Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 7/21/2023, By: newmanifest Info: The 3-mile road to the summer trailhead is rough, rocky and rutty, so be prepared. I had a Jeep Compass that did fine, but it was slow going. I arrived at 2:45 am; the lots were full by 5:30 or so with cars lined up along the road as well. Trail in good shape overall. It was cool and gusty much of the way up. Two small snow patches remain on the trail that connects to the saddle between Gray's and Torrey's, but they aren't bad. No spikes needed. When I was coming down around 9:30 am they were starting to get slushy. A great day on the mountains! |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 7/17/2023, By: Graham_Bitner1 Info: Hike was very fun. The summit of Grays was extremely windy, there was also some snow between Grays and Torreys that you need to pass thru to get to or from Torreys if you are taking the standard route. Lots of animals today, saw a couple marmots and a mountain goat. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 7/16/2023, By: dr_j Info: Summer conditions. We started at around 10 AM, and saw 100+ people descending, but got Grays and Torreys summits mostly to ourselves. There remains two snow patches on the connector trail requiring some caution, its still a bit slippery. You dont need spikes, just proceed slowly. Trail is pretty clean, although there are still rocks with graffiti on top, plus a couple summit signs on Torreys that we took down. Minimal poop bags, just 1-2 left at the trailhead. Restrooms are full of litter. |
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Route: Lost Rat Couloir Posted On: 7/16/2023, By: CDubFTW Info: Did not climb or descend the route. Got some photos from the top and bottom. My partner and I saw plenty of thin and dirty snow in the couloir and decided not to descend. Probably too late in the season to use it anymore. I'd love to hear what other people's opinions are of the current conditions. Still got that lovely cornice on top. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 7/10/2023, By: bkrutsinger91 Info: The clouds came in faster than expected today but it cleared up and was super nice. Some ice on parts of the connecting trail getting down from Torreys. Micro spikes not needed but may come in handy. |
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Route: Lost Rat Couloir Posted On: 7/8/2023, By: Crestoner Info: I didn't climb LRC, and I could only see it from the G/T trail. But, it looks like it still holds continuous snow! That cornice is still hanging on... Sorry, no photos. |
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Route: North Slopes Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: Cruiser Info: There's some water running down the trail in a couple of sections lower down and still some lingering snow fields to cross higher up. I used microspikes briefly during my ascent but could have made it ok without them. Saw several people glissading without an axe which is not a great idea. Thunder and lightning rolled thru around 10am and sent me running back down the trail. |
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Route: South Ridge Posted On: 7/3/2023, By: adventure112521 Info: If you need to knock off Grays and want to avoid the mass of humanity, this is a viable option (only 4 other humans on this route. Basically had that side of the mountain to myself). Carried spikes and axe but used neither. 3-4 snow crossings in upper basin, but very manageable. Ridge is almost completely dry, snow and cornices avoidable and mostly off the route anyway.I'd say 85% of route is visible and/or cairned. Just some spots in high basin before reaching headwall where you may get off course a time or two. Happy Independence to all. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 7/2/2023, By: samharrison7 Info: It's still winter up there and spikes are definitely still worth taking, especially on the traverse from Grays to Torreys, where there are still patches that are difficult to avoid. As in the previous report, the switchbacks aren't entirely clear at the moment and if you're just going with the flow, you'll probably end up on the east ridge (which is a nice way up anyway). Conditions on Grays were cold and windy first thing, probably gusting 40mph and cold enough to warrant winter mitts. As I say, it's not quite summer up there yet! Lots of folks climbing Dead Dog, it looked good! 4WD trailhead was full by about 0430. Road is reasonable, no problem (with a little care) in an SUV/AWD. There was even a Tesla up there... |
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Route: North Slopes Posted On: 7/2/2023, By: amynelson2330 Info: Did this Saturday morning. Got to the trailhead at 5:30 and the parking lot was already full. We had planned to do both Grays and Torreys but decided on just Grays in the end. When I looked at our route on Alltrails after the hike, we realized we didn't take the switchbacks, but summitted via the Continental Divide Trail. We were just following the crowd and completely missed the switchbacks. Not sure if they're accessible or not...we didn't see anyone go that way. The route we took definitely made it a Class 2 hike with quite a bit of scrambling. It was a good challenge, but more than we had expected. Lots of wind and cold at the top! Didn't use our microspikes but poles were definitely helpful. |
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Route: Southwest Ridge Posted On: 7/5/2023, By: schaffs Info: LOTS of people. Got to parking lot night prior, was nearly full by 9pm. THANK YOU to the hiker who gave my daughter an oxygen tank. Wind was horrible, trail was great. Only a couple spots with snow, didn't need to use our spikes. Missed the switchbacks...didn't even see them, no one was using them. Did not go to Torreys |
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Route: North Slopes Posted On: 6/29/2023, By: MattDLane1 Info: Still enough snow that micro spikes are helpful, postholing as the snow gets soft in the afternoon. |
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Route: Lost Rat Couloir Posted On: 6/25/2023, By: ryansunshine20 Info: Still completely in and probably will be for at least another week or so. Started booting up around 6:00 and that was a little early for us because we had very hard pack snow for climbing most of the couloir. The cornice is huge but the exit is easy to the right. There was just a shallow boot pack to follow the entire time that went in some very weird directions. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 6/25/2023, By: 14er101 Info: Still alot of snow up high, traction was nice to have but saw plenty of people doing just fine without it! P.S. I did these two as part of the Loveland Pass to Guanella Pass traverse, so do not know conditions down low. |
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Route: North Slopes Posted On: 6/22/2023, By: bsargeant1 Info: Attention Grays/Torreys climbers: CFI has contracted with a helicopter service to transport cut logs up to the shoulder on Grays Peak for use in stabilizing the trail. Weather permitting the helicopter will be ferrying loads one day during the flight window of Tuesday, June 27 through Thursday, June 29. At this time we do not know which day will provide the most optimal flying/hauling condition. Please check our Facebook or Instagram for the most up-to-date information. For safety reasons, hikers will be stopped on the trail briefly as loads are dropped and the helicopter returns to the trailhead area to pick up more loads. Aside from the landing area on the shoulder about 12,750', the flight path will not go over the climbing trail. However, helicopter noise will be audible for much of the day as this needed work occurs. CFI completed a similar operation in 2022 which proved critical to the completion of work needed near the Grays/Torreys trail junction. Failure to get additional logs up to the shoulder will compromise our ability to stabilize this rapidly deteriorating stretch of the trail. We apologize in advance for the impact this activity may have on 14er hikers during this window and hope you all understand the importance of getting this heavy lift accomplished for the long-term condition of the trail. Thanks, Brian Sargeant Development and Communications Manager brian@14ers.org |
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Route: Lost Rat Couloir Posted On: 6/17/2023, By: Joey_parm Info: Had a blast on the Lost Rat Couloir today with some friends. It will likely deteriorate quickly next week with the warm temps and lack of additional snow. Came down the standard route after summiting grays. APPROACH: Did not use traction until we got to the base of climb. Never used flotation either, although there were a few cases of postholing knee to hip deep but not enough to warrant bringing snowshoes imo. Also, be cognizant of whether or not you're on frozen ponds, etc. CLIMB: avy debri to get over initially, then anywhere from ankle to shin deep good snow. The last top 50ish feet was quite frozen still around 8am so make sure you have good crampons to get good kicks in. Also - sizeable cornice at top. See pic. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 6/14/2023, By: k137n765 Info: Great day for a snowy hike. Upper lot had no snow, plenty of parking at 4:30am. Started at 5:00am. Didn't see anyone bring snowshoes (~10 other people who also started around then), so we left ours behind. Spikes were necessary. Snow fairly packed down at the beginning. Some postholing but we followed footprints of the people ahead of us and did just fine. About halfway up there was one stretch with some exposure, a little frightening to do in snow (as someone who is afraid of heights), but it wasn't a cliff, and it wasn't slippery, so it was fine. Around 3/4 of the way up snow was really dense and easy to walk up with no postholing. Around 200 ft. from summit we stopped following footprints and just made a straight line to the top. Summited at 9:30am. Cloudy and windy but no weather issues. Snow to Torreys looked too deep so we went back down - did not see anyone else attempt Torreys either. Descent was amazing - ran straight down through the snow. Some postholing started about halfway down so we followed footprints the rest of the way. Slushy and muddy at the end but fine with spikes and poles. Back at lot around 11:00am. Did not need snowshoes, but we lucked out with weather - no snow or rain, lots of clouds and very little sun. Also helped to have people ahead of us to avoid postholing. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 6/11/2023, By: catward77 Info: Drove up around 2:20 AM; pretty much no snow left on road, easily drivable with my Subaru Outback. Started trail around 3:00 AM; didn't see any other movement yet but there were maybe 4-5 cars in the lot. Took spikes and snowshoes. Trail was completely snowed over with a few inches of fresh powder, but very easily walkable w/o spikes. Clear sky and no more snowing by 3:30AM. Put on snowshoes once I reached the lower bowl section between Grays & Torreys; was super happy I had them (but I could've gotten by with just spikes). Powder had covered all other previous tracks and trails, so I just trudged straight up and made my own route. Snowshoes made it much easier. Saw a couple dots far down the trail, but was completely alone up top; pretty amazing for a good-weather weekend on Grays. Summited around 6:15. Clear sky, epic sunrise, and totally alone on Grays summit. Sat up there until about 7:30 *napped a bit*; still no one. Started the descent; glissaded down pretty much the entire mountain until I ran out of slope. Didn't have an ice axe so put on my snowshoes and used them to slow my sliding which worked ok but was a little sketchy. On the slide down saw lots of people coming up around 8/9AM; saw many different path choices. Lots of skiers headed up, and some people only spikes were managing fine but the snow was getting slushy fast. Kept snowshoes on until I hit the muddy trail. Back down in the valley, all the powder/ice on the trail from the morning was completely melted. Trail was mostly mud and didn't run into any people coming up from that point on; hit the timing lottery. Trail-snow-trail-snow the rest of the way, but didn't put on my spikes or snowshoes and was fine. Very little postholing. Got back to my car around 9:30. |
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Route: Grays and Torreys Posted On: 6/10/2023, By: FR-189 Things Info: Folks, We can not continue to park on private property, or county roads, in Clear Creek County. This needs to stop. These skiers also trespassed on private property to access the North Gully of Kelso. > ORDINANCE NO. 14 > AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE PARKING ON AND BLOCKING OF CLEAR CREEK COUNTY ROADWAYS AND ROAD RIGHTS-OF-WAY > WHEREAS, pursuant to C.R.S. 30-15-401(1)(h), the Board of County Commissioners has the power to regulate movement and parking of vehicles on public property; and > WHEREAS, pursuant to C.R.S. 30-11-107(1)(a), the Board of County Commissioners of Clear Creek County has the power to make such orders concerning property belonging to the County as it may deem expedient, and to perform such duties respecting County roads as may be required by law; and > WHEREAS, C.R.S. 42-4-1803(2), the Clear Creek County Sheriffs Office and any deputy sheriff has authority to remove by towing any unattended motor vehicle obstructing traffic or county road maintenance; and > WHEREAS, the Board adopted Ordinance No. 5, An Ordinance Regulating The Parking On And Blocking Of Clear Creek County Roadways And Road Rights-Of- Wayon May 23, 2000, to set forth an orderly procedure to regulate parking of vehicles on county roads, and road right-of-ways; and > WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Board of County Commissioners of Clear Creek County to revise Ordinance No. 5 to reflect changed circumstances; and > WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners, pursuant to public notice published 17 May 2000, held a public hearing on 2 May 2000 and continued said hearing on 9 May, 23 May, and 20 June 2000 to consider amending Ordinance #0-84- 2A "Regulating Parking on County Maintained Roadways". |
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Route: North Slopes Posted On: 6/9/2023, By: NOVABuck45 Info: Started at 0400 and trail up until about 12,500 was intermittently snow covered. Still frozen before sunrise, so spikes are highly recommended. From about 12,500, snow covered to the summit. From about 13,000 on, snow was about knee to thigh-deep (Im 63) and postholing became a menace by about 0830. Snowshoes helped a bit, but I was still sinking. A very slow slog to the summit, and very deep snow on the saddle and ridge up Torreys turned me back. Postholed all the way back, and those relatively tame snowy stretches below 12,500 became frustrating. One possible way to mitigate the snow a bit is to deviate from the trail on the final stretch toward the summit, dipping a bit to the south and picking your way up the rocky ridge line to the summit rather than zigzagging up the snow slopes. Far less postholing there. |
