[Cdt-l] Recommend snowshoes in San Juans?

[bcss at bresnan.net]

+1 on doing the high route.  72 miles to Wolf Creek, 84 more to Stony Pass
near Silverton,  then 33 more to Spring Creek Pass near Creede.  It is a
fantastic hike in spectacular terrain.  I consider it the best hike in
Colorado.  You won't be disappointed.   

 

You will likely encounter some sizable patches of snow in June. I would
consider an ice axe and hiker type lightweight crampons  to be very helpful
but not so much snowshoes.  They weigh a lot and most of the tricky spots
are on steep sidehills where they won't work.  The Weminuche has more of
these than the South San Juans, but there are steep snow crossings in both.
You can send the gear home once you get to Silverton.  

 

Take some tall gaiters for when you do have to posthole across something.  

 

best wishes,

 

Jerry Brown  (bearcreek)

Gps Mapping Specialist

The Continental Divide Trail Alliance

mailto:bcss at bresnan.net

www.bearcreeksurvey.com

 

From: cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:cdt-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of nathanael lintner
Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 6:15 AM
To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
Subject: [Cdt-l] Reccomend snowshoes in San Juans?

 

Hi Everyone,

Question for people who have hiked the CDT northbound: Do you think it would
be worth carrying snowshoes north of Charma, NM? Our tenative schedule for
this summer has us leaving Charma on June 16th and we are considering
whether to send ourselves snowshoes, crampons and/or iceaxes. We know that
there will be lots of snow but what we would like to know from previous NOBO
hikers, was the snow generally the soft type that you posthole in or was it
generally hard snow that you can stay on top of? Approximately what
percentage of the trail would you say was snowcovered? Did you carry
snowshoes? Did you wish you did? How about iceaxes; were there lots of steep
traverses where it would be good to have one? We would really like to do the
whole San Juan loop and not the Creede cutoff.

Nathanael Lintner





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