Planning Winter CO Trip, Need Advice

[WontonJLUR]

As title states, looking for some wisdom on how to best plan a trip to CO. Me and some Navy buddies are planning to meet up in CO this winter (probably December time frame) and do some snowboarding and also looking to find some places to take the Jeeps that are open.

We all have plenty built Jeeps and experience, but have no concrete info on what places will be open/passable while there's snow on the ground. From what I gather, some of the badge trails are closed during the winter time (Black Bear Pass with ice, no thanks).

Thanks for any info and we appreciate it! PS, while it's pretty far away, would love to meet up with some members out there while we're out there!

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[kelvinator]

If we get normal snowfall, passes will be snow-packed and unpassable. Trail gates in BLM and national forests are usually closed and locked by November. They won't open until late April. There are open trails and places to snow-wheel at lower elevations, but the ones I know about aren't really near the ski resorts.

 

[WontonJLUR]

If we get normal snowfall, passes will be snow-packed and unpassable. Trail gates in BLM and national forests are usually closed and locked by November. They won't open until late April. There are open trails and places to snow-wheel at lower elevations, but the ones I know about aren't really near the ski resorts.

Thanks for the response.

From the maps i've seen, it looks like Telluride has a ski resort but obviously most of the trails around there like black bear pass will be closed. Breckenridge/Aspen are close to Vail, CO where the Holy Cross trail is, but idk if theres any low elevation wheeling near there either.

Do you know what cities these open trails and low elevation trails are in?

 

[WontonJLUR]

If we get normal snowfall, passes will be snow-packed and unpassable. Trail gates in BLM and national forests are usually closed and locked by November. They won't open until late April. There are open trails and places to snow-wheel at lower elevations, but the ones I know about aren't really near the ski resorts.

Also, is it common for CO to have a bunch of snow in December?

 

[GearWhore]

Grand Junction has some trails that are generally open year round, and a quick shot over to Moab from there as well (Dolores Triangle backcountry route is much easier in the winter with low water in the Dolores River). Not too much further up I-70 than Glenwood Springs. Be ready to change the wheeling plans though. We did a quick overnight trip to Moab last December and woke up with 3"of snow on the Jeep and trials which really limits what is safe, comfortable, open...

As Kelvin above says, most of the trail, BLM, Forest Service, and National Forest gates are closed in Oct-Nov and don't reopen until April or later, especially in the snowy areas. You'll have to drive a little further west and south to get into the wheeling that time of year.

 

[GearWhore]

Also, is it common for CO to have a bunch of snow in December?

Yes, common for the snow in December, and trail closures even if there isn't much snow. Most ski resorts try to open by or around Thanksgiving. Denver and the Front Range probably won't have snow though.

Any trails around the resort towns will be closed. About a 2-hour drive from Aspen, Vail, Telluride, etc. to the Grand Junction area. Though in Winter you're again limited to a few trails. Our winter trips have now become more overland style, with the harder wheeling done in the other seasons. Your tire rubber is harder and there are often small patches of ice in the shade that add a few more difficulty points in the winter, too.

Sounds like a fun trip though!

 

[DOOKEY]

Has been my experience in the 2+ years I've been in this state that there are 3 to 4 months worth of good open wheelin. Even if it doesn't snow at lower elevations the good trails get snowed in quick since they are up in the mountains. We just hit the 4th largest snow fall in recorded history. Who knows if the trails will even open up this year.

I'd plan for somewhere else if December is your only window.

 

[WontonJLUR]

Yes, common for the snow in December, and trail closures even if there isn't much snow. Most ski resorts try to open by or around Thanksgiving. Denver and the Front Range probably won't have snow though.

Any trails around the resort towns will be closed. About a 2-hour drive from Aspen, Vail, Telluride, etc. to the Grand Junction area. Though in Winter you're again limited to a few trails. Our winter trips have now become more overland style, with the harder wheeling done in the other seasons. Your tire rubber is harder and there are often small patches of ice in the shade that add a few more difficulty points in the winter, too.

Sounds like a fun trip though!

You hit the nail right on the head. If you had to label us, I'd say we're more on the extreme rock crawling side, but we've all agreed that we're very interested in some overlanding style snow wheeling. None of us are interested in sliding down the side of a mountain on a patch of ice.

I guess I should've clarified better, we're definitely looking for the overlanding style stuff and hopefully catch some decent views while we're at it. We're planning more trips to CO and Moab next summer as well.

 

[WontonJLUR]

Has been my experience in the 2+ years I've been in this state that there are 3 to 4 months worth of good open wheelin. Even if it doesn't snow at lower elevations the good trails get snowed in quick since they are up in the mountains. We just hit the 4th largest snow fall in recorded history. Who knows if the trails will even open up this year.

I'd plan for somewhere else if December is your only window.

Thanks for the insight. We're really looking for anything, doesn't have to be extreme level trails. I do want to stay on legal land and trails, not looking to break any rules/laws. We're certainly planning a Moab/CO wheeling specific trip next spring/summer, but figured that since December is our window this year, we'd see if there were any options to get some snow under the tires.

 

[DOOKEY]

It really just depends on the year. Some years it is record setting. Some years it isn't much to write home about.

We don't regret living here one bit. Wish the trails were open more.

 

[WontonJLUR]

It really just depends on the year. Some years it is record setting. Some years it isn't much to write home about.

We don't regret living here one bit. Wish the trails were open more.

CO is on my short list of places to move once my 20 years in the Navy is up. I've been there once to Denver for a friend's wedding and it was gorgeous.

 

[DOOKEY]

CO is on my short list of places to move once my 20 years in the Navy is up. I've been there once to Denver for a friend's wedding and it was gorgeous.

This is out our front door.

 

[DOOKEY]

But then... so is this.

 

[WontonJLUR]

But then... so is this.

I'm fine with both of those options lol

 

[kelvinator]

If you're on the "extreme rock crawling side", then put Chinaman on your list - if you don't mind risking rock rash. It's outside of Buena Vista, generally open all year, and an hour drive south of Summit Country where several ski resorts are located. I wheeled around the Arkansas Valley in December and January this winter cuz the snowfall was light at the time. It's flippen' deep now as posted above.

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