Winter Park Snow - it does exist...

It only took about 4 weeks into the season for the first major dump...

Winter Park Opening Day 2007

Winter Park opened its 2007/2008 ski season recently with a base of about 1/4" of snow. Great job snowmaking department... Copper blew you away yet again considering % trails open. Certainly one of the more disappointing opening days in memerable years for sure. Lets hope the snow picks up soon!

Here's proof...

Snow Stoke

And it's still officially summer! A few quick shots of some early season snow along the continental divide in Grand County.
















More snow on the way...

Jim Creek Trail

A rainy-day hike took us up Jim Creek Trail near the Winter Park Ski Resort, with my brother, Mike and Lori along for the ride (er, hike). Due to the protective sheltering trees the entire way, Jim Creek was our best bet this day due to the nasty early morning weather. BTW: Mike, a former Grand County local, brought his new wife out to Colorado for their honeymoon.

Elevation at Trailhead: 9224'
Elevation at Destination: 10,449'
One-way Mileage: 3.58


 
 
 

Caribou Pass Hike

The Caribou Pass Trail is a great 4-5 hour hike that provides the user with stunning views and oxygen levels one would expect to experience around 11,819 ft above sea level. The Caribou Pass hiking trail forms about 1 mile past the Junco Lake trail head which also is the starting point for the Columbine Lake Trail and a pass-through for the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).
Caribou Pass is named for a road that was built over the divide - well, only halfway up from the east side of the divide. It turns out that funding ran out and only half of the stretch between Boulder and the Fraser valley was formed. At any rate, the hiking to Caribou Pass was very rewarding and recommend it to anyone looking for a simple day jaunt.

Elevation at Trailhead: 10,052'
Elevation at Destination: 11,819'
One-way Mileage: 3.26


 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Two Arrested for Cutting Backcountry Ski Run

Two men arrested for illegal cutting backcountry ski run on VT state forest land

"The men allegedly cut the swath down the very steep slope with the intention of using it for back country downhill skiing, the department said in a press release."

Mount Nystrom

Mt Nystrom, along the Continental Divide, was an impressive hike consisting of high-alpine single-track all above 12,000ft.

Elevation at Trailhead: 12,498'
Elevation at Destination: 12,659'
One-way Mileage: 3.09


Guide to the Colorado Mountains offers nice interpretations of most of the hikes here in Grand County.

Roger's Pass, Colorado

I went on a short day hike to Roger's Pass along the Continential Divide in Winter Park, CO with Adrianne and Webster recently. Started late and because of that, the clouds chased us off right as we made the destination.

Heart Lake, which is just on the east side of the divide, can be seen in a few of the pictures below. Wish I had the energy and the time to catch the large trout living in it... Though, I wasn't up for the climb back up a steep cornice (Webster was up for it though).

Corona Pass or Rollins Pass is the service road which privides access to the trailhead. This road is a defunct railroad passage from the early 1900's - pictures and more history of Corona Pass to come later.

Elevation at Trailhead: 11,081'
Elevation at Destination: 11,918'
One-way Milage: 2.52