We’ve got good news. The last week brought out plenty of snow melting and trail drying sun. There are many more miles of open and dry trails to help us all keep socially distanced on the trails.
Fresh openings and dry trails of note: Hawk Ridge, Rio Grande from Rock Bottom Ranch to Catherines Store, Skull Bucket and Vasten.
Here’s the latest trail scoop as of Friday, May 1st:
Snowmass
• Hawk Ridge is open and dry
◦ Hawk Ridge is a new trail connecting the Mountain View trail to the South Rim climb. The trail allows riders to bypass the Fanny Hill area and many of the condo parking lots en route to the Rim Trail.
◦ To ride Hawk Ridge from the North riders access the Mountain View trail behind the Snowmass Post Office.
◦ To ride Hawk Ridge from the South (Rim Trail), look for signs at the third switchback from the South Rim trailhead.
◦ A big shout out to Starr Jamison, hard working volunteers, the RFMBA Trail Crew and the Town of Snowmass Village for making this new trail possible.
• Hawk Ridge allows us to ride more singletrack and through fewer parking lots – WIN!
Prince Creek
• Just about every trail is dry.
• Beware of a few puddles on Skull Bucket, upper Father of Ginormous and Dinkle Link
• The full Innie/Outie loop is dry.
• North Porcupine and the “Up and Over” loop are good to go
NOTE: The Rio Grande Trail between Rock Bottom Ranch and Catherine Store Road is now open making the loop back to Carbondale a lot shorter …Yes!
Crown Mountain (North facing aspects)
• Buckhorn and Buckhorn Traverse are dry.
• The Vasten loop is ridable, but beware of some short sections still holding snow and water. Please respect the trail by portaging over any potentially trail damaging sections.
• Riding West from the top of Lower Buckhorn to Outie and beyond to Prince Creek is dry.
A little info on Vasten Trail:
Vasten is a designated as a two way trail. However, to promote a smoother flow with fewer instances of encountering oncoming traffic through sections of dence foliage we recommend rding the loop in a clockwise direction.
NOTE:
• Glassier does not open until May 16th. So the Buckhorn-Glassier loop is not an option yet.
Red Hill
• All trails open and dry.
Lorax
• Dry.
Glenwood Springs/South Canyon
• Grandstaff – Dry
• Wulshohn Trails – Dry
• South Canyon Lighting Bug & Tramway – Dry
• South Canyon Coal Camp – Seasonal closure still in effect until conditions permit
New Castle
• Town trails and Colorow/Stairway to Heaven network are dry and riding well.
What is still closed to riding:
• Most local trails located in the White River National Forest
• Glassier Trail – opens May 16th
• Coal Camp loops in South Canyon – the City of Glenwood Springs will open these trails when the snow melts.
• Just about every trail upvalley from El Jebel – Sky Mountain Park is scheduled to open May 16th.
• Anything wet and muddy or under snow.
COAL BASIN BIKE PRESERVE WILL NOT BE OPEN UNTIL MID-SUMMER AT THE EARLIEST. PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RIDE COAL BASIN.
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