Intermediate Snowshoe – Montgomery Pass

Carpool Place & Time: Pringle's parking lot on Drake Rd, Fort Collins, CO at 7:00AM for 7:15AM departure (Pringle's Fine Wine & Spirits - Google Maps)

We'll carpool to the Zimmerman Lake (Montgomery Pass) Trailhead parking (Zimmerman Lake Trailhead (#977) - Google Maps)

Additional carpool meeting place could include location further south.

This will be an out-n-back snowshoe (or microspike hike) from the Montgomery Pass trailhead, along the Montgomery Pass Trail. The trail climbs gradually for the first 0.5 mile and then steepens follwoing the Montgomery Pass drainage in the trees. Oveall the trail climbs west steadily at the rate of about 200 ft per 0/25 mile alternating relatively flat and steep stretches. At about 10,800 feet at 1.5 miles the trail starts to switchback steeply and open up to the view of a small meadow. At the trail junction we will bear right towards the pass, avoiding the ski bowl/avalanche terrain. At the pass above the trees we'll be treated with other worldly views in all directions: Zimmerman Lake and Joe Wright Reservoir to the E and N, the Medicine Bow Mountains and Clark Peak to the NE, and the Nokhu Crags of Routt National Forest and RMNP Never Summer Mountains to the SE. We'll also have the options of hiking south along the ridge to the summit of "Mr. Big" (formerly known as Peak 11,408 ft) or hiking along the north ridge toward Swallow Peak for another 0.7 miles and ~300 ft of elevation gain to capture even more views. We'll make this decision at the pass. We'll find a comfortable spot at/near the pass for lunch/snack. We'll return to the trailhead using the same route. Our pace will be comfortable for all group members. Overall this hike is ~5 mile and ~1300 ft elevation gain. (Montgomery Pass - CalTopo)