Thornton lakes approach

[JoshK]

Thornton creek road -> thornton lakes. For those of you that have gone up this way in the winter (Klenke, you used this to access Damnnation, right?) how does the road and trail compare between skis and snowshoes. I'm taking a newbie up this weekend and wondering if she'll be ok on skis. Yes, she alpine skis well, it's just a matter if the trail will be very difficult to skin up or not.

 

thanks!

-josh

[JoshK]

Damn, I just went back and read that TR and it seems with the road blocked, it's a pretty long haul in there, huh?

[klenke]

Dude, you're not going to like what you find, and that is a large set of downed trees across the approach road about 2.5 miles (1,400 ft) from the highway. If you have a large truck or can create some sort of ramp, you might be able to drive over it (there were indications that someone had tried this; don't know if they succeeded). Of course, it is entirely possible the windfall has been removed (and, of course, it's too late to call the ranger station in Marblemount to find out). Their road conditions page (last updated on March 8) doesn't say that they HAVE fixed the windfall, so I don't know if they really have or have forgotten to mention it.

 

The road is about five miles to where it is closed to further driving at 2,700 ft. However, when Toast and I were on the road on 3/1, the road was continually snowed over by 3.0 miles (0.5 miles beyond the windfall) and about 1,900 ft. There was still quite a bit of snow on the road. It may have melted by now.

 

The aforementioned webpage also mentions the last mile of road is severely damaged. Don't know if they're talking about the drivable part or the hikable part. At any rate, from the windfall, you'll have 2.5 miles of walking just to get to road's end. From there, it is about 2 miles of walking to where the old walkable logging road ends (c. 3000 ft). At that point the trail leaves the road and winds its way up the hillside. It's never too steep but it's also not really skiable. The view from the Thornton Lakes overlook (c. 5000 ft) or higher up at Trappers Peak would be superlative right now.

 

All told, my guess is that with a newbie you won't even make the overlook at this time of year if you have to walk 2.5 extra miles.

 

An easier trip would be to do Damnation Peak. From the windfall, hike about 1.0 mile up the road to the last major switchback where the road starts going east permanently. The elevation at this switchback is 2,245 ft. Look for a road leaving westward from the switchback. It is slightly overgrown but totally manageable (only one big windfall to negotiate about halfway) for 2 miles to the base of Damnation. Hike up Damnation via its timbered South Ridge or the gully on the right. A newbie wouldn't like the gully but the trees on the left may be manageable. A pic of it:

The views from Damnation are primo.

Otherwise, I don't know what to say.

[JoshK]

You said exactly what you needed to say. That is a good bit more road slogging than I feel like doing just to have the newbie crap out somehwere on the road.

[Dave_Schuldt]

Do Granite Mountain, no not the south side, but the west ridge or north side.