Lake Como (Blanca Pk) Trailhead

Posted On: 3/30/2025 By: Cruiser
Info: Road is clear of snow to 10k then a little patch at a switchback before it clears up again to the camping/parking spot at 10.2k. There's a decent sized pine (14-16") across the trail about 1/4m above the parking area and then the road is snow covered between jaws 1 & 2. After jaws 2 the road has intermittent snow depending on aspect up to the lake. It's low tide in the Sangres but it's still going to be a while before you can drive to the lake. I didn't use any traction above the parking area until I got to the lake. Snow is not continuous enough to ski or skin until just below the lake.

Posted On: 3/26/2025 By: AlpineSplit
Info: Dry until 9800, nasty patch of ice after the last switchback. Possible to drive all the way until it drops down into the valley a bit past that with the right offroad vehicle but as soon as it goes down its all snow.

Posted On: 2/28/2025 By: bigfoot1
Info: Road is dry until the shady bit, around 10k ft. There are some broken glass bottles on the rocky bit of the road (8k-9k ft). I got back to my car around 1630 (8k ft) and all was well, but others who hiked today had their rear window smashed and everything stolen by ~1830. They were parked up pretty high, too (8.3k ft). Beware!

Posted On: 2/23/2025 By: daway8
Info: Crux of the lower part of the road is still the region just beyond the parking pull-off at 8,800ft up until the sharp left turn beyond. There is some minimal snow in that region but it doesn't really affect the difficulty. If you can make it past that you should be able to easily make it to the pull-offs at 9,750ft where there is room for 2 or 3 vehicles. No meaningful snow up to that point but shortly afterwards there is significant snow/ice on the road. I decided to push up that to the large switchback at 9,850ft. Almost got stuck halfway up - had to switch to 4Lo. By the time I came back after camping, that section was largely ice. I sprinkled dirt/gravel over the worst of the ice and, just to be safe, put chains on the front tires of my 4Runner. Made it down without issue but I would recommend stopping at 9,750ft until the road melts a little more.

Posted On: 3/31/2025 By: jacolc
Info: On my approach at Jan 14: parked ca 1m above 2WD in my AWD. But possible in 2WD slow and careful driving. First snow 1m below bigfoot1 spot. Was able walk without flotation next mile, but on the way down (Jan 16) used snowshoe as far as passible Bivi at 11950'. Be prepared to lost your trail around Lake Como. GPS help me.

Posted On: 1/7/2025 By: bigfoot1
Info: Easy 2wd until about (37.53564, -105.58020), then it gets rocky. No snow on the road until about (37.55999, -105.55516).

Posted On: 12/22/2024 By: Kiefer
Info: Road is dry to around 10,150'. Intermittent snow starts from there. Snow is persistent after you drop down into Chokecherry Canyon. Lots of small ice flows on the road. Snow is only ~4" deep in most places. No flotation needed. After Como, you'll want flotation.

Posted On: 10/12/2024 By: summit21
Info: Clear (as can be on this road) and typical late summer conditions. My Lexus GX470 w/ 3" lift made it easily to 9850ft. There were a couple of small mud/puddles higher up.

Posted On: 8/25/2024 By: swilson753
Info: Wilderness trim Subaruable to 8850'. I agree with the report from last year saying that if you can get past the 200' steep section right after 8850', you can get to 9800'. Unfortunately my partner's car did not make it up that section. Link to the report: https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport.php?recnum=10031

Posted On: 8/19/2024 By: two lunches
Info: 2019 Toyota 4Runner TRD ORP OME 3" Light Duty Lift 265/70/R17 Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs parked on a large switchback at 9,850'- i would drive a little higher on my next visit, but would not (personally) be willing to attempt Jaws 1 at ~10,300' the drive wasn't great, but it was much better than walking down the trail in the summer sun pro-tip: there is probably a pull-off within 1/10th of a mile or so of losing your patience anywhere on this trail friendly reminder: uphill has right of way. if you see a vehicle approaching from downhill, pull over at the first spot you're able to

Posted On: 8/13/2024 By: maylemay1
Info: Drove to the 10k pull off in my TDR OR 4runner (with 5100s and a 1.75" lift). Had one minor scrape going up and one going down. There were a couple of ugly spots but nothing too crazy before 10k for a capable vehicle. There was a lot of rain recently that caused some washouts at the lower portions of the road. No problem for me but might be for a lower car. Glad we were able to drive that high. Hiking the road is not fun. We saw a lot of people having to hike a long way down the road and they all looked pretty miserable

Posted On: 6/29/2024 By: caesarsalad
Info: Drove a stock Outback Wilderness to 8800 feet, no issues. Theres some big potholes at 8500 feet that required a little bit of path choosing but besides that the road is simply rocky, but not technical. We jumped in a friends stock 4Runner and made it to 10k feet before hiking the rest and camping at the lake. Word to the wise: if youre going to take a Jeep all the way up to the lake, consider bringing a spare tire. A couple yesterday found out the hard way its a solid 7+ miles to the pavement when you blow out a sidewall just below the lake and have to walk out. Not sure how they got the Jeep out but it was gone today, so I guess they eventually were able to figure something out. Wild someone has the car and know-how to drive the road past all the Jaws but not have a spare

Posted On: 5/20/2024 By: daway8
Info: Easily drove to the 10k turnoff just before the last switchback - not a snowflake in sight until almost 10,300ft. Road dry up until then, even the mud pits were barely damp. Just after Jaws 1 the road turns into a stream. Someone recently drove past Jaws 1 but soon after got turned back by snow. Intermittent patchy snow and dry road from there until the far side of Lake Como, beyond which everything is still fully snow covered. Enough snow to hinder vehicles for at least another week or two but not relevant for foot traffic. Stream crossing flowing very strong.

Posted On: 4/25/2024 By: AlpineSplit
Info: Road is drivable until just after 10K where it dips down and drives onto the north side. Large snow drifts exist all the way to the lake but it is mostly dry and walkable.

Posted On: 3/30/2024 By: daway8
Info: Road basically dry to the large pull-outs at 8,800ft. Just past that, in the first little dip in the road, on Friday it was half filled with snow, then intermittent snow/mud for a little bit before becoming solid snow. Decided not to risk driving solo past 8,800ft. By about 9,850ft was punching through snow halfway to my knee. Got much worse among the trees above the switchbacks. By Saturday afternoon the lower elevations were melting rapidly and someone got a small off-road vehicle to ~9,300ft (which is where I finally removed my snowshoes on the descent). Given limited parking along the road probably best to stop at 8,800ft until things melt out more (it's going fast down low but there's a lot of snow up high).