FR 101 - Skyline Trailhead 2/8/17

click on image for larger version
you can save the larger version as a .png file to your computer
open and be able to zoom in for more detail.

Location: Co 62rd to summit: 101 to skyline trailhead, off trail loop up to 151 to 101 to 159 to snopark & back up to 101

Road & Trail Conditions: Co 62 clear to forest, then plowed, packed sno-ice with rain on top - pretty slick

Snow Conditions: soggy & becoming increasingly so

Skis on & temperature: 12:30pm  34° snow (JD 42° rain )

Skis off & temperature: 3:30pm  36° mist (JD 42° rain)

Distance: 6 miles

Rating (1-10; 10 awesome): 8 for first half - warm & sticky sno; 10 for second half = fun

more gratitude to the grant county road crew.  in addition to plows, sanders, graders there is also this:

front end pulls sno in & throws it up & off to side.  62 is much wider than a few weeks ago.

Comments: took a chance for one more ski before warm, rain front hits elevation tonite.  someone, with dog, laid great tracks from huddleston to skyline trailhead (thank you!). past that sno was too deep & sticky to continue on 101.

set off trail north from trailhead to scout out loops from higher up on skyline trail back to the 101.

great fun getting lost & found several times. the 150 rds north of trailhead haven't been used in awhile; there are 3-5yr. saplings in the the middle of the rd.  wouldn't have known they were rds without gps & usfs topo quadrangles loaded.  found a few slopes to practice downhill.

the short downhill from 101 - 159 to snopark is gd downhill practice & not too tuff to climb back up.

you can skip that section by parking at summit & starting on 101 west:

62rd at summit, cross over this to 101 west

break trail on 101 west to 159 jct.

the first 200 yards  are rarely groomed or tracked.  after that there is usually some base to go on.

the 934 on the east side is also a great way to get to elevation. haven't seen any tracks on that this year.

starting at the summit is useful as the season wanes & starting & going higher gets better sno conditions.

moderate snofall quit about 2.  by time returned to rig, mist began & rain followed.