February 18, 2014 - Grizzly Gultch

 Title: February 18, 2014 - Grizzly Gulch

Trail head:

Hike Info:

Type:  Cross-Country Skiing

Trail: Grizzly Gulch

Destination:  Grizzly Gulch

Distance:  3.76 miles

Start Time: 9:44am

End Time: 12:47

Travel Time: 3:03 (1.23 mph)

Moving Time: 1:49 (2.07 mph)

Elevation Rise: 975'

Maximum Elevation: 10,684'

Description:
Rachel and Sherri are staying at David's place today while the rest of us go skiing at Peru Gulch. On our way up to Eisenhower Tunnel, we started seeing high winds warnings. So we discussed if we really wanted to go there or not. Peru Gulch has a tendency to be windy on the best of days. So we decided to go to Grizzly Gulch, a little bit west of Silver Plum.

Andrea and David on trail

Torrey's Peak

First bit of excitement is a van stuck in the snow when we drove up. It shortly got pulled out. There is some wind, which is driving down the temperature some. But the sun is shining, making the 39 degrees feeling good. Andrea and I use skins-which will cause me some grief later, but David goes with bare bottoms on his skis.
We go up a snow covered road. For the first quarter of mile, it is pretty mild rise. But then, the skins really become useful. Besides a bit of huffing and puffing, we enjoy the sights, including Grays Peak, Torreys Peak and Mount Edwards. The road gets steeper, but pretty doable. A little after a mile in, we come to a split. To the left is the trail to Grays Peak; to the right goes up to Grizzly Gulch.

Dad is down

We decide on the right, up Grizzly Gulch. There is a road, but it is under a series of drifts. Instead of a broad trail, it is just a couple ski tracks. In here my skins came off, again-I had tripped a couple times already. So off they come. Let's see if I can do the climb David is talking about. We cross a creek and then start up towards the Gulch. Pretty steep, at least for me.

Grizzly Gulch

We follow the trail, past a cabin-who goes here? Does not look like it gets habituated in the winter. We move beyond this, rising up. Sort of fun. We stop for lunch. After talking, we decided to turn around and go back.

David

Andrea

Instead of having to trudge up, doing a reverse snowplow or side-stepping up, we go down the tracks, which some what resembles a luge run, at least to me.  Down I go, but only down to one knee and only  once in this stretch. Amazing. Even take the down to cross the creek without falling.  But the fun does not end there. We hit the road and go down it. As David says, it us like a series of escalators. We go down, and then level out. I sort of snowplow down, then  hit the side of the rode where the snow is a bit thicker and I go slower. But I still fall down twice.  But not badly.  

Return Trip

What a wonderful trip today. Lots of eye candy. It was a good day. Enjoyed being with my daughter and brother.