Indian Peaks Trail Conditions

[LarryM]

Probably heading up there tomorrow. Looking specifically at St. Vrain Mountain or Bald Mountain or something up by Brainard Lake. Any information on trail conditions at any of those locations would be appreciated. I assume traction is necessary, but am hoping to leave my snowshoes in the car. Also wouldn't mind alternative suggestions for a moderate climb.

[wondering_hough]

This past Sunday I hiked the Waldrop trial from the brainard winter closure parking lot to the Mitchell lake th....not the lake. On trail it was packed in and I only used my boots, my girlfriend used her microspikes. Off trail or breaking trail you will absolutely want snowshoes or skis. I'm thinking of going back on Monday and hiking the south st vrain trail as a 12 mile out and back.

I haven't checked the weather and dont know what has changed in the past few days.

[Dave B]

There is probably a well established skin track from the St. Vrain road closure almost all the way to the St. Vrain-Meadow Mountain saddle. Although, I won't recommend hiking in the skin track as post holing through a skin track is inconsiderate (IMO).

4th of July road is well packed and flotation is not needed. Any of the moderate peaks up there could be a good, albeit longer, alternative. The views into Wild Basin and south into the IPW from St Vrain are nigh impossible to beat, though.

[justiner]

Was around there on Tue. attempting to summit Audobon. Everything is packed down well in the Brainard Lake area, but once I got to the actual TH for Audobon, it there was zero trail, except to some dude's camping spot (and then, a dead end). I couldn't find the trail, even with the help of GPS.

The wind up there was pretty incredible. I had to turn back, once I was above treeline and out of the deep powder. Took me 3 hours to make it down 5 miles to the winter closure, and that's with 2 1/2 of those miles being packed down. And I'm like, you know, really pretty proud of how fast I can usually get around in mountain terrain

So I would suggest snowshoes, and an early start It was forecasted 50 mph wind gusts when I was up there. I shoulda gone to East Longs TH - at least the trail would have been obvious and packed down.

[AlexeyD]

attempting to summit Audobon.

Something about Mt. Audobon in the winter lends itself to the word "attempt" showing up more often than "climbed" Ask me how I know...

[justiner]

It looks so easy. I was embarrassed to not even try the SE Ridge.

[LarryM]

Thanks guys. Given my preference (for today, anyway) to avoid the need for flotation, plus some time constraints, I think I'm just going to head for the Hessie trailhead and see how far I get. Any last minute information on conditions there? I'm assuming, perhaps naively, that that trailhead gets a lot of traffic even this time of year. I'd like to get at least to Jasper Lake. Can I realistically do that without snowshoes? Also thinking of running it - is that realistic?

[ulvetano]

yep, I think you'd be fine w/out snowshoes up to the lake. Obviously you won't be able to go anywhere cool off-trail, but the trail will be packed down like crazy. I'd bring microspikes.

[LarryM]

yep, I think you'd be fine w/out snowshoes up to the lake. Obviously you won't be able to go anywhere cool off-trail, but the trail will be packed down like crazy. I'd bring microspikes.

Thanks. I wish I read this before I went. As it was, I turned around about 2.25 miles from where I parked, losing the trail in some snow drifts about 1/4 mile past the split on the bypass trail. In retrospect, I probably should have either stuck to the main trail, or looked a little harder for the bypass trail where I lost it. Lame of me I know, but I wasn't looking for type 2 fun today and I did leave the snowshoes in the car. The trail was actually pretty great to that point.

I got some extra mileage by going a couple of miles on the 4th of July Road, which was also doable without flotation. So it was still a decent morning in the mountains. But I'm starting a new job next Thursday, and thus won't have many more chances for weekday fun in the mountains. So it ended up being a bit of a missed opportunity. Oh, well, that's life.

[spiderman]

Congratulations, btw, on your new job! Sounds like Audobon is quite a challenge now.

[LarryM]

Congratulations, btw, on your new job! Sounds like Audobon is quite a challenge now.

Thanks.

Regarding Audubon, I did it last summer and it was much more of a challenge than I expected even then because of the wind (literally blown off my feet on the summit). I can't imagine doing it this time of year with high winds.

I'm toying with the idea of doing something Tuesday - my last available weekday. I have afternoon time constraints, so I can't do anything too far afield. Maybe I'll finally tackle St. Vrain, or perhaps Battle Mountain. I feel like the winter is slipping away - I've kept plenty active near Boulder, but I've been above 12,000 feet only twice - MLW (and that wasn't calendar winter), and Colorado Mines Peak (introducing my friend to the high mountains).

[Dave B]

I feel like the winter is slipping away

Not even a 1/3 of it's passed, brojangles.