73 replies to this topic

[lydia]

Is it too early to start a thread on trail conditions? I have my RMNP books and maps out and am dreaming about this summer's hikes. Counting the days until we are back in RMNP!

[Aaron]

Definitely not too early. Thanks for getting us started

--Aaron

[ALooneyGuy]

5/28, Gem Lake - Clear but wet
5/28, Lily Mountain - Patchy snow from 9100 feet through the trees. Not a problem, but it was strange to see snow there this late. Not unexpected given the weather, but strange anyway. The push to the top is clear and dry.

[AliceH]

Does this answer your question?

[AliceH]

OK, now I have time to actually post a trail condition report.

As you can see from the picture, the trail to Alberta Falls is still under probably four to five feet of snow. I was standing on the snow, looking down at where the area around the sign had been cleared by some helpful person.

The trail to Alberta Falls was mostly packed snow today, navigable without snowshoes. Crampons would have been nice, but the really steep spots are only problematic going downhill, so I just sat on my waterproof coat and slid down. (This was after I tried coming down from my failed attempt to Mills Lake and fell on one of those steep hills, then decided as long as my rear end was wet I might as well slide the rest of the way down the hill. The hill right above Alberta Falls is AWESOME sliding.)

There's a clearing right before you make the turn to walk along Glacier Creek that has turned into a mess, not because of the snow conditions but because so many people haven't known which way to go that it's turned into a mass of social trails. There are probably seven or eight trails leading off the real path - none of those are as well-traveled as the true trail, so as long as you're keeping in mind that you need to keep an eye out for the 90-degree right turn going up, and keep an eye out for a 90-degree left turn that also goes up (which I think was the confusing part coming back) you should be OK. Here's a map of the problem spot - as you can see, I went quite a ways off the correct path and had to come back.



Travel above Alberta Falls currently requires snowshoes. I fell through the snow several times and ended up breaking one of my hiking poles (didn't have snow baskets) where you can see the 1-mile mark. I thought about leaving it there as a warning to future hikers but figured Igloo Ed would find it and beat me over the head with it. I lost one of the halves anyway somewhere on the way down.

The trail from Glacier Gorge Junction back to Bear Lake is navigable without snowshoes, but it was starting to get mushy. The snow levels are still high where the trail starts to go up to Emerald Lake.

[Vansiclenr]

Will be in RMNP June 10. We generally hike the lower trails, to Dream, Emerald, Bierstad, Cub, the Loch, etc., maybe some Indian Peaks trails. Not the bigger climbs.
Anyone have any predictions? Weather sites say RMNP in the high 50s and low 60s. I think these are Bear Lake predictions, since it has Estes in the 60s and 70s. So this looks like a big melt, and LOTS of water. But so much hard packed snow on trails, I'm guessing it will still be icey hardpack anywhere above Nymph Lake or Alberta Falls even if it gets to 80! Oh, well, Fun to watch the college kids in shorts and Reeboks hit the snowbanks.
Given the quickly changing conditions, I guess I'll pack EVERYTHING, including the snowshoes and gaiters. Sigh.

[GLENNinPA]

Cub Lake was almost totally clear a week ago. Lots of water though. There was still a ton of snow going to Dream and more to The Loch. I have a hard time believing it will all melt by the 10th. Should melt some though.

The Loch a week ago. 1st photo is the trail to the Loch. Probably still 30ft of snow. 2nd photo is crossing The Loch. As you can see, lots of snow.

[HighPlainsMedic]

How conditions change in one week.. The Loch was covered with snow.. and had open spots on the inlet side. We didn't feel comfortable going across the middle of the lake and went on the south side instead


The way up to Lake of Glass , the summer route seemed impassable to us as we saw cornices covering the ridge just above the bowl and it WAS definatley sliding and rocks falls were heard the whole time we were up in that area.



We headed up the South/East slope (L) well above the bowl.. it was steep but doable.



I have a video of a snow/rock slide but haven't uploaded it yet.. it was awesome to catch..

with the temps rising in the 90's in the plains.. and 60's with wind up high.. the snow will cascade off the mountains for sure here's one we didn't get to see fall, but I am sure it will or has... it covered the Andrews/Icy Brook valley.

[AliceH]

The trail to Eugenia Mine is completely snow-covered the last third of the way. Posthole city! The first two-thirds are clearing up nicely - there's some wet, but you can travel that far with only a few hundred feet of having to walk on collapsible snow, mostly past the first half-mile.

The good news about that is, the first half mile of the Longs Peak Trail is mostly clear. The kids and I decided to forgo tackling Longs Peak today ;)

[ALooneyGuy]

6/4, Balanced Rock - I ran off and left my hiking boots at home, so my intentions of hiking Estes Cone changed. If I hadn't read that Eugenia Mine post a couple back I probably would have tried it anyway, but knowing there was a lot of snow before the Mine, I didn't feel like trying to trudge through that in my tennies. Obviously, the trail to Balanced Rock is clear and mostly dry.

[ALooneyGuy]

6/12, Twin Sisters - No snow on the trail until about 9700 feet. There are a few places where you have to walk across snow for 10-20 steps. Once you get out of the trees, it's clear to the top. These conditions would typically be seen about 2 or 3 weeks earlier than this.

I meant 10,700 instead of 9700 feet.

ALooneyGuy, on 12 June 2011 - 01:23 PM, said:

6/12, Twin Sisters - No snow on the trail until about 9700 feet. There are a few places where you have to walk across snow for 10-20 steps. Once you get out of the trees, it's clear to the top. These conditions would typically be seen about 2 or 3 weeks earlier than this.

[Qbert]

Thank you, everyone, for keeping us up to date. It is appreciated. Please keep it up.

[Becky J.]

http://www.nps.gov/r..._conditions.htm

I think this is updated weekly.

Becky J.

[BigAl]

East longs trail to Lady Washington east ridge 6-14-2011. Snow free to right before Goblin's forest, mostly hard packed after that until tree line. No defined trail for a little bit in the deep snow right after the Alpine Brook. Almost totally clear from Jim's Grove junction to Chasm Junction and almost all the way up the East Ridge, and what snow there is can be avoided. I would expect this route to be entirely snow free within 1-2 weeks.

Pics and more info here.

[Becky J.]

Beautiful pictures. It also amazes me that the flowers are blooming.
Thank you for the report.

Becky J.