Thread: Indian Peaks Conditions?

I am new to TGR and hope I am doing this correctly.

Has anyone been up in Indian Peaks lately? What are the conditions l like? It looks like Queen's Way or the Apache Coulior may still be in, does anyone think they will be in decent shape by Sunday?

Thanks.

There isn't much snow up there for May, but Queen's Way should still be skiable. Last year it even looked skiable in September. While it might not be great skiing, it would be a good day. Just be ready to carry your skis for a few miles. Apache is typically a bit thinner than Queen's Way and never filled in particularly well this season due to some of the wind events.

Enjoy and let us know how it was!

Pretty thin - less snow now than when I skied in July last year. Queens way didn't look skiable from the top as viewed the other day. Navaho col looks skiable, but you should expect it to be thin down low.

PS - the road isn't supposed to open to cars for a couple more weeks - ie 6/15, so you'll have to hike or bike the extra mileage.

I know this isn't Indian Peaks, but can anyone tell me what this line is? It's north of Evans, and I see it everyday coming home from work driving west down Arapahoe road. Does it have a name, anyone know how to get there? Sorry for the bad cell phone picture

Originally Posted by COinIA

I know this isn't Indian Peaks, but can anyone tell me what this line is? It's north of Evans, and I see it everyday coming home from work driving west down Arapahoe road. Does it have a name, anyone know how to get there? Sorry for the bad cell phone picture

You ever hear of google earth?

Originally Posted by COinIA

I know this isn't Indian Peaks, but can anyone tell me what this line is? It's north of Evans, and I see it everyday coming home from work driving west down Arapahoe road. Does it have a name, anyone know how to get there? Sorry for the bad cell phone picture

Needless to say its hard to tell cause that picture is really bad, but I'm pretty sure that is Sunrise Couloir just across Summit Lake by Mount Evans. If that is it, it is accessed from the mount evans road, then a short hike across from summit lake. Was up there yesterday, the runout is pretty much melted out.

Thanks Mike. I took a drive up there last week because I thought it might be Sunrise but it didn't seem wide enough from up at Summit Lake. I went and took a better picture and I believe you. Don't know what else it could be.

Originally Posted by COinIA

Thanks Mike. I took a drive up there last week because I thought it might be Sunrise but it didn't seem wide enough from up at Summit Lake. I went and took a better picture and I believe you. Don't know what else it could be.

Hmmm, hard to say from that pic. I look at Sunrise every day from my office, it seems to dominate the skyline and look bigger than it is, maybe that is why I so quickly assumed that was it?

That is absolutely Sunrise Couloir. Everything else in the surrounding topography is exactly the same. I just skied it yesterday so it's fresh in my mind.
BTW the landing under the cornice is perfect this year. Snow quality is beginning to degrade further down the couloir though (starting to get down to dirty old snow).

Originally Posted by Mike_Records

Needless to say its hard to tell cause that picture is really bad, but I'm pretty sure that is Sunrise Couloir just across Summit Lake by Mount Evans. If that is it, it is accessed from the mount evans road, then a short hike across from summit lake. Was up there yesterday, the runout is pretty much melted out.

Thanks for the beta Mike, was thinking about exploring. Was there much of anything worth skiing; or better question was the couloir good but the runout past the lake gone? Don't mind a short walk.

Originally Posted by SILENCER

Thanks for the beta Mike, was thinking about exploring. Was there much of anything worth skiing; or better question was the couloir good but the runout past the lake gone? Don't mind a short walk.

Couloir is still totally in about 2/3 of the way down. The lower 1/3 was melted out in the center, but still basically skiable down to the flats on either side (not quite to the lake). This involved some interested rock dodging that may be melted out by now.

The north face line is still probably skiable, but might require a fair amount of downclimbing to get into depending on how much it's melted the last few days.

Still worthwhile for a lazy day IMO.

Originally Posted by adrenalated

Couloir is still totally in about 2/3 of the way down. The lower 1/3 was melted out in the center, but still basically skiable down to the flats on either side (not quite to the lake). This involved some interested rock dodging that may be melted out by now.

The north face line is still probably skiable, but might require a fair amount of downclimbing to get into depending on how much it's melted the last few days.

Still worthwhile for a lazy day IMO.

Thanks bud! Okay, a little rock dodgin' it is. I think that will be a theme this summer anyway. I just saw an article say as a whole 2% of Colorado's snowpack remains. YOUCH.

Originally Posted by SILENCER

Thanks for the beta Mike, was thinking about exploring. Was there much of anything worth skiing; or better question was the couloir good but the runout past the lake gone? Don't mind a short walk.

I see this thread is changing from an IP thread to an Evans thread. Couple pics from last Saturday if anyone is interested:

Challenger Glacier is in for 800', and pretty smooth up top. If so inclined, one can bike to the Boulder Transfer Station and bus/shuttle to Hessie for a no-car trip. Might be easier than finding trailhead parking.

Originally Posted by nrd

Challenger Glacier is in for 800', and pretty smooth up top. If so inclined, one can bike to the Boulder Transfer Station and bus/shuttle to Hessie for a no-car trip. Might be easier than finding trailhead parking.

Nice! I've heard that Challenger goes well when combined with Skyscraper. Where is Challenger? Is it just north of Skyscraper?

Originally Posted by Mike_Records

Nice! I've heard that Challenger goes well when combined with Skyscraper. Where is Challenger? Is it just north of Skyscraper?

Yep, due north dropping towards Devils Thumb. It's an easy double with Skyscraper when the Corona Pass road is open to the top, which it isn't.

Originally Posted by nrd

Yep, due north dropping towards Devils Thumb. It's an easy double with Skyscraper when the Corona Pass road is open to the top, which it isn't.

Ooohhh. Need to add this one to the list.

Originally Posted by Mike_Records

I see this thread is changing from an IP thread to an Evans thread. Couple pics from last Saturday if anyone is interested:

Most excellent, thanks man. Will see how many more rocks there are this weekend.

I know I'm going from southern extreme to northern, but in case anyone is wondering, Sundance Mountain Bowl up in RMNP is still in. Went up there Sunday AM and skiied the top 2/3, and it was pretty nice. http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u...9373658992.mp4

Originally Posted by COinIA

I know I'm going from southern extreme to northern, but in case anyone is wondering, Sundance Mountain Bowl up in RMNP is still in. Went up there Sunday AM and skiied the top 2/3, and it was pretty nice. http://s166.photobucket.com/albums/u...9373658992.mp4

How did the $$$$ lower 1/3 section look? I'm all about doing the 3/3 and the 5er walk out Fall River...

^^^ yup thats the way i like to do it to avoid afternoon lightning!

Can't comment on the lower third. Only went down as far as the big rollover ~2/3 down, since I was with my buddy who was boarding for the first time in 2 years and with no beacon. However, I will say that the conditions up top varied dramatically from where we decided to stop. The top was hard, crusty and not thawed at all, but the middle 1/3 was money corn. So I guess long story short is don't be discouraged if the top starts out super crappy; it should get better the further down you go. I'm sure you two ^^ know that, but it would have made our day a little more enjoyable if we figured this out sooner, and just some advice for any other first timers looking to get some June turns.

On a related note, anybody have any other good spots to get some turns in close to the Front Range, besides a possibly sketchy Sunrise and St. Marys Glacier?

Rollins Pass, dont think it's open yet though

Originally Posted by Upper

How did the $$$$ lower 1/3 section look? I'm all about doing the 3/3 and the 5er walk out Fall River...

About 3 weeks ago it was in fine form down low on several of the lower 1/3 options, but not sure after the weather we've had. Interested myself as might hit a run on Sunday.

Originally Posted by TransplantedFromRMNP

Rollins Pass, dont think it's open yet though

Not what I heard.