Made it to 10,600 ft on the east ridge, just before it gets a bit steeper. I wondered if there would only be light snow off trail below treeline considering the lack of snow on the Front Range so far this winter but I was wrong.
The road is filled in with snow just before you hit the trees and required snowshoes past 9250 ft. A recent trench made for an easy trek up the road to the Rainbow Trail junction.
I broke trail from there where the snow was ankle to calf deep in snowshoes. Several downed trees over the trail. Once atop the ridge, I found that it held windblown drifts that sunk down calf to knee deep. Made for much slower going than anticipated so I turned back. I wasn't able to tell the condition of the snow on the ridge above treeline, not sure if it's hardpack or more deep snow.
      
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