Trip Report
Hiking Walker Ranch
We all decided this is an excellent winter trail due to the beauty created by the snowy conditions. Fabulous long views made prettier by the snowy accents on mountain ridges. This place can get really hot in summer or shoulder seasons because of the long, unshaded portions of the trail.
Robbie Monsma
- Thu, Jan 5, 2023
- Hiking – Walker Ranch
- Walker Ranch
- Hiking
- Successful
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- Snow and ice on road
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Debated whether to snowshoe or spike. We decided to spike because the trail is popular and so we assumed it would be tamped down. Spikes were a good choice because the trail had lots of ice and frequent bare spots. At the same time, guessing about 6" to 10" of snow on the trail where, for a few yards here and there, snow was blown over the trail, creating 10" post-holing. However, the trail was rarely difficult to follow. We elected to go counter-clockwise on the loop in order to tackle the very long staircase down to the eastern Boulder Creek crossing as a downhill instead of as an uphill, due to expected slick and icy condition on the stairs. And yes, those stairs WERE very icy.
No parking permits or fees required at this particular TH, maybe because it is exactly on the border of Eldorado State Park and Boulder OS. Excellent, beautiful day, starting at 27 degrees and ending at 50. Half the sky was blue and half dark lenticular clouds.