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I created this trip report to help to assist people who are seeking information on current or at least fairly recent trail conditions. I will (hopefully) be hiking this route at least once a week this winter. I will update the date and pictures after each hike.
On this trip, I wore gore-tex lined trail runner shoes without spikes underfoot. Lots of slush and wet snow on the trail due to the warmer temperatures. Packed ice and hard snow about 1 inch thick on the section above the false summit. You can avoid slips with careful foot placement. Most snow covered steps are "domed", meaning you can avoid slipping back down hill if you place your foot close to the next step where the snow, if sloped, is usually sloped up hill. Not sure if my explanation makes sense, but you'll understand when you get there.
I didn't wear shoe spikes at all this trip and only experienced minor slipping on the Barr trail on a single random, steep, curved shady spot. I went during the warmest part of the day, (+50° F.), when most of the snow was soft, or slushy and a firm foot plant put the traction of my two-week new trail runners to good use. I like to think that I have great balance as well which may also explain why I haven't landed on my ass yet. Some parts of the trail are water covered, (puddles or trickling), with some mud. You can usually jump over or skirt this on the up-hill edge of the trail.
If you go earlier in the morning, or after the sun has gone behind the mountain, you will surely find different snow/slush conditions.
I forgot to snap a picture of the bottom. This pic is from just below the Barr Trailhead cut-in.
Headed into the trees.
Nearing the bottom of the wall, looking back.
Headed up the wall.
Over the false summit, looking up the final stretch.
At the top, looking back down.
Dry-ish Barr trail initially.
Slushy trail.
Lots of slush and soft snow.
I didn't take any more pics. I was kinda in a hurry this time around, so fewer pics all together. The trail was mostly just more of the same as seen in the last 3 pics. I will leave my previous trip report up, since it has far more pictures for reference. Just know that about 1/2 the snow covered trail sections were slushy.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
the warm nights have really trashed the snow up on gold camp and the usual riding places. Today was actually getting pretty rideable. Thanks for the post.
Took my Texas native friend on the incline on the 8th of January... he did surprisingly well for a flatlander (got up there just a bit over 1 hr)... anyway, that was a cold cold cold day, but I still got soaked a drowned in my own sweat... and we had at least a dozen other crazies also hiking in the whiteout... my friend then tried impress the waitress at The Keg in Manitou Springs, which BTW looked like a ghost town (who has been hiking the incline since a school girl) about how we just did the incline... good burger and Philisteak there, but no FRIES! and good beer.
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