Kids and the Snowies

[breisma]

I'm taking a family trip staying at Albany Lodge the weekend before Christmas.
I would like to know any tips on bringing my kids (9,11,15) sledding over there(any riding areas they may like or sights they would think is cool, and safety wise). They ride a 250 bravo, 340 Indy lite, and a 700 summit. Any info would be great. Thanks

 

[hcrider]

kids rule

dress warm stay close to the trail, and if wind is blowing hard stay in the trees. there is good riding out of Albany for the kids and everything up there is pretty scenic. stop into the warming hut with them and take a hot cocoa break, kids love that. STAY OFF ROBROY RESEVOIR, not safe for snowmobiles.
have funn

 

[jmom]

I'm taking a family trip staying at Albany Lodge the weekend before Christmas.
I would like to know any tips on bringing my kids (9,11,15) sledding over there(any riding areas they may like or sights they would think is cool, and safety wise). They ride a 250 bravo, 340 Indy lite, and a 700 summit. Any info would be great. Thanks

Check the weather forecast everyday and watch the wind/blowing snow reports. Sometimes it can be dicey in the snowy range due to the blowing snow making visibility extremely low.

If the wind is not blowing and it is clear, take a ride up to the U and T intersection, see map linked below. Look for a large human made castle/rock formation by the restrooms on top of the pass there. There is a telescope on the top of the castle formation. It points in all directions and has the towns and mountain peaks labeled on the base so you can tell where you are looking. To the north are majestic med bow peaks and to the south you can see mountain tops in Colorado.

This is the view just up the road from the look out castle

On the med bow peaks you may be able to see some black area from the plane crashes debris in 1955.

Map Link

 

[SRXSRULE]

Take Q trail out of Albany and stay on it all the way to the west side, then get on U for a couple miles and go over to Medicine Bow Lodge. This is a nice wide trail (its a road in the summer) this might take 2-3 hours depending on what speed the kids ride at on how much you stop. There is several cool places along that trail. Med Bow lodge is very family friendly and will be a nice place to warm up and get lunch.

STAY AWAY from Libby flats unless the weather is PERFECT. T trail turns north off of Q and heads up to the main hwy 130 which is trail U. Don't go any farther north of the warming hut on trail T. The area north of there is Libby Flats and the wind and visibility can get VERY BAD, very quickly. Eric

 

[tmk50]

For a kids ride out of Albany you could also do a loop through keystone. The ride to/from medicine bow lodge can be a bit long for kids IMO, I would do a loop closer to Albany and see how that goes first.

As others have mentioned temps and weather will be the main factors. Have several options in mind when you take off for the day and the conditions will guide you.

 

[breisma]

Thanks everyone this is great info

 

[Coldfinger]

Loop thru keystone like TMK said. Unless the kids are gung ho riders Medicine Bow or Libby Flats Overlook may be too far.

From Albany, stay on Q till you get around Rob Roy Res. At some point before you get to Rob, you will have a view of Medicine Bow Peak to the north if the weather is good. Don't know the exact point, but the trail curves right and goes downhill and there will be a large area on the left of the trail at the apex of the turn to park and enjoy the view.

If you take a right after you cross the Rob bridge, there is a huge open area a short distance to the north.

Then, I'd say turn around and go back south on T trail around Rob, down to Keystone which is at the T/C intersection, then you can take C back toward Albany.

Hot Chocolate was a hit with my family. Also, if their feet tend to get cold, throw some footwarming packets in there before even leaving the parking lot. Handwarming packets if needed.