Download Agreement, Release, and Acknowledgement of Risk:
You (the person requesting this file download) fully understand mountain climbing ("Activity") involves risks and dangers of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, and death ("Risks") and you fully accept and assume all such risks and all responsibility for losses, costs, and damages you incur as a result of your participation in this Activity.
You acknowledge that information in the file you have chosen to download may not be accurate and may contain errors. You agree to assume all risks when using this information and agree to release and discharge 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and the author(s) of such information (collectively, the "Released Parties").
You hereby discharge the Released Parties from all damages, actions, claims and liabilities of any nature, specifically including, but not limited to, damages, actions, claims and liabilities arising from or related to the negligence of the Released Parties. You further agree to indemnify, hold harmless and defend 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. and each of the other Released Parties from and against any loss, damage, liability and expense, including costs and attorney fees, incurred by 14ers.com, 14ers Inc. or any of the other Released Parties as a result of you using information provided on the 14ers.com or 14ers Inc. websites.
You have read this agreement, fully understand its terms and intend it to be a complete and unconditional release of all liability to the greatest extent allowed by law and agree that if any portion of this agreement is held to be invalid the balance, notwithstanding, shall continue in full force and effect.
By clicking "OK" you agree to these terms. If you DO NOT agree, click "Cancel"...
"Golden Bear Peak" Elevation: 13,010 Rank: 634 Date Completed: April 7, 2019 Mileage One Way: ~.4 Gain: ~150
Okay, so to preface I'm fully aware that we cheated majorly on our hike of this peak. However, when looking for a trail report for this route I couldn't find anything that involved using the snowcat that Loveland offers and wanted to remedy that. So here we are! Colorado's easiest winter 13er!
We've skied Loveland in-bounds at least once a year for the past four years we've been living on the Front Range, and I always knew that Golden Bear was there but never really made it a priority. That's a mistake. This is a delightful little summit with some easy skiing, and with just a tad bit of effort you yourself can claim you have skied off of a 13er! The directions are as follows:
1) Drive to Loveland and park for FREE. 2) Buy cheap lift ticket. Visit ski patrol to get a FREE catski pass after signing a waiver. 3) Ride lifts and ski to where the snowcat picks up near the top of the Divide. 4) Ride FREE snowcat to Gate 4. 5) Hike .4 miles, climbing 150 feet, to the top of Golden Bear, passing signs for Gate 5 along the way. 6) Ski off the summit, and repeat steps 3-6 until 2:30.
Yeah, it's that easy. The last cat goes up at 2:30 and we had patrol follow us up to close it down, so don't plan on hanging out on the summit after that time. The cat drops everyone off at Gate 4, but the route is plowed to get to Gate 5 and it's an easy walk over. Once you reach Gate 5, you are essentially already on Golden Bear. A 5 minute walk up the bump will bring you to the summit. I didn't measure this with my GPS but Google Earth tells me that from the Gate 4 dropoff to the summit was about 150 feet of vertical and .4 miles. When in doubt, follow the crowds. You will not be the only one taking advantage of this awesome opportunity for a summit and some great turns. Patrol told me that the cat would try and run until the last day of the season, scheduled for May 5th this year. So go out there and get it!
The route from where the cat drops off at Gate 4. Golden Bear is the gentle hump to the left.The rest of the route after reaching Gate 5, just a skip to the top!Hagar and Citadel from the summit.We are those people, sorry. If it counts, I'm at #59!Lots of tracks down from the summit! We aren't expert skiers by any means, mostly enjoying steep single blacks, and found the descent to be pretty easy with good soft snow.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Hopefully, you caught these too right above lift 8. Fun short steep section.
I enjoy this route much better than I do the summer route. And I wouldn't consider it cheating at all.
Try the short hike at Steamboat sometime to Mt Werner sometime and enjoy the terrain up there. I've never even bagged Mt Werner in the summer before, but I absolutely count it. So many peaks, you need to hike 20+ miles and many vert just for 1 peak, so enjoy these easier days.
Caution: The information contained in this report may not be accurate and should not be the only resource used in preparation for your climb. Failure to have the necessary experience, physical conditioning, supplies or equipment can result in injury or death. 14ers.com and the author(s) of this report provide no warranties, either express or implied, that the information provided is accurate or reliable. By using the information provided, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless 14ers.com and the report author(s) with respect to any claims and demands against them, including any attorney fees and expenses. Please read the 14ers.com Safety and Disclaimer pages for more information.
Please respect private property: 14ers.com supports the rights of private landowners to determine how and by whom their land will be used. In Colorado, it is your responsibility to determine if land is private and to obtain the appropriate permission before entering the property.
