Pikes Peak

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 2/17/2020, By: Chris Rivera
Info: Hiked up to Devils Playground, turned around there because it started snowing. Gate is closed about 1.1 miles before the TH. That first mile is easy to walk, compact snow. After the actual TH the path is very easy to follow, used micro spikes and didn't have major issues sinking in. Snowshoes would be better above the tree line, and trail fades away. At that point the snow alternates between hard enough to walk on and powdery, and I found my self in waist deep snow intermittently. Bring a face mask for the winds above the tree line. An ice axe proved to be an excellent companion, saving me from many falls. Trekking poles would be an excellent, perhaps more practical, alternative. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 2/16/2020, By: aholle88
Info: There was a semi packed trench up to 11.4k or so. This trench may not "require" snowshoes, but please play nice and use them. Using microspikes and sinking 4"+ into the trench destroys the good work some poor lads did to lay that down. If everyone just uses the darn things or skis, then there would be a great trench. Instead, we are stuck with a sub par trench that's dug up with boots.

Anyways, I turned around at 11.4 as I was on skies and the trench turned a hard left straight up the slopes through waist deep snow. Poor fellows that put went up that way first... I went off that trench to start to establish a bit more of a proper angle trench and the snow started collapsing, whoomphing, etc. It is lower angle and the likelihood of an avalanche is extremely small but it was just too tedious of snow to start another trench up so I turned back here (my plan was only to go to treeline anyways). 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 2/12/2020, By: Poacher5
Info: Gotta hike the half mile or so before the trailhead. Road to the gate is good. Saw a little ol Honda make it.

Trail up to tree line, clean and defined. Packed by cross country skis. Personally didn't need snowshoes. Just used micro spikes. Would recommend snowshoes if you want to cut up the hills. About thigh deep in areas.

Hit the play ground and it start howling and snowing, near white out. But snow was hard enough at that point, just go up and you'll hit the road.

Ps, crags trail much better packed. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/25/2020, By: rivrrapids
Info: Trail is snow-covered/icy but not too hard to follow. Wore spikes whole way but not absolutely necessary, but makes life easier in spots; however that may change in the next few days. East side of Little Pikes was fine to travel on today. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/19/2020, By: Kyle S
Info: To add to others below: Parking lot at gate closure adds 1.2 miles each way. Microspikes were used almost for the entire route. Dry/snowfree patches were only ever intermittent, never long enough to justify removing them. Snowdrifts covered the trail in some places requiring route-finding near where the road intersects the trail. One cairn in particular just below the summit leads to snowdrift that would be considerable exposure without ice axe/traction. Just ensure it is worth going to each cairn towards the top. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/11/2020, By: supranihilest
Info: There's a great trench to treeline. A GPX might help since it does branch a few times. Above treeline the trail is drifted, the road is mostly dry. The final trail up to the summit is snowy but easy to follow with lots of cairns. Microspikes were very useful ascending to Devil's Playground, possibly thereafter depending on sure-footedness. Snowshoes and ice axe are not necessary. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/11/2020, By: daway8
Info: Ditto what supranihilest posted, would add that for the final trail up to the summit DON'T try to go to climbers left to get out of the wind. First, it doesn't work (still very windy), second there's way more snow loading and loose rocks over there. Coming down the standard path was MUCH easier. Also Devils Playground Peak and Little Pikes Peak are both largely blown clear on the west side - I found it easiest to go up that way with the wind at my back for those 13ers. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/5/2020, By: angry
Info: Parked at gate closure. 16.5 miles RT.
Trench to tree line. Beyond that no tracks and hell released the winds all the way to devils playground. Beautiful day otherwise. Did not use traction or flotation. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 1/5/2020, By: Phill the Thrill
Info: Beautiful winter day with relatively mild winds. Carried my snowshoes all the way to the A Frame, then stashed them till my return. Turned out to be a good decision. Postholed through a couple of snowfields, but otherwise microspikes and trekking poles are all you need till the next snow. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 1/3/2020, By: Maximus6004
Info: We started up the trail way too late. But it was a blue bird day and we had zero wind. Couldn't have asked for a better day honestly. The trail is packed down all the way to tree line. We were debating on continuing but after tree line snow shoes are recommended. Made it back just before sunset. Its definitely worth taking your skis or snowboard others have done it and we decided we would come back with our skis and complete it next time.

*micros aren't needed but i used them, it made it so much easier to do the trail, snow shoes after tree line for sure* 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/1/2020, By: wanderingsteve
Info: The road to the gate closure should be easy to drive in any vehicle. Good trench up to treeline. After treeline, snowshoes may be helpful for segments, but aren't necessary. The trail from 12,900 to 13,500 is very difficult to follow. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 12/27/2019, By: xrcdrvr
Info: Hiked up to 12,200 ft starting from lower parking lot (1mi to trail head). Hard pack snow to around 11,500 then snow shoes came in handy on up. Recommend microspikes. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 11/29/2019, By: seoulman
Info: Gate not closed. I had no trouble getting to the campground in a Lexus RX300. But then again other SUVs were having to get pulled out the ditch. I think it is all about the quality of your tires. Trail is full of snow. Flotation recommended. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 10/27/2019, By: wolfgangstiller
Info: Made it to the Crags parking lot in a Subaru but the road was snow covered by about six inches and required careful driving. Based on past experience with more snow coming this week, I am expecting the road will be closed just past the Mennonite camp later this week. The route to the summit is snow ice covered and mico spikes and poles are best. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 10/27/2019, By: kempenjn
Info: Buckets of snow. Try to stick directly to the trail. As you come out of treeline, it is very easy to fall in to knee-deep or waist-deep snow. The final boulder field is treacherous, stay on trail or you run a big risk of eating it. Everyone in my party took a few hard falls. In the afternoon, there was much slush and sliding. Microspikes helped a little. We went off trail by mistake, so we got 15 miles in 9 hr 45 min.