February 19, 2014 - Moffitt Tunnel

Title: February 19, 2014 - Moffat Tunnel

Trail head: East Portal

Hike Info:

Type:  Snow Shoeing

Trail:  Moffat Tunnel/South Boulder Creek, No 900

Destination: None

Distance:  2.57 miles

Start Time:  12:24

End Time:   15:01

Travel Time: 2:37 (0.98 mph)

Moving Time: 1:44 (1.49 mph)

Elevation Rise:  302'

Maximum Elevation: 9,636'

Moffat Tunnel enterance

Description:
Today we lost Andrea and Rachel. Lost as in they left on a jet plane, don't know when they will be back again. But definitely not for this trip. So David, Sherri and I went out to Nederland area and snowshoe'd around Moffat Tunnel. I have been up here several times. With my fascination with trains, it is always exciting, at least for me, to see a train going under the Continental Divide. We eat our lunch before starting out.

We started from the east part of the Tunnel. This is the a East Portal Trail head. Started going up the South Boulder Trail, which goes on the north side of the tunnel entrance. Snow is pretty nice. Packed, just a little wind with a bright blue sky and only a few clouds. Probably the best weather for snow play which I have seen up here, ever.

Snow jumping-snowshoe style

Once we get around to the backside of the tunnel entrance, we stop to put on gaiters. But that also gives time for David and I to explore the creek beside us. With gaiters on, we shanghai Sherri and take off from the packed trail to the creek bottom. There is some tracks down there, so we follow them. These tracks meander from one side of the creek to the other, going up into the trees and shrubs, back to the more open, but rocky creek bottom. Great fun. So silent, except for the crunching of our snowshoes. Snow not trodden, so virgin, unspoiled.

After taking a break, we go up a bank. David scares up a couple young ladies-they let out a shriek. But we had known they were up there both from their voices and seeing movement. Friendly enough once they recover from being startled.

Gary

Gary and Sherri

David and Sherri

Snow pond

Onward we go. We come to this one snow covered rock, where there are rabbit tracks on top of it. About 15' down it are more tracks, where the rabbit jumped. Amazing. We get to this one constrained place, where the creek has cut through and we are forced to ascend up a steep 15' bank. David cuts some steps. But Sherri has a bit of a go with it. After talking a bit, we decide to continue up the bank and we shortly hit the trail.

Sky and Snow

After hitting the trail, go about a third of a mile before hitting a trail junction. It is after 3:00pm. So we decide to turn around and head back. Travel is much faster coming down on a packed path. We get to the tunnel, where we take off a little from the trail. Sherri breaks trail for fifteen minutes or so, then we return to the trail. Shortly afterwards, we reach the car.

The Brothers

Aspen

A man talks with David and tells us there is an old railroad bed someplace around here, bug not sure where. We go off to Broomfield and celebrate our day with a stop at Buca di Beppo. The rest of the evening is watching pictures and talking.