April San Juan Foothills

[roverrocks]

The San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado are renowned as a 4x4/hiking wonderland of high alpine beauty but there is one major problem at the moment: It's still in the firm grip of winter and there are NO alpine trails open yet and won't be for 6-8-10 weeks at the earliest. In fact today April 26 has a Winter Storm Warning out for the nearby (to me luckily) alpine peaks, passes, and valleys with snow down to maybe 6000 feet. The coming rain/snow is welcome though as we are dry in the lower valleys and foothills of the Uncompahgre Valley in which my Montrose abode lies. I spent a couple of days this past week wandering trails in the foothills south of Montrose at about 6500-7000 feet. The pinyon/juniper ridges and hills are starting to green up with some nice early wildflowers and great views of the nearby snowpacked high 13er's and 14er's. Here's a few pictures from wandering the San Juan foothills south and southeast of Montrose, CO this past week.

 

[roverrocks]

April San Juan Foothills cont.

More photos.

 

[roverrocks]

April San Juan Foothills cont.

More photos.

 

[roverrocks]

April San Juan Foothills cont.

Last photos of the April San Juan foothills and high snow-filled San Juan Mountains themselves.

 

[bjm206]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[jeff 64]

San juan county is moveing at a fast pace on getting roads plowed, the alpine loop is open to animas ghost town and they are heading up cinnamon pass all ready. Also ophir is open to the summit, and will be working on maggie and minie this week.

 

[NMC_EXP]

Enjoyed that report - thanks.

 

[roverrocks]

San juan county is moveing at a fast pace on getting roads plowed, the alpine loop is open to animas ghost town and they are heading up cinnamon pass all ready. Also ophir is open to the summit, and will be working on maggie and minie this week.

Thanks for the road info. Some such as Mineral Creek/Engineer Pass plus Cinnamon Pass get plowed as early as possible so to be opened by Memorial Day and others such as Black Bear and Imogene can and will take some weeks longer most often. If a person ever gets the chance to come early to the San Juans it is very interesting to drive the trails when there is a narrow plowed trail thru them with snow sides being 8-15 feet tall. Snow canyons.

 

[NMC_EXP]

San juan county is moveing at a fast pace on getting roads plowed, the alpine loop is open to animas ghost town and they are heading up cinnamon pass all ready. Also ophir is open to the summit, and will be working on maggie and minie this week.

My brother lives in the Wet Mountain Valley near Westcliffe. He says the Sangre de Cristos so far have 105% of normal snow pack. Been below normal for several years.

Wonder how much snow the San Juans got this winter? Still getting snow this week.

 

[roverrocks]

My brother lives in the Wet Mountain Valley near Westcliffe. He says the Sangre de Cristos so far have 105% of normal snow pack. Been below normal for several years.

Wonder how much snow the San Juans got this winter? Still getting snow this week.

Just checking the internet, the San Juans look to be at about 80% normal snowpack just before this weekend's storm. Still getting some snow in the high peaks this AM as I post this. Montrose itself had a disappointing storm and received less the .10" in town. The storm seems to have fizzled quite a bit in the high country also as Telluride reports 3" and Silverton 2" fresh snow this morning according to the Weather Channel. Basically in Colorado this spring the snowpack is heavier in the northern mountains and gets lighter the farther S and SW one gets. If the 80% snowpack level holds in the San Juans then the 4x4 trails will be open earlier then normal this early summer but that is of course at the mercy of future late spring storms.

 

[NMC_EXP]

Just checking the internet, the San Juans look to be at about 80% normal snowpack just before this weekend's storm. Still getting some snow in the high peaks this AM as I post this. Montrose itself had a disappointing storm and received less the .10" in town. The storm seems to have fizzled quite a bit in the high country also as Telluride reports 3" and Silverton 2" fresh snow this morning according to the Weather Channel. Basically in Colorado this spring the snowpack is heavier in the northern mountains and gets lighter the farther S and SW one gets. If the 80% snowpack level holds in the San Juans then the 4x4 trails will be open earlier then normal this early summer but that is of course at the mercy of future late spring storms.

It would shorten the high country driving season, but it would be nice if the decade long drought would end.

 

[Willman]

Nice area!

 

[roverrocks]

It would shorten the high country driving season, but it would be nice if the decade long drought would end.

I agree. Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow. Lets fill up the rivers and the reservoirs all the way down the Colorado River system and Rio Grande system. Water is life.

 

[SpongeX]

Its only a short drive for the wife and I so we get down there often. We need the water though so I'm OK with a later start to the season.

Sent from my VS950 4G using Tapatalk

 

[JCMatthews]

Hope the bottom was not soft on that creek crossing. I would hate it if you tore anything up.