Parking for decalibron

[tylerjh2016]

Me and a buddy are wanting to attempt the decalibron Saturday. From what I understand, the kite lake lot is closed during the winter. Is there anyway to avoid those extra 2 miles to the winter lot? Makes an 8 mile hike a 12 mile one. Any advice is appreciated!

[pw]

Me and a buddy are wanting to attempt the decalibron Saturday. From what I understand, the kite lake lot is closed during the winter. Is there anyway to avoid those extra 2 miles to the winter lot? Makes an 8 mile hike a 12 mile one. Any advice is appreciated!

No. There is a gate. And I think it's one mile from the gate to the lake.

[SkaredShtles]

Be real careful up there.

avalanche-warning1.jpg (77.47 KiB) Viewed 2612 times

[tylerjh2016]

Be real careful up there.

avalanche-warning1.jpg

I did just see this, has anyone done it super recently and can tell me about conditions? Alltrails most recent review is 2 months ago. I have 11 14ers under my belt, just started 2023. Bierstadt and longs were covered in ice and snow when i did them. So i hve some experience with 14ers but this would be my first winter one. I dont have a lot of experience with avalanche conditions. Was planning on just spikes and poles.

[justiner]

Speaking for myself as someone who has no avalanche training: when the forecast is red, I stay home. These forecasts aren't to be taken lightly.

[aksean22]

The road is gated 1 mile before the lake, but I'm pretty sure they stop plowing at Paris Mill in the winter, which adds 3ish miles each way. After all the new snow this past week I highly doubt anyone is making it to the gate, so be prepared for the extra miles. I don't have any recent beta but you will definitely be in avalanche terrain on Democrat, be extra careful if you decide to go.

[daway8]

Be real careful up there.

avalanche-warning1.jpg

I did just see this, has anyone done it super recently and can tell me about conditions? Alltrails most recent review is 2 months ago. I have 11 14ers under my belt, just started 2023. Bierstadt and longs were covered in ice and snow when i did them. So i hve some experience with 14ers but this would be my first winter one. I dont have a lot of experience with avalanche conditions. Was planning on just spikes and poles.

While it is possible to safely recreate under these kinds of avalanche conditions, that's only the case if you can pick a route where it's not steep enough to slide or where the steep sections are windblown enough to not have enough snow to slide.

If you don't have experience evaluating avalanche conditions then this is a very bad time to do your first winter 14er.

Please check out the CAIC map - the Sangres and area around Bierstadt/Blue Sky are currently safer than other regions but there's plenty of risk all over right now so it might be best to hold off a week or two if you're not very comfortable knowing how to pick safe routes - hopefully the danger will slowly settle out.
https://avalanche.state.co.us/

If you want some general idea of what sorts of things to look out for on this route in particular, you can scroll down to the avy analysis section of my trip report here, but the short summary is this route is likely to have a lot of danger right now unless the slopes of concern happen to be blown dry by the wind.
https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... m=tripmine

[two lunches]

Be real careful up there.

avalanche-warning1.jpg

I did just see this, has anyone done it super recently and can tell me about conditions? Alltrails most recent review is 2 months ago. I have 11 14ers under my belt, just started 2023. Bierstadt and longs were covered in ice and snow when i did them. So i hve some experience with 14ers but this would be my first winter one. I dont have a lot of experience with avalanche conditions. Was planning on just spikes and poles.

hey OP- don't do this.

[SkaredShtles]

Be real careful up there.

avalanche-warning1.jpg

I did just see this, has anyone done it super recently and can tell me about conditions? Alltrails most recent review is 2 months ago. I have 11 14ers under my belt, just started 2023. Bierstadt and longs were covered in ice and snow when i did them. So i hve some experience with 14ers but this would be my first winter one. I dont have a lot of experience with avalanche conditions. Was planning on just spikes and poles.

Yeah - don't go. This from the avalanche discussion is *very* concerning, IMO:

"The avalanche activity over the past week has no discernible pattern aside from generally more avalanches on wind-loaded slopes facing an easterly direction, which should come as no surprise. What this lack of a clear pattern in the avalanches tells us though is that every slope is dangerous right now."

[supranihilest]

Speaking for myself as someone who has no avalanche training: when the forecast is red, I stay home. These forecasts aren't to be taken lightly.

Speaking for myself as someone who does have avalanche training: when the forecast is red, I stay home. These forecasts aren't to be taken lightly.

OP, Decalibron is one of the easiest winter 14er combos there is. It's in condition more often than it's not. When it's not, like right now, stay home. Risking your life for some of the easiest 14ers there are would be silly.

[mtree]

Speaking for myself as someone who does NOT have avalanche training: when the forecast is red, I stay home. These forecasts aren't to be taken lightly.

[ekalina]

Good advice here not to take unnecessary risks, and this weekend going up the slopes of Democrat would likely fall into that realm. OP, I encourage you to take an AIARE course if winter hiking in the alpine is something you want to get into. The course is expensive, but worth it - you'll learn how to assess slope stability both visually and via snowpits, how to interpret the CAIC forecasts, the science of avalanches, and how to use avalanche rescue gear. Even more, it will teach you how to make conservative, informed decisions in the backcountry, a priceless skill.