Castle Creek conditions (updated)

[lodgling Profile 14er Peak List (50) 14ers Skied (33)14ers in Winter (2)13er Peak List (11)Trip Reports]

Anyone get up to the Ashcroft area recently? Road conditions? Pics? Any info is appreciated.

[burningthebushes Profile 14er Peak List (58) 13er Peak List (25)Trip Reports]

I talked to a guy at the aspen FS office last week, he said the gate should be opened this week. I'm hoping to get up there sunday after sneffels, so I'll call to be sure before I drive up friday.

[SarahT Profile Website 14er Peak List (58) 14ers in Winter (53)13er Peak List (661)Trip Reports]

I was up there Saturday. The road is not gated at Ashcroft and is dry to around 10,200 ft where it crosses the creek. No point in attempting the crossing right now as there is a bunch of snow on the other side still.

[lodgling Profile 14er Peak List (50) 14ers Skied (33)14ers in Winter (2)13er Peak List (11)Trip Reports]

Thanks!!

[lodgling Profile 14er Peak List (50) 14ers Skied (33)14ers in Winter (2)13er Peak List (11)Trip Reports]

I thought I'd bump this up with a ski conditions report from Memorial Day weekend.

We skinned up Montezuma Basin and climbed the standard route Monday. Skied the east face with 4-8 powder. There are still a number of routes in down the east face.

The north face direct is in for those with some imagination and should be for a little longer.

The north couloir can still be linked for a summit ski, but is covered in recent (5/22?) avi debris for most of the path.

Conundrum couloir is still very wide and looks tasty. No sign of avi debris underneath as of 5/25. Someone please go get this soon.

The snirt layer can be located all the way to the summit of anything east facing (including Castle), and the snow likes to run on it. It will become the top layer again within a few days of it becoming spring again. We were able to predictably manage some deep slough with ski cuts.

Parking is still basically at the river crossing at 10,200. There is one deep but short pile of snow right after that. The real snow line does not occur until just above the first river crossing after the Pearl pass road split, so approach shoes are highly recommended.

[realhillboarding Profile 14er Peak List (55) 14ers Skied (15)14ers in Winter (1)13er Peak List (2)Trip Reports]

any good lines on the west face? I was thinking about tackling those from the conundrum creek side, can't beat natural hotsprings to end a day of backcounty riding

[lodgling Profile 14er Peak List (50) 14ers Skied (33)14ers in Winter (2)13er Peak List (11)Trip Reports]

I don't think so -- as I recall there is an absence of anything deeply inset on that face, so nothing holds snow long enough. The whole west face was covered yesterday (I could see it on the final approach ridge), but that was likely only the fresh snow, as I could see plenty of rocks lingering underneath on that face.