Average Snowpack Passable Dates
When do Colorado Trail segments normally become snowpack passable? Here at the CT Foundation, we have studied this carefully. Below you’ll see the Average Melt-Off Dates when each segment might become passable. This ‘snowpack passable,’ to us, means not overly arduous or hazardous due to remaining snowpack.
2022 SNOWPACK – How will 2022 compare to the averages below? No one knows for sure yet. But considering weather forecasting information calling for warmer and windier than normal during May and June, the CTF is guessing that 2022 melt-off dates might be 1-2 weeks earlier than the averages below, so subtract a week or two from the dates below. We hope this helps.
Average Melt-Off Dates
- Segs 1, 2, 3 early May
- Seg 4 mid June
- Seg 5 late May
- Segs 6, 7, 8 early July
- Seg 9 late June
- Seg 10 mid June
- Seg 11 late May
- Segs 12, 13 mid June
- Seg 14 early June
- Seg 15 early July
- Segs 16, 17 late June
- Seg 18 late May
- Seg 19 late May (creek ford possibly fast & deep until, say, mid June)
- Segs 20, 21 late June
- Segs 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 early July
- Seg CW01 early July
- Seg CW02 mid July
- Segs CW03, CW04, CW05 early July
Exceptions worth noting include the low elevation portions of Segments 13 and 28 that melt ‘passable’ well before the entire segment. Other exceptions pertain to accessible south-facing big hillsides in Segments 12, 13 and CW01 that melt ‘passable’ before the balance of each segment.
Find all these CTF TRAIL BLOGS by clicking the “BLOG” button at the top of any page at ColoradoTrail.org.
