Cascade Creek hike - end of May

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WhoDang
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Cascade Creek hike - end of May

Post by WhoDang »

Hey gang,

I have some friends coming from Florida at the end of May (26-31) and was looking for a fun trail to show them the beauty of Colorado. From a previous post last year I made, someone suggested the Cascade Creek Trail. Do you think the conditions would warrant snowshoes this year? I know we got a lot more snow this year. If snowshoes are required, do you think it would be a good idea dragging a bunch of flatlanders on snowshoes up that trail? They're both and pretty good shape but I do not know how they'll react to the elevation. I'm also a little nervous about the distance - 16 miles round trip to Crater Lake if I remember correctly. Is the trip worth it if we cut it short maybe max 10 mile round trip?

If not - have any other suggestions?

Thanks a-bunch!

Nate
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Floyd
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Re: Cascade Creek hike - end of May

Post by Floyd »

I've been up that trail in early June and it's been bare until the split north to Pawnee Lake but this year is different. I would certainly think you're going to want snowshoes given the amount of late snow the area is getting. We may hit a dry/hot spell between now and then, but who knows. A call to the FS closer to the trip would probably help.

You'll start hitting the waterfalls around mile 4 if I remember correctly. It is quite possibly my favorite hike in the state so definitely worthwhile. As for their conditioning and that sort of thing, I guess you'll need to judge.
"Athletes express themselves physically, this is their art. As an athlete, exhausting oneself on the field or or on the track or on the trail or on the mountain brings calm and satisfaction. Thrashing about… our expression." - Steve Gleason
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Floyd
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Re: Cascade Creek hike - end of May

Post by Floyd »

Just got home and looked at my guidebook. You hit the 1st falls at 3.5 miles and the nicest IMO are 4.5 miles in and you stay below 9.500 ft to the falls. BTW, this guidebook (Hiking Grand County by Deb Carr) has the 1-way distance to Crater Lake as 7.43 miles and total elev gain as ~2,000 ft with the lake at 10,322 ft - so altitude may not be a huge concern. You may not get all the way on dry land but probably a pretty good chance a lot of the hike will not require snowshoes if we get a dry spell. I would definitely expect a ton of mud at the very least though.
"Athletes express themselves physically, this is their art. As an athlete, exhausting oneself on the field or or on the track or on the trail or on the mountain brings calm and satisfaction. Thrashing about… our expression." - Steve Gleason
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WhoDang
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Re: Cascade Creek hike - end of May

Post by WhoDang »

Great information, thanks Floyd! (again)
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