Marble Mountain

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 7/9/2019, By: Adoniram
Info: Success at last! The trail is completely clear of snow except for about 100 feet at tree line. I didn't bother with either my yak tracks or snow shoes as it was stiff and easy to kick into. Overall a good but difficult hike due to the steepness. One pic is the elevation profile. Other pics are for fun. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/20/2019, By: Adoniram
Info: Road to Rainbow Trail is completely clear of snow. Only a few puddles and not very deep or large. Route up the mountain is very dry until about 10,800 ft. From there to above tree line (around 12,000 ft), snow is very deep and drifty. I used snowshoes but wished I had crampons. Very little post-holing, but I really had to dig in with the toe of my snowshoes to get traction. Micro spikes and yak tracks would be useless right now. This snowy area is also among the steepest part of the trail so it's tough. At the edge of the tree line, there's a huge, steep, wide open field of snow. It was a little intimidating looking but my snowshoes got me over it quickly. By 12,000 ft, you can keep to the north side of the ridge for dry climbing the rest of the way. I did not summit due to incoming rain. Weather report called for partly cloudy skies but you know how that can change. I turned around at 12,750 ft which kind burns due to how close the summit was, but I have little people at home who expect me to keep making money for the next almost 20 years so risks aren't worth it right now. Rain did indeed come down as soon as I got below tree line. I wore yak tracks on the way back and did fine with digging my heels in. Very slippery in spots but generally ok. If you're into sliding, you might have a good time. I'll be back again another hopefully clearer day... 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/27/2019, By: RWinters
Info: Rainbow TH is accessible for sure with stock 4wd. Intermittent snow for quarter mile to the ridge. Solid snow starts at 10,600 to treeline and to summit. I wore snowshoes just for traction. With a freeze spikes would suffice. It gets soft real quick and expect some postholing. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 5/3/2019, By: Tim A
Info: Did not hike, but stopped to take some pictures along CO69. Route looks like snow from treeline to summit. Overall the Sangres look very snowy considering most of the last storm stayed well to the north. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 4/7/2019, By: WildWanderer
Info: Phenomenal day above treeline! Started at Lower South Colony Lakes 2WD lot at 4am, down by 10:45am. Road up to Rainbow Trail Trailhead was consolidated snow in the morning, slush in the afternoon. Trench now in place from Rainbow Trail until Treeline. I used flotation from the Rainbow Trail until just above treeline, then ditched the snowshoes and hiked the rest of the way on windblown tundra. Wind picked up quite a bit above treeline. Snowshoes were required for the entire way back down (saw lots of previous postholing from yesterday). My ice axe was helpful for a bit just above treeline, but not required. Either crampons or snowshoes are very helpful in this area as well. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 3/23/2019, By: WildWanderer
Info: From the 2WD South Colony Lakes trailhead snowshoes were helpful, but mandatory once you made it to the Rainbow Trail Trailhead. There's a nice trench the entire way to Rainbow Trail. There's a minimum of 2 feet of snow on the road, and 4-8+ feet of snow once you're on the actual trail. Made a new trench from Rainbow up to treeline today. Lots and lots of wind on the ridge, even below treeline. Windblown above treeline. On my way back down the trench I'd made was gone, so I trenched again. There was a group of 6 or so people hiking up after me, so hopefully they were able to solidify the trench for hikers tomorrow. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 3/29/2018, By: desertdog
Info: It dropped six inches plus of snow the night before our climb making Marble a bit harder than planned, but that was balanced by spectacular views of the Crestones. It reminded me that I need to go back and climb the Needle again! After leaving the Rainbow Trail we wore snowshoes through the trees on the ascent and descent. On our descent we found that a party had followed our track, but apparently did not have snowshoes. It was a posthole-o-rama for them. Above tree line most snow can be avoided by keeping on the right side of the ridge. We used spikes, but you could get by without them. The weather was great till the end of the day and we hiked out in snow showers. Because of the new snow the road to the Rainbow TH was tough, but it had begun to melt out by the end of the day. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 3/18/2018, By: dolfh
Info: Road 120 is clear to the lower 2wd trailhead. A 4wd might make it up a mile or so further, but there are legal parking restrictions. Snowshoes are needed as you leave the Rainbow Trail and head up the narrow timbered ridge to treeline. The snow is not very supportive, although there is a well established trench. There is a surprising amount of deadfall on the route. It is easy to expend a lot of energy below treeline. The route is clear above treeline. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 3/11/2018, By: aholle88
Info: No floatation needed on road up to rainbow turn-off, spikes optional. Mostly snow covered after first .5-1 mile, patchy snow and mixes of dry patches to that point. From the start of rainbow to just above treeline, snowshoes mandatory. Ski's not recommended due to the gymnastics you will be doing the first chunk of the Marble trail toward the 10k point. Highly variable snow conditions from supportive to very punchy crust, and deep thick powder. Very spring-like conditions as it got slushy and less supportive with sun/temps later on. Ridge is dry above treeline past the little trees. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 12/12/2017, By: Jay521
Info: Not much in the way of snow - no need for snowshoes or spikes. Only real problem is all the dead fall on the trail but it isn't as bad as LCW stuff and can all be worked around. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 11/26/2017, By: sdkeil
Info: Nice day on Marble Mountain A today. There were small intermittent patches of snow that got more consistent was we reached treeline. However, no need for flotation as the snow was never more than an inch or two deep. Outside of the trees there was virtually no snow on the ridge so traction was not needed. Parked at the TH. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 11/9/2017, By: CUaaron25
Info: Hiked Marble today via the NE ridge. The road is pretty much snow covered about 1/2 mile from the winter trailhead. Theres only about 6 inches of snow on the ground so snowshoes were not necessary. I stashed them after i popped out of the trees. The ridge is pretty much windblown. The wind was howling all day today above the trees and made for a nice miserable slog up to the summit. 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 9/4/2017, By: Trotter
Info: Lots of deadfall after you leave rainbow trail. Some patches can be easily avoided with social trails. Other patches require bushwhacking through very prickly raspberry bushes. Stay on north side of trail to avoid the most bushwhacking. Otherwise, great mountain with beautiful views 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 6/28/2017, By: Candace66
Info: Lot of deadfall across the trail in the woods down lower, but it gets better as you go higher. Just a little snow around Treeline right now, which you can avoid. I climbed on a Wednesday and was surprised when a couple and then later another soloist also showed up on the summit. And we all came from different directions! 

Route: Northeast Ridge
Posted On: 2/7/2016, By: Unknown
Info: Trench now in place. Need for snowshoes ceases just above the trees. The trench through the trees has the occasional awkward deadfall that is a challenge to negotiate with snowshoes on. Lots of wind up top yesterday.