Pikes Peak

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 3/29/2019, By: Mtnman200
Info: We left the snowshoes in the car and used microspikes instead. Some postholing, but overall are glad we didn't take the snowshoes. Very windy above treeline. Note: 8 to 17 inches of snow is possible over the coming weekend, so be prepared. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 3/17/2019, By: Jengaeng
Info: Avalanche danger was supposedly less today, but I turned around at the same spot as the user who reported yesterday. Very firm trench until the point that the snowpack got sketchy. Don't try to go past Mennonite Camp on the road! An AWD car got stuck this morning. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 3/17/2019, By: MountainDawg
Info: The parking lot is not plowed. I had to park below the Mennonite camp. I skinned up close to the ridge on the north to avoid the gully around tree line. Snow was hard pack in the morning, soft in the afternoon. Went up the standard route, and skied down the road from the summit. 19.58 miles RT. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 3/10/2019, By: CaptainSuburbia
Info: Parked at winter closure 1.2 miles from trailhead. Used microspikes from truck to summit and back. Road is packed down to TH. Nice trench from there to Devils Playground. Just stay on it or you will posthole, especially the higher you get. Windblown after playground to summit. Occasional postholing on upper slopes but was never tempted to put snowshoes on. Very windy up there. Had to use poles to keep from getting blown over. Took 8 hrs 40 minutes to cover the 16 miles. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 3/3/2019, By: Will_E
Info: Trail is great up to about a mile past Barr Camp. Short section there that I used snowshoes, but had I known how short it was I would have gone without. After A frame there is a little route finding necessary where the trail comes and goes, but not too bad. Minor postholing near the top, particularly at the 16 golden stairs. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 3/1/2019, By: Kmschu2
Info: Started 1.2 miles below typical Crags Trailhead, right at the edge of Mennonite Camp area.

Great start. Blue skies without a need for snowshoes. Started noticing some winter storm clouds moving in from SW. Went from blue skies to a whiteout at the 12,200 ft tree line- 12,750 ft saddle area in a matter of 15 minutes. Trail was difficult to find in this area until closer to Devils Playground and even then visibility was low.

I ditched my attempt at the Pikes Peak Highway crossing right after Devil's Playground since the road was closed and my husband was planning to meet me there for a quick check-in since I had camped without reception the night before. With the road closed and visibility issues that didn't appear they'd be letting up, I made the call to hike down the closed highway knowing that my husband probably had already told Rangers he was supposed to meet some crazy hiker girl up there wandering around in the snowstorm. Lol

I was fine and probably could have made it since the trail would have been more identifiable from that point but, it wasn't worth stressing everyone out.

They closed the road at about 10.5 miles so, I hiked ~5.5 down that way. And yes a ranger did come by and mentioned my concerned spouse so I guess I made the right call today. :-)

Postholed just a couple times after treelibe as I was trying to find the ridge. Not worth putting snowshoes on for.

Video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=-C-KRwzk-8E 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 2/23/2019, By: IHikeLikeAGirl
Info: Barr Camp got a foot of fresh snow Friday. Today, few made it to Barr Camp, as of 1:30p, no one had attempted to go beyond BC. 2 of us wore snowshoes and made a nice trench to BC. Beyond that, expect deep, unpacked snow. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 2/3/2019, By: wintersage
Info: Trail is packed from Crags campground all the way to treeline, then snowshoes would help you get to the Devil's Playground. Overall, much of the trail was wind scoured and snowshoes were only used for route finding above treeline up to the ridge. Once you get to the ridge, it was very windy and microspikes were sufficient. The final 2 mile stretch involved lots of boulder hopping to get to the summit. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 1/26/2019, By: IHikeLikeAGirl
Info: Went up to A Frame. Trail up to No Name Creek was mostly snow packed, but icy in spots. Trail to Barr Camp was mostly packed snow. Trail beyond Barr Camp had 2 snowshoers and 1 hiker ahead of us that went to the summit, which helped, but we still postholed occasionally up to our knees and thighs. Had microspikes, but never used them (but they would have been helpful). Gaters were needed after Barr Camp. Sugary snow up high. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 1/26/2019, By: IHikeLikeAGirl
Info: Went up to A-Frame. Trail up to No Name Creek was mostly snow packed, but icy in spots. Trail from No Name Creek to Barr Camp was mostly packed snow. Trail beyond Barr Camp had 2 snowshoers and 1 hiker ahead of us that went to the summit, which helped, but we still postholed occasionally up to our knees and thighs. Had microspikes, but never used them (but they would have been helpful). Gaiters were needed after Barr Camp. Sugary snow up high, huge ice flow near A-Frame. Can't speak for above treeline, but attached a pic. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 1/22/2019, By: JaredJohnson
Info: The trench is good up to treeline. I'm guessing that's usually the case?

From the TH to Barr Camp you want spikes. I was too stubborn to put them on and my poles saved me from falls a handful of times. I put spikes on for the trip down and it looked like there was a lot more ice forming.

Snowshoes are mandatory to get to the summit. They were helpful when I put them on around mile marker 7.5 and they became mandatory not long after. On the way down I kept them on all the way to the camp, I found myself tripping up on a lot of rocks encroaching on the trench, maybe I should have taken them off.

The strong winds above treeline erase tracks very quickly. I put some good ones in but I'm guessing they're gone or will be soon. However at least up to 12,600 where I turned around, the snow coverage is spotty enough that you can find the dry trail in many places. I had fun route finding but found myself resorting to gps tracks often.

To my minimally trained eye it looked like there wasn't a lot of avy danger on the east face but I didn't make it there to inspect it in person and at any rate make sure you have the training to decide for yourself. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 1/6/2019, By: Greenhouseguy
Info: Lower trail from Crags was beautifully packed snow, and much of the trail above treeline is blown free of snow. Snowshoes were absolutely unnecessary, and I only used microspikes for the lower part of the trail. Conditions are about as good as they'll ever get in calendar winter. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 12/26/2018, By: Coach Stack
Info: The trail was still the same conditions that CudaMan described in his post. I would add that there were quite a few very icy spots that you could not see under the fresh snow. I did not have micro spikes with me and I wish I did! I put snowshoes on at Treeline and that helped a lot. (You could use micro spikes but IMO it might slow you down a little)

Once above treeline is where the challenge was. At around 12,500 to 12,700 the wind picked up like a freight train. It was coming straight up from behind so it wasn't an issue until you had to traverse. And that's where I wish I had goggles! I checked NOAA when I got back and the winds were 25-35 mph with 50ish gusts. Windchill was -40ish? I know that I took a glove off to do something and my hand was ON FIRE (so cold) in seconds. I had a wind stopper balaclava on but anywhere the wind could get in an touch skin hurt. 

Route: Northwest Slopes
Posted On: 12/19/2018, By: CudaMan
Info: Nearly perfect weather conditions on this trip. Below treeline is mostly hardpacked snow with a few bare spots and ice mixed in. Above treeline in the steeper section has a few spots in the snow that are either soft and powdery or has the potential for post holing, however snow accumulation is only a couple feet or much less in depth and in many places is still bare ground. As it levels out in the last third of the hike accumulation is still low and the talus portions where clear enough to find confident footing the whole way up to the summit. My climbing partner and I both had snowshoes. I decided not to wear them and instead use micro spikes only employing them just before breaking treeline. My friend on the other hand used his snowshoes and was clearly faster getting up the steeper and powdery sections. Currently, either form of traction is acceptable. 

Route: East Slopes
Posted On: 12/9/2018, By: RWSchaffer
Info: The first three miles were 90% dry, alternating with icy patches of snow. The remainder of the trail was 90% snow with occasional stretches of dry. The three miles below Barr Camp were well packed with frequent icy patches; traction highly advisable. The last 5.5 miles to summit were somewhat packed and rarely icy. The snow wasn't very deep anywhere; with tall snow boots, I did not need gaiters.