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Does anyone know what the trail is like up to Bear Peak? I assume Fern Canyon probably has a lot of snow (Shadow too), but what about the W Ridge trail? Doable without snowshoes? Hopefully we don't pick up much more new accumulation from this storm they're calling for tomorrow night. (So ready for summer)

An absolute sloppy mess. No snowshoes (you never really need snowshoes for these, barring first tracks in the rare 3' storm), but microspikes handy to keep from slip-n-sliding all the way down it. Mesa Trail is a river. It's all melting fast though...

Last I was up there, both Shadow Canyon and South Boulder Peak were closed because of the fire from last year. Check the trailhead signs if you're wanting to go up that way.

Yah, most of Shadow Canyon and S Boulder Peak are still closed. http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.ph ... =411#trail Looks like late summer to re-open Shadow Canyon.

I was hoping for Bear Peak via Fern Canyon or West Ridge, or a loop of both, but with the storm predicted for tomorrow night I think its a lost cause anyway... Thanks for the info!

Ummm... What about now?

Fern Canyon was icy this morning, probably slushy in the PM. Bear West ridge had some snow near the top, but I didn't use microspikes on the way down.
S Boulder Peak still closed, but we're doing trail maintenance in Shadow next week in hopes of it opening soon.

Eric

I can report firsthand that the Bear Canyon > Bear Peak West Ridge trail is in pretty darn good shape. Few and far between snow on the trail, some mud and running water in places, but overall it was a great hike! I heard from a couple that came up Fern Canyon that it was still pretty messy, wet, slushy, etc. so we didn't try it. Bottom line: Bear Peak is open and the trail is clear!