Conditions 2019 on September 10 –
During his thru-bikepacking, Colin Hughes took this in CT Segment 23 near Cataract Lake above Silverton.
Copper Mountain area: two-mile, trail-season detour affecting parts of CT Segments 7 and 8
. . . . . https://coloradotrail.org/ct-detour-at-copper-mountain/
North of Monarch Pass: 3.2-mile detour on the CT Collegiate West, CW05
. . . . . https://coloradotrail.org/closure-detour-near-monarch-pass-2019/
FIRE BANS ETC
Fire bans are in place: Multiple counties have fire bans that affect The Colorado Trail. Bans prohibit campfires. Bans also prohibit trail stoves lacking an on/off valve, including alcohol, esbit and wood burning “twig” stoves. Please comply. Be ultra-careful with flame, especially important in the dry climate of the Colorado mountains where wildfires can start so easily. Also, please be on the lookout for other’s abandoned campfires that are not yet cold…douse them ‘cold’ with lots of water…THANK YOU.
Wildfire near CT Segments 4 and 5 East of Kenosha Pass: Firefighters seem to have gained the upper hand on containment of the “Shawnee Peak Fire.” Though this fire is kind of close to the CT, maybe 2 miles north northeast from the division between CT Segments 4 and 5, it has not presented a real problem to the Trail or travelers.
. . . . . https://psiccfireinfo.blogspot.com/2019/
AVALANCHE RELATED
SUMMARY on this includes that hikers and cyclists are no longer struggling with any of the following and hardly need to review it in detail. However, those with stock animals (horses or llamas) should attend carefully to the details below.
. . . . .
Seg 7 avalanche debris zones cleared or improved (okay for all including stock animals)
Seg 13 avalanche debris sections cleared (okay for all including stock animals)
Seg 15 avalanche debris in the South Fooses Creek drainage (limited impact to the Trail, possibly a minor challenge for stock)
Seg 21 avalanche debris pile cleared
Seg 24 four huge avalanche debris fields now improved by CTF volunteers (many careful hikers have succeeded indicating the need to be careful and to go slow and choose your footing carefully; several reports from dog owners that they did not struggle; we think these debris fields are not doable by stock animals)
. . . . . https://coloradotrail.org/avalanche-debris-segment-24/
Seg CW02 has several avalanche debris sections each now cleared (okay for all including stock animals)
SNOWPACK
. . . . . For all trail users including those with stock animals, the entire Colorado Trail is snow passable. Enough snow has melted to no longer be overly arduous or hazardous, and without snow-related navigation challenges.
CREEKS AND BRIDGES
The creeks of consequence that lack bridges are in Seg 8, Cataract Creek, Seg 19, Cochetopa Creek, Seg 24, tributary of Elk Creek, Seg 24, Elk Creek where creek may still be above the trail and Seg CW02, Texas Creek. The flow has diminished at each of these to where fording should no longer be overly deep or swift.
