Colorado Trip Reports

For all of you RMNP fans: https://www.9news.com/article/news/...to-open-for-memorial-day-weekend/73-557527187

 

And those of us up north can finally get there in a reasonable time, as 34 is slated to reopen tomorrow as well.

 

Looks fun

 

How far north? The issue is the snow line is still right around 11,000 feet. A lot of the paved passes, like Independence Pass from Leadville into Aspen, open this weekend.

You could make a good loop out Oh-My-God/Two Brothers road north out of Idaho springs into Central City, then hook up with Upper Apex Road, take that north-west to Apex valley road, continuing up the Apex townsite, then turn left onto County Road 4-N, looping up to Tolland. From there you could do the out-and-back on Old Rollinsville Pass, although it's still probably snowed in. Or, head east out of the graded road toward Rollinsville.

From there, if you want to continue north on dirt, just after you go under the last railroad overpass just before you get into Rollinsville, there's a sharp left onto Forest Service Camp Rd. This will wind through the hills and drop you out into West Magnolia CG above Nederland. You could hook this up with Caribou Road (if the mud pits are dry), which will dump you back onto 119. Hang a left, then 1.3 miles later, hang a right onto 52 which will take you into the Gold Hill area. You could continue through Gold Hill and do Sunshine Canyon down into boulder, or turn right onto Switzerland trail before you get to the Gold Hill townsite. Switzerland trail is an old railbed, so it is pretty long. If you follow the whole thing it'll dump you back onto 119. Alternatively you could jump off at Fourmile Canyon and take that down into Boulder.

If you want to loop back towards Denver, out of Rollinsville turn south on the Peak-to-Peak (CR 119) then take your second right after crossing South Boulder Creek onto Gamble Gulch Rd. Bear left onto 15, and ride that all the way through until it turns into Missouri Gulch. This will dump out back onto 119 right next to the Gilpin County School, fairly close to Black Hawk. Turn left onto 119, head north 1.8 miles, then turn right onto Golden Gate Canyon rd. This isn't a dirt road, but it's far more scenic then taking 6 out of Black Hawk. After a bit, turn left at the Golden Gate Canyon Visitors' center onto Crawford Gulch Rd/Drew Hill Rd. This will turn into a graded dirt road and eventually dump you back onto Golden Gate Canyon Rd. Continue East from there, and you'll wind up back in Golden.

 

Not super far north - more center now. Any recommendations between Torqouise Lake and Grand Junction/Rifle?

 

My wife was up in Leadville on Tuesday! We were talking about doing Hagerman Pass this weekend, and she said from Leadville it looked like the snow might be high enough to take Hagerman Pass from Turquoise Lake (4 to 105) over to Frying Pan Rd, then out to Basalt. I've never done that pass, so I can't speak to it's difficulty (or even if it has a seasonal gate). I doubt anything in the Elk range is open all the way through this time of year, but there's gotta be some fun back roads from Carbondale over toward Mesa/Grand Junction/Rifle. I don't know that area too well, sorry.

 

Thanks!

 

Hagerman is the old narrow gauge railroad bed to Aspen, so barring some recent erosion event I am unaware of, fairly tame but Views are sweet.

 

The off road section of Freemont CR45 that follows the Arkansas River on the south side of the railroad, from Howard to Swissvale does not go through anymore. Headed west from Howard, after you pass the BLM Public Mining section the road is closed with a big sign and large rocks placed in the road bed. I never read anything about the closure, could have been last fall or earlier this year.

 

nothing too difficult. Very rocky can be very muddy as you get near basalt. I love that area

 

Interesting, I like to Fly Fish that island at the Wellsville Bridge just north of there.

 

Did most of the Leavenworth Creek Rd. today and it was completely dry all the way up to the mine. Just over 6 miles in, but still has a few more weeks for everything above that.

 

I went up to Hagerman today. You can easily get to the Windsor Lake trailhead and another parking area and trailhead a little further up. There is still a lot of snow past that.

 

Must have just missed you. Tried in the morning and saw a tow truck and 4Runner coming down - 4Runner got stuck in the snow so we turned around.

 

Were you running with a couple of jeeps?

 

There was a Jeep, a 1st Gen Tacoma and a RAV4.

 

I think I saw you guys driving away from Turquoise Lake as we were heading up.

 

I've got a week or so to kill in CO before heading back west, anyone have a good idea on trips to do? Preferably multi day day stuff with camping but not too choosy as I no very little about the area.

Went up to Anvil Point in Rifle area today with a local buddy and some friends and exited out on Piceance Creek Road. You could do the trail in a rented Nissan Altima but the views were pretty crazy and was a fun 60ish miles of dirt roads.

 

Alpine loop? Especially if you like old Mining structures.

 

Thanks for the info! A little bittersweet about the lousy snowpack - dry summer with good chance of fire, but some roads are opening sooner!