9/16/2021 Posted On: 9/16/2021 By: blazintoes Info: There is a sign at the gate closure that says no parking on the road or shoulder. Also if you check the fs.usda.gov website it confirms that parking is not allowed. See my Fletcher condition report for a screen shot from the website. | ||||
9/16/2021 Posted On: 9/16/2021 By: PikaSteve Info: Road is very smooth from recent grading. This morning, the road was blocked by a cable at the winter closure. However, by afternoon, that cable had been opened and the road was open up to another cable at the bottom of Lower Blue Lake (elevation 11,350) where there is parking for at least twenty cars. Lots of people were parked here in the afternoon and in my opinion, the parking area is fine and away from the shoulder of the road. From Lower Blue Lake parking to the dam is about 3/4 mile and 350 feet of elevation. | ||||
9/4/2021 Posted On: 9/6/2021 By: daway8 Info: The road to Blue Lakes Trailhead is blocked off about 3/4mi before the trailhead (adds 1.5mi RT). There is a fair amount of parking just before the closure. Very few cars there at 5:30am Sat morning but busting at the seams by afternoon (this trailhead is not currently restricted like the nearby Quandary trailhead now is). | ||||
7/30/2021 Posted On: 7/30/2021 By: EMan Info: If you don't feel like paying $20-$50 for a reservation (July 30-Oct 31), or taking a shuttle from Breck, park for FREE at Blue Lakes Dam and follow Quandary's West Ridge Route to the summit. (Class 3). No snow on route. | ||||
11/5/2020 Posted On: 11/5/2020 By: colospgs Info: Road is clear and dry all the way to the dam. | ||||
10/20/2020 Posted On: 10/20/2020 By: psa954hiker Info: The road is in very good shape, better than a washboard dirt road. Some sections look like they've been recently repaired. Any passenger vehicle could make it to the dam. I got there in a Toyota Camry 2WD sedan without any problems. Also saw a Tesla there. Photo taken on the way down just below the dam. | ||||
10/11/2020 Posted On: 10/11/2020 By: Unknown Info: Easy dirt to the top lot. 1/6 rating easy. Also climbed Fletcher last night which had some icy sections | ||||
9/10/2020 Posted On: 9/10/2020 By: angry Info: Clear to th. There are a few ruts along the way with shallow puddles but easily navigated in a subaru. | ||||
5/23/2020 Posted On: 5/25/2020 By: Trotter Info: Road open and clear to lower lake (11,400), parking for about 15 cars there. Past that is gated, road is partially snow covered. | ||||
3/1/2020 Posted On: 3/1/2020 By: angry Info: Road is open to ~10,900. Didnt track mileage to dam, but there is currently a good boot pack. | ||||
1/5/2020 Posted On: 1/6/2020 By: Chicago Transplant Info: Plowed about 1/2 mile up from the winter Quandary parking. Room for 6 or so cars. We parked at the Quandary lot as we weren't sure it was legal to park here, but there were 6 cars when we came out later. Snow packed pretty much the entire way to Blue Lakes but well traveled and flotation wasn't really needed. There was an avalanche (not sure how recent) off a coulour on the south side of Quandary near the dam. Not Cristo, another one to its east. Pics below. The road definitely crosses slopes that can slide as it nears the lake and visits to this area should be carefully planned to avoid times of elevated avalanche risk. Also note that the standard approach to Fletcher and the West Ridge of Quandary in summer is NOT winter safe as there are two significant steep roll overs in that basin (pic 3 below), you need to get on the ridge to the left (west) of this gully. This involved some class 3 scrambling, maybe a move of 4th the route we went. We found a better way down farther up the creek beyond the lake. | ||||
11/2/2019 Posted On: 11/2/2019 By: dwoodward13 Info: Road is chained now at the lower lake. Road up to the chain was in good shape. Minimal snow, and on steep sections it was totally dry. | ||||
6/29/2019 Posted On: 6/29/2019 By: tauma Info: Easy drive to the upper TH. | ||||
6/12/2019 Posted On: 6/13/2019 By: plasticman Info: Similar to previous reports- parking is about .8 miles below the upper dam where the road branches to the left for the lower dam. I think there were about a dozen vehicles parked here. The gate above this is still locked and across the road. The upper road still has quite a bit of snow on it, which would push vehicles close to the edge. Maybe in July this will be melted out enough? A bigger truck can get to this gate (but it's locked). You can see there's probably a week's worth of snow left across the road here. Farther up towards the upper dam, still quite a bit on the road. | ||||
6/1/2019 Posted On: 6/1/2019 By: Trotter Info: Echoing the last report. Road is still impassible due to snow, about 80% covered. Parking for about 10 cars at old Monte Cristo pull-off |
