]

I doubt if the conditions have changed much since this Dec 5 report.

The morning Arapahoe Basin snow report said 0" new snow. Their web cam earlier showed sunshine today. Since Arapahoe Basin is only a couple of miles from Grays this is an easy way to see what conditions are close to Grays.

Go to http://www.arapahoebasin.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chasrobt]

Thanks for access road & mtn. trail info--sounds good

[zoriloco]

Anyone know how much avy danger there is on Grays right now and if the road to the TH is drivable in 4WD and chains? I was wanting to climb it this Sat.

[benners]

Anyone know how much avy danger there is on Grays right now...

I don't have any first hand information for you, but my guess would be there's not much avy danger on the actual route up the peak (given you stick to the ridge and avoid the lower bowl). The place I'd watch out for is on the approach where the standard trail wanders too close to the typically wind-loaded southeast slopes of Kelso Mountain. That is the place where a few incidents have occurred this time of year, for example: http://avalanche.state.co.us/pub/accide ... t=20051222. You can avoid this slope by ditching the standard summer trail not far past the parking lot and taking a more direct line through the middle of the valley.

[zoriloco]

I was under the impression that the dangerous part of the climb was where the trails splits to Grays and Torrey's? Im not sure what area you are talking about.

[benners]

Where the trail splits to G+T? You mean up on the saddle or on the East slopes of Grays? Check out the map of the Grays standard route, the trail sort of hugs the base of Kelso mountain for a good 3/4 mile (about a mile past the parking lot), this is the section I would avoid if it looks loaded up on Kelso. Sticking to the middle of the valley once past the parking lot is a good way to avoid this section of trail. Also higher up on the East slopes of Grays, the trail splits off and offers a route up to the saddle (people use this if they're going directly for Torreys). If you take this way you may be faced with a good sized cornice and more wind loading below the saddle, but if you stick to the Grays trail all the way up you should never need to mess with it and the avy danger should be avoidable. Hope this helps...

[benners]

Also check out the link to the CAIC accident report, half way down the page it shows a map with the location of the December 2005 slide. This may help clear it up for you...

[zoriloco]

It does. Thanks a ton for the info. Hopefully tomorrow I can report on the conditions of the Rd to the TH.