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iceisnice
Feb 24, 2005, 5:30 PM
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Registered: Jun 2, 2004
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has anyone gone into the needles or genadier ranges in the san juans during the winter? i'm looking for the easiest access in. seems like there are several options and at this point i'm thinking that is will be easier to ski up the railroad tracks from silverton. going in from molas pass seems like a fun ski down to the tracks, but getting back out could be brutal. as for the needles......that's gonna be a bitch no matter what. i'm not sure how far the train goes during the winter and i know that the trail from purgatory is pretty long. seems like there is some amazing mtneering and alpine potential that those ranges....if you can get there. i've taken a look at them from the summit of snowdon and there even seems like some possible ice lines (and longs ones at that).
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vashie
Feb 26, 2005, 4:06 AM
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Registered: May 12, 2004
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Hey Ray, I think heading in from Molas may be your best bet. I did it last february going up to vestal lake and the hump back up wasn’t too bad. Oh ya, the trail up from purgatory flats sucks this time of year and the train will only go as far as cascade. So that said, have a good one!
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iceisnice
Feb 26, 2005, 5:00 PM
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karl, did you ski or snowshoe? how was was avy terrain up to vestal? i was thinking of doing a travervse of arrow and vestal in winter.
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vashie
Feb 27, 2005, 4:46 AM
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I shoed in, following a ski track that led right up to elk park. Avy danger up to the peaks wasn’t too bad except a big chute coming off electric pk. The base of the mountains looked kinda avalanche prone, esp. on arrow towards the top. the snow up there was old though, so it didn’t appear as bad
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iceisnice
Mar 1, 2005, 10:58 PM
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cool, i think i'm gonna head up there the 28-31 andtry and do vestal and arrow. climbed the west butress of snowdon yesterday and OH MY GOD that is THE best view in colorado!!!! amazing view of the needles and grenadiers!! a lifetime's worth of alpine climbing. it was hard just to fathom the topographical relief of the valleys to the peaks there.
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vashie
Mar 2, 2005, 12:25 AM
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That sure is a great view, who would of thought you could see Silverton from way up there!
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