Winter CT- fun crazy talk...

[mountainjah]

Alright, no one go and do anything stupid...but as winter settles in, I can't help but play with the question-"what parts of the CT could you ride in winter?" Some sections seem clearly doable with wilderness detours also quite achievable.....but lots of above treeline, avy terrain, inaccessible stuff, etc....

Before you flame, realize this is hypothetical....

I've made a few forays onto the CT in winter down here in the Juans....usually it's on the way to ski a bc line but I have taken the bike out a bit at Molas and Kennebec....just got to wondering about how much someone could actually bike/HAB (fatbike?) Sounds like a horrible beautiful sufferfest of immense proportions.....

Again, this is an abstract prompt started by a snowed-in backpacker....please, no one go and try to send 22 today.....or do it and post up your TR!

Here's a start-

In the Juans, one could, with the right trail and avy conditions send Molas to town. Molas to Bolam would be quite sloggy with lots of hang fire above you and some serious slide paths to cross...stable/spring conditions a must here! Then Bolam to Hotel-i.e.- a winter Blackhawk would be full on....wow, just thinking about that is scary.....but Hotel to highline seems very straight forward...Following that, a lot would have to come together-especially on ITR but there's enough sled traffic on Barlow/Scotch Creek roads that you could bail at any point before the Highline crux...Problems arise again getting off Indian Trail Ridge (the steep rib down to Taylor) and then below that at Sliderock....how intense would that traverse be!!!!! We've sent from champion ventures to town a few times in winter......so that goes.

I've also HAB'ed my fatty up Stony- a bitch but no real objective hazards until you commit to launching above the pass- then big time consequences....I'm intrigued by the remoteness of Sargents but unclear how you'r survive the Juans to make it there.... and the bad ass mountaineering strategies you'd have to employ in the Ark Valley across the crest and the Collegiants. I've spent time guiding in winter all around Leady and Tenn Pass so I know there's opportunity there.... then I wonder what earlier sections (1-9) see enough winter traffic that would allow them to go?

[THE LONG RANGER]

I think my Brother once tried to do much of the Colorado Trail in the winter, pulling a sled. I would def. think a ski tour would be massively more realistic, given that the snow conditions, plus steepness of some of the trails would make riding a fat bike really really frickin' tuff.

Depending on conditions, I don't see too much crazy avy problems N -> S, until you hit Ten Mile, and then it's gonna be a problem of finding the trail, over it. That part does get skiied quite a bit, but the terrain could be pretty iffy. Going over Copper Mt would also be dicey. Getting to Leadville is no problem (lotsa shared route with the 10th mountain division ski hut stuff) and I don't see any terrain problem until coming up to Old Monarch, but getting up over that rise is asking for trouble.

The snowpack in CO can be so cruddy - there was an avalanche on the way to Greys/Torreys even this week.

I DO think there's def. a opportunity for some sort of longish distance snow bike route in CO. Not sure if the CO Trail is going to be a prime candidate though.

[mountainjah]

Yes- pulling it off on a fatty is a total gimmick as the ski tour is unquestionably the way to go...there are some really fun spots to fatty on the CT however...Molas being one of the more epic day rides when the track is in. I agree that a long winter route would be better on sled trails, cross country racks and logging roads, etc...incorporate yurts and huts along the way. Be fun to put together.

[mountainjah]

http://www.pcta.org/2015/meet-two-guys-winter-thru-hiking-pct-19-incredible-photos-26687/

[THE LONG RANGER]

I think doing it in Spring (May? June?) is totally ridiculous, but at least there's the possibility to do it without avalanche danger being something so dangerous as the trip being, I dunno - *reckless*.

I'd be done - need a fatbike, perhaps... I dunno, snowshoes for some difficult sections? And someone to share some very type 2 fun!

[NT]

Maybe early winter would be easier than spring in some respects. In spring you have a more locked up snowpack (at least when you get a good freeze, which isn't always) but have more slide for life potential on steep frozen slopes. Section 22 does have some huts along the way and maybe would be fairly wind scoured?

As for other long distance fat biking, the grand mesa has some pretty long snowmobile trails. You could then link into Aspen/CrestedButte over Taylor pass into Taylor park outside Crested butte (lots of sled traffic). I imagine there's tons of sled zones on the front range- maybe find a way to link all these up?

[Yogi the Barry]

Which reminds me of how I fantasize backcountry skiing the CT in the winter...

Alright, no one go and do anything stupid...but as winter settles in, I can't help but play with the question-"what parts of the CT could you ride in winter?" Some sections seem clearly doable with wilderness detours also quite achievable.....but lots of above treeline, avy terrain, inaccessible stuff, etc....

Before you flame, realize this is hypothetical....
...snip...

[BryanK]

As for other long distance fat biking, the grand mesa has some pretty long snowmobile trails.

I would agree the grand mesa has some serious potential.  I've ridden the Sunlight to Powderhorn snowmobile route in summer, always wondered how possible it would be in winter. 

[jeremy11]

I lived in Lake City for a few years and rode Snow Mesa (top of Spring Creek Pass on the north side) in February once.  That section of the CT isn't on the bike CT route since it dead ends into wilderness area, but it does have a groomed snowmobile trail up it in winter.

Without a fat bike, I had a lot of hike a bike, even in the best trail conditions... but still worth it just for the downhill and the pictures...







Don't hang out too long here.



The nice groomed corduroy was usually rideable above treeline on flat ground.  Slight uphills were sure hike a bike.



Then across the street on Spring Creek Pass going southbound, there's a network of groomed snowmobile trails for a ways, some go to Slumgullion Pass and partway down the hill (Rambouillet Park).
There is a yurt system up in there (4 of them I think) that would be fun to link up in winter.

I've also done a bit of snow biking up the Rambouillet Park snowmobile trail too.







My suggestion is head for the top of Spring Creek Pass with a fatbike, backcountry skies, and camping gear (or some yurt reservations) and see what the snow conditions are like.  Then in the likely event that the snow biking isn't great, just go skiing.  Baldy Cinco (above Snow Mesa) is a good ski peak, and there's lots of good tree skiing near the top of Slumgullion Pass.