Best place to stay would be Albany Lodge. you can google and find and they have a webcam so you can see conditions. Its ride in ride out but a bit lower in altitude so snow is not quite as good but still good riding.
2011/12 Snowy Range snow conditions
- Thread starter Himark
- Start date
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SnoPro753
Well-known member
Ride Report from Thursday and Friday
We rode Thursday and Friday out of Green Rock/Centennial. This what highway looks like at Snowy Mountain Lodge. Hwy 130 is completely uncovered for large portion of trail until you get on West side of mountain.
Best snow is North and West. Lots of rocks everywhere, lurking under the snow. We had lots of scraps and paint missing from a-arms. But there is awesome snow if you find it. Knee to thigh deep in places. Best snow in the trees. No where near the amount of trailers that where here last year this weekend. But was snowing hard when we left and suppose to keep snowing tonight.
We rode Thursday and Friday out of Green Rock/Centennial. This what highway looks like at Snowy Mountain Lodge. Hwy 130 is completely uncovered for large portion of trail until you get on West side of mountain.
Best snow is North and West. Lots of rocks everywhere, lurking under the snow. We had lots of scraps and paint missing from a-arms. But there is awesome snow if you find it. Knee to thigh deep in places. Best snow in the trees. No where near the amount of trailers that where here last year this weekend. But was snowing hard when we left and suppose to keep snowing tonight.
We rode out of Albany today (Saturday Nov 26th). There was some fresh snow from last night - a couple of inches at the parking lot, and maybe 5 or so inches at our cabin up past Rob Roy. The snow was bumper deep going down our driveway to the cabin - so that was an unexpected fun ride in. As Ritfire and others pointed out - there are a lot of blown down trees from the high winds. We had two trees blown down across the driveway that we had to remove with chainsaws and dad's snowcat.
The snow was decent on the trails today, off trail riding around Albany is asking for trouble right now IMO (not enough snow).
I have some video too - I will try to edit and post sometime early this week.
tk
The snow was decent on the trails today, off trail riding around Albany is asking for trouble right now IMO (not enough snow).
I have some video too - I will try to edit and post sometime early this week.
tk
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We rode out of Albany today (Saturday Nov 26th). There was some fresh snow from last night - a couple of inches at the parking lot, and maybe 5 or so inches at our cabin up past Rob Roy. The snow was bumper deep going down our driveway to the cabin - so that was an unexpected fun ride in. As Ritfire and others pointed out - there are a lot of blown down trees from the high winds. We had two trees blown down across the driveway that we had to remove with chainsaws and dad's snowcat.
The snow was decent on the trails today, off trail riding around Albany is asking for trouble right now IMO (not enough snow).
I have some video too - I will try to edit and post sometime early this week.
tk
Thanks for the pics, I think it is awesome that your dad has a snocat, too cool!
First use of my new helmet cam - boring stuff since all we did is trail ride, but I figured I would post it anyways to show snow conditions along trail Q. I helped a guy dig his wife/girlfriends sled out at Rob Roy. I also figured I would show the footage of the pickup trucks pulling their kids up the trail from Albany 
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dsmitty166
Member
First use of my new helmet cam - boring stuff since all we did is trail ride, but I figured I would post it anyways to show snow conditions along trail Q. I helped a guy dig his wife/girlfriends sled out at Rob Roy. I also figured I would show the footage of the pickup trucks pulling their kids up the trail from Albany
Thanks man...awesome to have this. A bunch of us are coming out on the 17th. We were getting worried about snow, but looks like there should still be some then !
Rode the Snowies and Encampment this weekend. Some good spots with deep snow, but also a TON of land mines. 2 sleds destroyed in 3 days. I had to ride back to the truck Saturday on one ski for 30 miles. Not fun. Be careful this early season. Not like the early snow last year...
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HappyJack
Well-known member
Avy Forcast 12.02.X1
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast for Front Range
Issued: 12/02/2011 5:51 AM by Scott Toepfer
Highlights
Easterly winds began to shift to the southwest overnight. Most snowfall was confined to the eastern side of the zone. Expect to find fresh slab in unusual areas. The east winds were persistant and did range from NE-E-SE. There was little snow to transport on the west side of the zone, though some areas likely saw some fairly strong downsloping east winds that could have built shallow slab on west aspects near treeline.
Avalanche Danger
The avalanche danger for the Front Range zone is MODERATE (Level 2) near and above treeline with pockets of CONSIDERABLE (level 3). Human triggered avalanches are possible to probable, and could be large. The danger is LOW below Treeline (Level 1).
Snow & Avalanche Discussion
The upslope pattern has ended, for now. Thursday's easterly winds will have built fresh slab onto unusual areas. Look for plump pillows along terrain features such as the sides of easterly facing bowls and gullies. Also onto westerly aspect faces on the east side of the range. Little new snow reported from the west slope.
The primary concern will be for cross loaded east facing open bowls and gullies on the east side of the zone. Winds ranged from ENE to SSE Thursday but have now shifted to more southwesterly. This will make for a variety of unusual loading patterns. Since easterly aspects had a weak foundation prior to storm onset the east aspect slopes are going to be most suspect rather then the westerly aspects. With a weak foundation and moderate to strong easterly winds a variety of terrain is going to see fresh wind slab development and our biggest concern will be for the above mentioned easterly aspects. There will be enough new snow that some of these slabs could break to ground.
The most likely areas to trigger these types of slides are slopes facing north through east through southeast near and above treeline steeper than 30 degrees. These are also the slopes that have the deepest snowpack, and given our very thin coverage, they are also the most attractive slopes to ski.
Backcountry Avalanche Forecast for Front Range
Issued: 12/02/2011 5:51 AM by Scott Toepfer
Highlights
Easterly winds began to shift to the southwest overnight. Most snowfall was confined to the eastern side of the zone. Expect to find fresh slab in unusual areas. The east winds were persistant and did range from NE-E-SE. There was little snow to transport on the west side of the zone, though some areas likely saw some fairly strong downsloping east winds that could have built shallow slab on west aspects near treeline.
Avalanche Danger
The avalanche danger for the Front Range zone is MODERATE (Level 2) near and above treeline with pockets of CONSIDERABLE (level 3). Human triggered avalanches are possible to probable, and could be large. The danger is LOW below Treeline (Level 1).
Snow & Avalanche Discussion
The upslope pattern has ended, for now. Thursday's easterly winds will have built fresh slab onto unusual areas. Look for plump pillows along terrain features such as the sides of easterly facing bowls and gullies. Also onto westerly aspect faces on the east side of the range. Little new snow reported from the west slope.
The primary concern will be for cross loaded east facing open bowls and gullies on the east side of the zone. Winds ranged from ENE to SSE Thursday but have now shifted to more southwesterly. This will make for a variety of unusual loading patterns. Since easterly aspects had a weak foundation prior to storm onset the east aspect slopes are going to be most suspect rather then the westerly aspects. With a weak foundation and moderate to strong easterly winds a variety of terrain is going to see fresh wind slab development and our biggest concern will be for the above mentioned easterly aspects. There will be enough new snow that some of these slabs could break to ground.
The most likely areas to trigger these types of slides are slopes facing north through east through southeast near and above treeline steeper than 30 degrees. These are also the slopes that have the deepest snowpack, and given our very thin coverage, they are also the most attractive slopes to ski.
I went*out for a little break in ride today.
I can sum up the range conditions with two words - *INCONSISTENT DEPTH!!! *
There is 15" max at the Saratoga gate.
20"-40" at headquarters park.
Also i tried to ride to lake Marie but the highway was almost bare near Silver Lake
I ventured into a few parks that I know are mostly grass and stepped off the sled periodically, Sometimes it was waist deep and sometimes top of the boot, in the same park!
On the upside- the snow is finally setting up, there is a good base and it was snowing hard when I left the gate. Also I love my new Pro and Motorfist Stomper boots
I can sum up the range conditions with two words - *INCONSISTENT DEPTH!!! *
There is 15" max at the Saratoga gate.
20"-40" at headquarters park.
Also i tried to ride to lake Marie but the highway was almost bare near Silver Lake
I ventured into a few parks that I know are mostly grass and stepped off the sled periodically, Sometimes it was waist deep and sometimes top of the boot, in the same park!
On the upside- the snow is finally setting up, there is a good base and it was snowing hard when I left the gate. Also I love my new Pro and Motorfist Stomper boots
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dsmitty166
Member
Any updates after the last storm? Supposed to be coming out the 17th. Not sure if it's worth it or if we have to look elsewhere
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dsmitty166
Member
Sioux center
We rode yesterday. It was coldddd
. The road is covered, but some spots doesn't have much snow on it. We rode North of 130 by trail N. The snow was alright in the trees but there are still a lot of land mines. It was snowing on & off all day & when we were leaving.
. The road is covered, but some spots doesn't have much snow on it. We rode North of 130 by trail N. The snow was alright in the trees but there are still a lot of land mines. It was snowing on & off all day & when we were leaving.Similar threads
