Well, we’re getting deeper and deeper into the shoulder season when accessing the peaks can start to get difficult. As the snow melts, many of the access roads reach an annoying state where there’s too much snow to drive, and too little to snowmobile. It’s just as difficult on foot- skis go on, skis go off, skis go on, skis go off. River crossing which were once easy become more difficult after the snowbridges melt. Worst of all are the gated roads like the one to Maroon lake, which is tough to swallow since it is paved and therefore won’t get trashed like a muddy dirt road can in the spring.
There are bright spots. In the San Juans, county road crews plow several roads, including Cinnamon Pass, Engineer Pass, and Yankee Boy Basin in an effort to draw tourists. Mt. Evans is now open to Summit Lake. Independence Pass will be open soon.
Brittany and I used the plowed Yankee Boy Basin road to our advantage on Memorial day. Four hours and fifteen minutes was all it took for a quick summit and descent of the birthday chutes on Sneffels. I’ll try to get a TR up for that tomorrow…
