12/4/2010 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 12/6/2010, By: rijaca Info: The road up to Guanella Pass from Grant is gated at Duck Lake (~1.5 miles below Pass). Some snow on the road (before and after the gate). We put in a good track through the snow in the willows and didn‘t need snowshoes. The slopes are wind scoured above the willows. |
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11/23/2010 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 11/24/2010, By: bednorz41@hotmail.com Info: 14ers, I attempted Bierstadt on Tuesday Nov 23 but only made it up to the ridge at about 12,000. The road up to Duck Lake required chains to get to it but then it got plowed while I was hiking. The road after Duck lake had some snow on it but not a lot but the gate was closed. I did not need snowshoes. I got started to late to summit and not come down in the dark. Any day out hiking is better than sitting at home. Matt Bednorz |
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11/20/2010 Route: West Slopes Posted On: 11/22/2010, By: Satama Info: Road from Grant to the trailhead is/was open but after the winter closure gate would probably require a 4WD vehicle. Snow was pretty wind blown off the west slopes to the north and east sides where there was a lot of wind loading. There were drifts in places along the route but the snow was mostly packed down by the wind and there was very little ice. Didn‘t require any sort of traction devices to reach the summit. The wind was pretty intense at times. Snowshoes would be helpful for some short stretches to prevent postholing but weren‘t needed for most of the route to the summit. |
