Can you hike Clear Creek ?

[jomagam Profile 14er Peak List (14) 13er Peak List (7)]

I was driving along it on 6 yesterday and it seemed that the ice was pretty thick with at most a couple of feet gap between the the left and right side ice sheets ? Do people hike up on the ice ? It would be cool to do if it's reasonably safe.

[pseudoghost Profile 14er Peak List (18) 13er Peak List (2)]

You might be OK if you stay near the shoreline, but I'd guess its probably pretty thin towards the middle of the creek. I've seen some sections that are frozen over down in Golden that look pretty solid, but are actually overhangs. I've seen a few calve off on people who were on them... I might consider it after a coldsnap, but right now it might be sketchy.

Could be interesting though. Let me know if you decide to give it a shot.

[midwestcoast Profile Website 14er Peak List Not Entered]

Personally, I'd never set foot on ice over running water, no matter how cold it's been.

[climbingaggie03 Profile 14er Peak List (4)]

Here's a pic from ten mile creek (near copper mtn) in january a few years ago

1941_510383890395_3629_n.jpg (49.97 KiB) Viewed 639 times

a couple of weeks later, I put a foot through the ice crossing at the same spot

[Tory Wells Profile 14er Peak List (39) 13er Peak List (15)Trip Reports]

Personally, I'd never set foot on ice over running water, no matter how cold it's been.

Agree.

[MonGoose Profile 14er Peak List (47) 14ers Skied (1)14ers in Winter (4)13er Peak List (9)Trip Reports]

I think you'd be asking for serious trouble. Even in the back bowls of the ski resorts (Keystone, Vail) you can fall through the snow into little creeks flowing under the snow, which flat out sucks.

[midwestcoast Profile Website 14er Peak List Not Entered]

The obvious issue is that running water doesn't like to freeze and will eat away at the bottom of what ice there is, limiting it's thickness.

The less obvious problem is that if its been cold for a while, creek/river ice can actually get MORE dangerous. When it's been cold for a while, melt runoff slows and the water level drops. Any ice that has already formed, especially if it spans the entire width of the creek, might stay where it is. This leaves an air gap between the ice and the water and even 6 inches of ice will break under your weight if there isn't anything but air below it.

Ice will also flow down stream and pile up when it's warmer, then it freezes and gets buried under snow during a cold snap and you can end up with multiple layers of ice/air/ice/air/water. It's just impossible to tell what you're really standing on a lot of the time. You might be fine or you might go for a swim, it's just a LOT less predictable than lake ice. If you know the creek well and know how deep it is, it might be worth the risk to you. Otherwise it could be a pretty big gamble. JMHO.

[RoanMtnMan Profile 14er Peak List (45) Trip Reports]

A new sport perhaps? River walking. Or riverneering. I have actually walked up and down Clear Creek ice many a time while trying to eke out the last few days of the flyfishing season. I do suggest waders.

[sunny1 Profile 14er Peak List (56) 14ers in Winter (4)13er Peak List (57)Trip Reports]

Personally, I'd never set foot on ice over running water, no matter how cold it's been.

+1

Take a long pole with you to put across the hole, should you fall through, so you can pull yourself out. It'd be hazardous to fall through and be swept downstream under the ice.