Basic Snowshoe – East Portal Trailhead

'WALKING WOUNDED' REHAB SNOWSHOE

For many, it's been a rough year or two or three, due to illnesses, injuries or inactivity from which they haven't quite fully recovered.

"Bad knees?  Recovering from surgery?  In Physical Therapy?  Hurt yourself over-doing it?  Had an accident?   Recovered after a flu or cold or pneumonia, but still short of breath? Or maybe, like me, you're carrying a bit more (read: a LOT more) weight than you used to. ;}

If you find yourself wondering whether even the 'Ascending Hike' series may be just a little too aggressive for you, then the 'Walking Wounded' Rehab Outings are just the ticket!

As long as you've got a full thumbs-up from your physical therapist or doctor (and it's on YOU to either have that assurance or make a personal judgment that you're ready to get outdoors at all), then come join your fearful-fearless hike leader (who's in the same boat) for an EASY, SHORT, CASUAL-PACE (some would say "tortoise slow") outing where NOBODY has to worry about holding up the rest of the group, because we're all right there with ya. 

These outings are meant for those of us who want to get OUT THERE walking / hiking / snowshoeing despite everything that life has thrown at us, despite family emergencies, and other obligations that have prevented us from keeping up with our fitness regimens, and for anybody who loves being outdoors but is just beginning to S-L-O-W-L-Y work their way back to some semblance of full fitness.

After a short session of stretches (and whatever rehab exercises help you), we’ll head on up the trail.   And since we're the 'walking wounded,' not the 'walking dead,' let's plan on ambling up the trail at maybe around 2-3 mph ... in other words, an amble up the trail:   snail-slow, but not DEAD slow. 

- Please call the leader (Karen Baldwin: 720-244-3377) if you plan to cancel or with any questions or concerns, or if you'd like to borrow her extra pair of Tubbs snowshoes.
- Please bring your medical card
- Please bring cash to reimburse your carpool driver
- Please notify the leader of any pertinent medical conditions (heart or cardiac conditions, diabetes, asthma or respiratory problems, severe allergies, and the particular injury or other challenge that's put you into 'rehab' mode, etc.).

- Please check your email the night before/morning of the trip for last minute updates.

EXPECTED WEATHER & CONDITIONS:

Snowpack in this area is currently shown to vary from 40 to 200 inches deep, so snowshoes are likely the appropriate choice rather than YakTrax or other microspikes.  (One extra pair of Tubbs snowshoes is available for someone to borrow, if you reach out the leader, Karen Baldwin, to inquire.) [https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1045012.html]

Weather Underground shows the Rollinsville forecast as bringing a 52-degree high from about 11am through 5pm on Sunday, so being ‘bluebird day’ kinda people, we’re shooting to get up there at 11am.   

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center currently identifies wind-slab avalanche risk in this area as ‘Moderate’ above, at, and below treeline.  It forecasts: “The avalanche danger remains steady for above treeline areas where you can find small Wind Slab avalanches at upper elevations. In, near and below treeline areas the danger increases. Another storm pushes into the state briefly on Thursday night [April 27] bringing freezing temperatures and more snow; the danger remains elevated on Friday [April 28]. The Front Range could see more than ten inches of snow by Friday morning; most areas will see four to eight inches of snow, and parts of the Front Range could see more. This storm quickly clears and a high-pressure ridge sets up over the Northern Mountains for the weekend. Saturday high pressure rebuilds across Colorado that will last through early next week.”  [https://avalanche.state.co.us/?lat=39.9033204&lng=-105.6444469]

RELEVANT WEBSITES WORTH CHECKING OUT:

AllTrails App Information about the East Portal Trailhead:
https://www.alltrails.com/lists/moffat-east-portal

Forest Service Information about the East Portal Trailhead:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd1045012.html

Avalanche Danger Forecast from Colorado Avalanche Information Center:
https://avalanche.state.co.us/?lat=39.9033204&lng=-105.6444469

About Moffat Tunnel History:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moffat_Tunnel

Arrive at 9:45 a.m. for a 10 a.m. departure, Sunday, April 30 - Meet at the Park 'n Ride small gravel lot at SE corner of intersection between Highway 93 and Coal Creek Canyon Road. Leader will have a White Chevy Silverado Pickup Truck and room for 4 additional passengers (first-ask, first-serve).

DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD (ARRIVE ~11 a.m.):

Lat/Lon:  39.90250°N / 105.6436°
The eastern portal of the Moffat Tunnel is about 50 miles west of Denver and 10 miles west of the town of Rollinsville, roughly 10 miles southwest of Nederland.

If coming from the north (e.g., Boulder), take Colorado Highway 119 to Nederland.  From there, continue south on Hwy 119 for about 4.5 miles, until you reach the small village of Rollinsville. 

If coming from the south (e.g., Golden or Arvada), get yourself to the intersection of Highway 93 and Coal Creek Canyon Road (Highway 72).  Head West on Highway 72 toward Wondervu and Pinecliffe, and keep on going until the road reaches the intersection with Highway 119.  TURN LEFT (South). Once on the Peak to Peak Highway (CO 119), drive south for 4-½ miles until you reach the small village of Rollinsville.

Then, from Rollinsville, head west from the center of town on the well-marked but multiply-named Gilpin County Road 16 (a/k/a “Tolland Road / East Portal Road”) for 8 miles.  (Be careful when crossing the active train tracks twice via at-grade crossings and twice via underpasses.) After the fourth railroad crossing, bear left at the junction for Rollins Pass and continue another half mile to the large trailhead.

The last portion of the road is dirt, but it’s wide and in good condition. The road is plowed all the way to the parking lot by the tunnel.  Even low-clearance passenger cars should have no difficulty in any season.

 This is a very cold and active area with large railroad machinery and a number of tunnel-related houses, and a Union Pacific Railroad service parking lot to the south (drive on past it, continuing to the parking area meant for the public).

Look for trail signs at the west end of the parking area.  (The old trail crossed the tracks and a bridge; however, this has now been closed off with a gate. The new trail stays north of the tracks and goes around the tunnel head.)