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 Peak:  Mt. Silverheels
 Route:  South Ridge
 Range:  Front
 Posted By:  the_hare
 Date of Info:  12/5/2022
 Date Posted:  12/6/2022
Condition Update

I mainly used this TR for this route: https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=21983. Road is packed down to TH. The TH is blocked off with cables but there's another large parking area to the right about 0.1mi before you get to the TH. There's a few inches of loose snow collected on the old road and trails above treeline, snow is mostly blown off the slopes otherwise. Didn't use traction and not enough consistent snow to require flotation, only a few ankle-deep drifts over the trail. I didn't see the turn-off trail at first from the now-decommissioned 4WD road to the trail at 11,200 ft, just went towards the ridge thru the clearings of what I guess used to be an old mining camp there and soon met up with the trail.

Wind was forecast for 30-35mph blowing towards the east and it definitely felt like that while above treeline--enough to make me want to cover all exposed skin but not affecting my walking yet. The two ridge-bumps along the way, "Arnold" Peak at 12,250 and the south ridge of Silverheels, really mold and funnel the wind currents. I chose to traverse to their eastern sides to help relieve the wind. No avalanche concerns, barely any snow accumulation up high and no slab formation for the small patches near the summit. Really gorgeous area, the rich dark red soil and rocks were cool to see.



#1) Blocked-off TH#2) Old road/trail above treeline#3) Windblown slopes#4) Frozen crossing just past TH#5#6) Hoosier ridge, some cornice buildup#7) Quandary#8#9) Trail over N side of Arnold Peak 12250#10) Turn-off from old 4WD road to trail at 11,200ft


Comments or Questions
Green_river
User
Nice Ridge!
12/6/2022 1:49pm
Great trip report and pictures. Thanks for posting.

Is the TH closure in picture #1 new infastructure? I swear I when I did Silverheels in the last 6 months and none of that cabling was there.


the_hare
User
Cables
12/6/2022 2:21pm
Thanks!! Yeah those cables did look new, they were there when the author for the TR I linked hiked it in late Oct of this year too. Can't find anything on the closure on the South Park FS ranger district website. Saw some similar cable fencing on another pull-off on the way, the fence posts extend way past the driveway entrance in front of the trees on either side. Not sure what's going on, maybe they're trying to keep smaller OHVs out of the area up there?


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