Meadow Mountain (near Minturn) Snowshoe

Distance: 7.3 miles roundtrip (9 miles roundtrip to the Line Shack)
Elevation: 7,799 ft - 9,191 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft
Dogs: Off leash (run baby run)

Old cabin on the Meadow Mountain Trail

A meadow mountain snowshoe is not a wilderness experience but it sure is fun. Meadow Mountain is a old road that switchbacks through ranching country. It's wide open spaces make for expanse views of the adjoining hills and the occasional ruins of 19th Century cabins adds an historic appeal.

Starting up the road. Note that it is well tracked by snowmobiles

A typical open expanse

A small cloud wave

If you don't want to travel up the road, there are plenty of hillsides covered in waist-deep snow to frolic in. Zigzagging up and down one of these hills would be fun if you like breaking trail, falling down, and burning serious calories. On a sunny day with no wind, you might just be doing it in shorts. This trail is like an overheated frying pan. Toss in some wind though and it might just freeze the eyeballs out of your head. There is very little cover. The road itself was well churned by snowmobiles. We worn YakTraks instead of snowshoes. That did make the going a little harder, however.

Another switchback with Aspens in the distance. The small dot in the middle of the picture is Ginger, who is running 100 mph up and down the slopes!

The switchbacks seemed never ending but they were hard to cross cut from below, you just couldn't quite tell where the road was.

The route begins at the far end of a small and very active tubing resort a mere 0.4 miles south highway Hwy 24 from I-70 (Dowds Junction Exit). The parking lot for this facility was packed, so we parked in the lot of the adjoining Holy Cross Forest Service Station. To start up the road, look for a small trailhead sign next to the white house adjacent to the tube pull. Snowmobilers use the road, but during the 4 hours we were out, we only saw one set and they were going very slow. Despite the hordes of cars in the parking lot, we saw only other snowshoer on the trail.

Aspens

A view looking southeast

Old fences, corrals, and cabins dot the area.

Be aware that several guidebooks indicate that the Line Shack (which is shown on the National Geographic Topo of the area) is 3.5 miles up the road. After traveling 3.6 miles we had not found it and started hunting through the woods before giving up. While eating lunch, the aforementioned group of snowmobilers passed us coming back down the trail. I asked the guide and he said the cabin was another mile further up the road. Sure enough, the Forest Service description of the route (which I looked up later) indicates the cabin is 4.5 miles up the road, so ignore the guide books.

I liked the shadows the Aspens made in the snow

A view looking northeast

While much of this route is across open hillsides, towards the end there is a very large Aspen grove. In fact Aspens can be seen far across the valley on other hillsides. This makes me think this trail would be a great fall color hike. I plan to return to find out.

Looking east into the town of Minturn

An example of the road near where we turned around. Because the road is so wide we did not feel hemmed in from the trees.

Coming back down the road is not as much fun as going up it. You can minimize the drudgery by cutting across the switchbacks or sliding on your tail wherever possible. This cut at least a half mile off the return, which when you are cold and hungry is a blessing.

Gold Dust Snowshoe (Central Section)

Distance: 5 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 10, 333 ft - 10,700 ft
Elevation Gain: 267 ft
Dogs: Off Leash

The deep trench and shelf-like aspect of the Gold Dust Trail.(Photo by Cratch)

The central portion of the Gold Dust Trail (County Road 50 to Forest Road 801) out of Como is a serene and easy traverse along a long forgotten flume that once diverted water from North Tarryall Creek to mining operations in the upper Tarryall Drainage. This nearly flat trail weaves lazily through a mixed Lodgepole and Ponderosa Pine Forest with only a few "peak-a-boos" to the east. It exudes solitude and is a great trail for novices or those that like to feel the hush of winter.

The trailhead off of Country Road 50. Note the sign says 698. The map lists this trail as 653 (Cratch).

(On the left: A rare photo of the author who is usually behind the camera. On this trip she ignominiously forgot it. All photos are credited to Suzanne Cratch or another anonymous participant. Thanks Ya'll!)

On this trip the snow was at least 3 feet deep and piled in soft, rolling drifts. Not a pine needle stirred and the gray skies hung over the area like a comforting blanket. Some group had broken trail before us, which made the going much easier. Their passage resulted in a hip-width trench with 1.5 to 2 ft sides that had more curves to it than a bobsled run. All of the elevation gain on this trail occurs in the first quarter mile of the trail. This trail is very well marked. Blue blazes dot the trees almost every few feet or so it seemed. There are even blue arrows at strategic intersections.

As we were sloshing along, I could not figure out how this trail could be so flat and so continuously curvy until I returned home and read about the flume. My instincts had been right. There was something not quite natural about our route. The labors of long dead miners had created an artificial topography. I am sure they never envisioned the flume being used by under exercised suburbanites looking to escape the city. Burning calories was not a problem for those hearty pioneers.

A less deep trail segment (Cratch)

One of the infrequent "peek-a-boos" (Cratch)

To get to this trail, take 285 to Como (9 miles west of Fairplay). Follow Boreas Pass Road (County Road 33) until it turns sharply right at the Peabody Trailhead (Robert's Cabin). This is the junction with County Road 50, which continues straight for several miles until it dead ends at a gate. 1.0 miles up CR 50 is a small vertical Forest Service sign near a trail register and large wooden home. Both are on the right hand side of the road. Parking is just along the side of the road. This trail is well marked on National Geographic Map 109. In the winter, Como is totally shut down, so don't expect any coffee shops or bathrooms nearby. The closest are in Fairplay.

The sign for the Tarryall Creek (Cratch). Road 801 is another 800ft beyond.

Suzanne and Laura play in the deep snow near our turn around point.

Como is probably not your list of places to visit this winter, but this trail should not be overlooked by those seeking an outdoor adventure unmarred by exessive panting. I rarely recommend trails totally in the trees, but this trail touched me. Its soft lines, and quiet aspect have a meditative quality that is worth experiencing.

Just before the road is an open meadow with a nice view of Boreas Mountain (13,082 ft).

Our lunch in the snow. What you can't see is that I am sitting on an inflatable butt pad and sipping hot coffee from a thermos. We outdoor divas like our creature comforts!