7/3/2026 Posted On: 7/4/2026 By: drchele Info: All stream crossings on FR 315 are navigable. No uncleared avi debris. Make sure you don't miss the fork in the road 2 miles after the FR 315/FR 314 junction - marked as FR 315.2. Stay LEFT here (the easier route, thankfully!) Watch for the occasional white post and slow down - they mark unseen obstacles. I drove it in an FJ Cruiser and hit bottom once on the way to Lead King Basin TH - I gunned it a bit too much up a sloped turn (user error). There are more pullouts than you think, but they seem far apart when you are the one who has to back up/down to accommodate a passing vehicle. It took me a little over an hour to drive from Marble to the LKB TH, but 1 hour 25 min on the way back, navigating 4 passing vehicles on their way in for 4th of July weekend. I wonder whether it would be better to make the loop one-way? I avoided FR 314 (through Crystal) due to warnings, but perhaps it would have been better to drive down this direction? | 2 |
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6/13/2026 Posted On: 6/14/2026 By: PedroCO Info: Road is clear from Marble to Crystal. Pretty rough in spots, though - def want high clearance. 4wd Rd (FR 315) from Crystal up in to Lead King Basin is def moderate 4wd, maybe level 5/10. I hit bottom twice in a Jeep Rubicon on the way up. Was able to avoid on the way down, but this is not a Rd for a Subaru unless you're that guy/gal. About 1.5 hours for me from Hwy 133 to the 4WD TH at 9660'. About 1 hr from Hwy 133 to Crystal. | 1 |
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6/6/2026 Posted On: 6/12/2026 By: bonnie Info: I must've taken an extremely optimistic interpretation reading of Roach's description of the road to Crystal, to think I could get from Marble to Crystal in my 2WD. Luckily I didn't realise my error until I was packed and ready at 4:30am, just out of Marble (around the 7.0mi mark in Driving Directions), so I was all set for a scouting/training/shakeout hike/run, even if my original plan of S Ridge was now very unlikely. Did an anti-clockwise loop past LKB/Geneva Lake TH, but skipped the road between SIlver Head TH and North Lost TH given the option of a trail. From what I did see: conditions seem consistent with E_A_Marcus_949's Hagerman report from August; the high road is likely easier. There was a standard AWD (sorry I neglected to note the model! approximately X-Trail or Rav4 in size) at the Geneva Lake TH. The first creek crossing near North Lost was ~30cm deep. I don't want make a judgement on the high road without seeing all of it, and not 4WDing regularly. Uploading some photos from last Saturday 6/6/26: all of the high road, from west to east (reverse chronological order for me) | 5 |
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9/10/2025 Posted On: 9/10/2025 By: cyrrus Info: FS 315 is in good condition. If you can get up the five minutes past the first creek you can make it to the trailhead. Road is mentally taxing with serious exposure and tight hairpin turns with pretty much the entire thing being single track. Creeks are easily navigable. Had stock 4Runner, Lexus suv and multiple ATV vehicles at trailhead. Slept in my car without issue. Did not observe anywhere to camp at trailhead. | 1 |
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8/18/2025 Posted On: 8/19/2025 By: E_A_Marcus_949 Info: Marble --> Crystal Mill --> 2 mi past Crystal Mill to Lead King Basin/Geneva Lake TH --> Out upper 315 back to Marble in 4-door 2011 stock Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Marble --> Crystal Mill: Rough, narrow, steep drop offs - clearance and good driving all good. I wouldn't take my Forester up this though. Bumpy. Crystal Mill to Lead King Basin/Geneva Lake TH --> Rough. Wouldn't want anything less than the Jeep. Doable, very narrow. Watch for pullouts Upper 315 Lead King Basin -- > Marble: Sandy, squishy, tons of water bars, some obstacles. I still wouldn't take my Forester on this (and I've taken it to a lot of places). This could be a sketchy road if it's wet. See trip report for more details and pics: https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=23218&cpgm=tripmine | 1 |
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8/17/2025 Posted On: 8/18/2025 By: RyanOlsonDDS Info: Drove to/from LKB trailhead via the upper/north road from Marble in a stock FJ cruiser. The road is generally mild but bumpy in stretches. There are about a hundred large culvert-like "whumps" in the road that are smooth with exactly one exception: when going up the road from Marble there is a washout on one of the switchbacks near/at the 10,400' contour line that's marked with two white posts. I thought I was in the clear after I passed the narrow washed-out section but was greeted with a very firm bump [I'm understating] as I dropped over a rollover (due to two large potholes that I couldn't see as I passed the posts). The picture was taken on our return/descent back to Marble. It's a bit worse than it looks. Another party arrived at the trailhead via the same upper route with a Jeep Compass (or something similar???) with quite a few broken/loose trim pieces; while I think the road is technically Subaruable *with a very capable driver* you'll want to take it slow in spots (from a comfort standpoint). We saw numerous stock Tacomas and a Tundra successfully navigate the road but I think a shorter wheelbase would be more ideal due to the breakover angle on the culverts. | 2 |
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7/28/2025 Posted On: 7/29/2025 By: ColoNativeGal Info: Dry. We took the lower road FR315 up and back down. We wanted to go by Crystal Mill, but it was so late we just needed to get out and back on the highway to get home. We thought the lower road is shorter and easier than the upper road through Crystal. After all my research of the road, I have to say I thought the road itself is very mild compared to other 4w roads I have been on. Parts of it are smooth as butter, especially with the super dry conditions right now. It's bumpy in spots. The biggest obstacles are the 2 culverts...you will drag/thunk anything with a long wheelbase. Stock trucks with short beds will most likely hit these. The other annoying obstacles are all the berms. Like a roller coaster, especially coming down. As far as 4w roads go, I would say South Colony is way worse than this road. The challenge with this road is, it's very narrow and the shorter wheel base is the key. We went in a 4 door Rubicon and had no issues. | 3 |
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6/30/2025 Posted On: 7/1/2025 By: Thighs Info: The road was completely clear from any issues besides being really bumpy. I would say it's more of a 4/6 for difficulty rather than 5/6. With a 4Runner, we drove into Lead King and left via Crystal to see the mill to complete a full circle on the road. Crystal is night and day a more difficult road. A Subaru Crosstrek somehow made it to the basin via Lead King. Nothing else to report as far as unwelcomed conditions on Lead King. I saw remnants of the road damage but only because I was looking for it. It's good to go! Get out there! | 5 |
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6/1/2025 Posted On: 6/1/2025 By: hr011242 Info: Lower road via Crystal Mill dry up to the TH! | 5 |
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10/3/2024 Posted On: 10/3/2024 By: Wentzl Info: Did the upper road today as far as the Avalanche Creek trailhead. Seems to me the road is in great shape. Off camber switchbacks have been leveled out. Lots of humps that looked severe, but only very long wheelbase vehicles would high center. The deep culvert is still nasty, but taken on an angle it presented no problem. | 1 |
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7/21/2024 Posted On: 7/21/2024 By: ickiboo Info: I found what appears to be a new iPhone. The date on the cell phone is June 29th which I believe is the climb day. Please message me if you lost a cell phone on the s ridge of Snowmass. | ||||
7/15/2024 Posted On: 7/15/2024 By: princessproton Info: Completed in stock Tacoma without issue. On exit final creek crossing from TH did hit otherwise creeks were fine. Biggest struggle is passing other large vehicles so be ready for negotiating that. Took about an hour each way. Some road sections are very narrow, and/or washed out but passable and well-marked. There is exposure a fair amount with steep sections and switchbacks. Trailhead flat and room for about 10. | 1 |
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7/7/2024 Posted On: 7/7/2024 By: yaktoleft13 Info: To echo the prior report, there is a culvert/creek that eroded out a low point on the high road that is difficult to get past without thunking. Did it different each direction, still thunked. The largest stream crossing looks worse than it is. Made it to the trailhead via the high road both directions in a stock 4runner. Maaaaybe doable in a Subaru but was glad to have a beefier car. Also glad to never have to go back on that road again | 4 |
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7/2/2024 Posted On: 7/2/2024 By: BoulderBarb Info: Did the whole loop on Sunday 6/30. Started on the upper rd to Lead King Basin. Had to cut a downed tree, luckily my friend had some hand saws. A few spots where culverts are not in great shape, but doable. Glad I was not the one driving. From Crystal to Marble in great shape. I have driven that section myself also and felt fine doing so. Wildflowers just starting to come out. In a few weeks it should be amazing. * We had some heavy rains here in Marble the last few days so things may have changed * | 1 |
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8/13/2023 Posted On: 8/13/2023 By: jchen199 Info: Thanks to ssgustafson before me, I decided to try and take my Subaru Forester to th. And shockingly enough, I made it! I'd say it pushed me to about 90% of my max comfort and risk. For context, I thought Princeton was really easy to get up, but antero made me cry the entire time until I gave up went home (which is weird because antero is rated easier than this). I had to give two tries in 4 spots, but other than that was pretty smooth sailing. I definitely got some of those same racing stripes everyone else mentions too I was the only car of this type on the road, and got lots of looks from all the other vehicles. But it is definitely Subaruable. I also don't really have any experience off road driving, except in Mario Kart of course. Like everyone says, pick a line, and seems like common sense would be enough for anyone to do that on this road | 1 |
