Recon the Recon 18Jun15

I went out Guanella Pass Rd on the way to Summit (there was a 2.5 hour wait on I70 as traffic was stopped Georgetown to Loveland anyway for a wreck). I found the TH parking at GP summit and trail #600 to Square Top Lks. The snow was gone and likely ice out was happening at least some but as you see - CO killed all the fish in the Sq Tops and won't restock till next season - then with native cuts. Grrr.

So, I headed off to check the put in for Silver Dollar and Murray Lks nearby. I found the road and trailhead easily and its passable via the Crusher or similar. I was fortunate to see a guy just coming back to understand conditions without the hike. His lower legs were all torn up from post holing through a dozen snowfields and muck on the way past the lakes. Lake ice was solid and travel was hard were the indications. Grrr.

I headed back toward Georgetown to eat but when I regained signal I saw conditions on I70 had increased wait time to 4 hours. I passed Clear Lk (mentioned on the sign) and it was under construction and muddy. I turned around bound for Grant on the GP Rd and planned to take 285 from there to Fairplay and head back N over Hoosier into Summit. I took a last pic of the wildflowers and my prior path from Guanella Pass to Mt Evans (the hard way).

It is not my day as here I sit in the valley floor for 40 minutes awaiting the one lane road construction exchange to flip may way for the 12 mile stretch behind a slow construction vehicle. Grrr.

I mean Colorado is cool and all but it will take me 8 hours to reach Silverthorne when I'm used to 1'50".