Has anyone climbed this mountain? How is the view/hike? Rather easy to get to? We want to maybe hike up it the day before the Quandary hike to get accustomed to the thinner air.
Thanks!
Mount Sniktau
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sigepnader
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MrFrumpylane
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Re: Mount Sniktau
It's about as easy as they come. You just park on Loveland Pass and just hike east. View of Torreys is pretty spectacular.
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zoomie83
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Re: Mount Sniktau
Its a very high return-to-effort ratio hike that's almost always windy. Except for seeing I-70, the view is fantastic. RT about 3.5 miles and 1250 net elevation with a couple hundred extra feet going over a two points along the ridge. Its easy to get to. Park at Loveland Pass, head east up the hill and turn left. It really is a great hike.Has anyone climbed this mountain? How is the view/hike? Rather easy to get to? We want to maybe hike up it the day before the Quandary hike to get accustomed to the thinner air.
I've only been as far as "Cupid" in the other direction at the top of the hil but Grizzly Peak in that direction is supposed to be another great hike, albeit significantly longer.
Re: Mount Sniktau
I've hiked that one. It's a very simple hike and offers an extraordinary view! You can look southwest to Quandary itself, and Grays/Torreys rise directly to the southeast. Mountain tops in every direction. You can even see I-70 winding below.
Most of the elevation is gained right from the parking lot at the top of the pass (~12,000') until you hit the ridge, then it's soft, gentle slopes the rest of the way to the actual summit. I think it would be a great warm-up for Quandary.
It's easy to get to, you just exit I-70 westbound right before the tunnel onto west US6 for Loveland Pass. Drive to the top of the pass where there is a parking area and start from there. If coming from the west, exit I-70 for east US6 in Silverthorne/Dillon and follow it past Keystone and Arapahoe Basin up the pass.
Now that it's getting snowy, though, you want to pay a close attention to the weather and the snowpack on the ground. The cornices in that area that form on the ridges are killers. Stay well to the west side of the ridge, away from any overhangs. If you can, walk only where you can see rocks. With the windblown snow, it's impossible to tell if there is solid ground beneath the snow near the edge or not. I've read a few stories of close calls with the cornices on that ridge. So just take care with it and you'll be fine.
Most of the elevation is gained right from the parking lot at the top of the pass (~12,000') until you hit the ridge, then it's soft, gentle slopes the rest of the way to the actual summit. I think it would be a great warm-up for Quandary.
It's easy to get to, you just exit I-70 westbound right before the tunnel onto west US6 for Loveland Pass. Drive to the top of the pass where there is a parking area and start from there. If coming from the west, exit I-70 for east US6 in Silverthorne/Dillon and follow it past Keystone and Arapahoe Basin up the pass.
Now that it's getting snowy, though, you want to pay a close attention to the weather and the snowpack on the ground. The cornices in that area that form on the ridges are killers. Stay well to the west side of the ridge, away from any overhangs. If you can, walk only where you can see rocks. With the windblown snow, it's impossible to tell if there is solid ground beneath the snow near the edge or not. I've read a few stories of close calls with the cornices on that ridge. So just take care with it and you'll be fine.
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sigepnader
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Re: Mount Sniktau
Is Loveland Pass easy to drive on in a mid sized car? I know I am ignorant but I've only hiked and driven in Colorad in the summer months..this is a whole new ballgame for me.
Thank you all for the swift, awesome responses!
Thank you all for the swift, awesome responses!
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MrFrumpylane
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Re: Mount Sniktau
18-wheelers drive over the pass all the time. You'll be fine as long as the weather isn't nasty.
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gonzalj
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Re: Mount Sniktau
You will be able to drive up loveland pass no problem. Also, sniktau is definitely a great warmup for quandary, just be advised as already mentioned, the winds up there are no joke and neither are the cornices, so pay close attention to where you're walking. Also, if you're feeling up to it, getting cupid on that trip is fairly easy. Basically, once you reach the top of the ridge at point 12,915 once you hike up the somewhat steep hill from loveland pass, cupid is your 1st 13er on the right (whereas as already mentioned sniktau is your 1st one on the left). After cupid is grizzly, but from cupid to grizzly is more challenging and by that point in time all the up and down from all the saddles will work your legs (if the wind hasn't) and the saddles are steeper between cupid & grizzly. Anyway, enjoy your hike as the views from sniktau and cupid are pretty amazing.
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jlarocco
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Re: Mount Sniktau
I hiked it the other day on the way home from A Basin. I started from the summit of Loveland Pass around 4:30 and was back at the car by 6:15.
It's not the most exciting hike, but the views are excellent, and it's definitely worth hiking. I took some pictures, but with the current storm, conditions will be completely different.
I'd say it's about the same difficulty as Quandry, but not as long and with less elevation gain.
Loveland pass is plowed and well maintained during the winter because it's the alternate route for hazmat trucks that aren't allowed through the Eisenhower tunnel. Unless you go during a big storm you shouldn't have any problems getting up the pass.
It's not the most exciting hike, but the views are excellent, and it's definitely worth hiking. I took some pictures, but with the current storm, conditions will be completely different.
I'd say it's about the same difficulty as Quandry, but not as long and with less elevation gain.
Loveland pass is plowed and well maintained during the winter because it's the alternate route for hazmat trucks that aren't allowed through the Eisenhower tunnel. Unless you go during a big storm you shouldn't have any problems getting up the pass.
