Snowshoeing up Ptarmigan Peak
Elizabeth and I had an awesome time exploring the Ptarmigan Peak area in the Arapaho National Forest. This is near where we live but haven’t ventured out much in this area just yet. We have been exploring other ranges, saving this for when we are short on time and need to head out from the house.
With avalanche dangers high in many areas of Colorado, we have been keeping to the resorts for skiing, as well as adventuring on moderate terrain. Ptarmigan Peak is a nice long approach, about 7.5 miles to the summit from our door, with about 3,700ft of gain. It is a steady climb up, with only a few short sections of steepish terrain. We headed to the Angler Mountain Trailhead, located just off of Route 9 in Silverthorne, CO. This route offers spectacular views most of the way up, of the Gore & Ten Mile Range.
It was a cold start, 5º without the windchill and low visibility. As we neared Ptarmigan Pass, the winds picked up dramatically. We checked out the area a little, assessed the approach to the ridge and slowly made our way. Most of the trail was packed down, with deeper snow to contend with the last mile up until the ridge.
We went with the TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Racing Snowshoes, which worked great. Normally we would use the MSR Lightning Ascents but wanted to test the TSL’s a little more and push them a bit harder. We have a review on these models that you can check out, click here, https://youtu.be/etSUGVcmK8c.
We can’t tell you enough how imperative it is to have the right gear especially when adventuring during the winter months. We never head out without a first aid kit including an emergency bivy, Garmin inReach, headlamp, extra warm layers & shell, multiple pairs of gloves, extra hat, sunglasses, etc.
Today we tested out the very versatile and easy to use Osprey Kresta 30 & Kamber 32 Snow Packs. These packs offer many accessible pockets as well as easy attachment sites for snowshoes or skis. Stay tuned for a more detailed gear review.
As we approached the summit the wind was nearly unbearable, the temps dropped well below zero, any exposed skin felt like it was being burned. We had buffs but needed the right balaclavas along with goggles, so we decided to turn back 200 feet from the summit. As a reminder, no adventure is ever worth jeopardizing your safety.
We look forward to exploring this area more, the routes seem endless and will be a welcomed addition as we prepare for the Leadwomen and BreckEpic races.
Happy New year!
Gear we Used:
Osprey Kamber 32 - https://amzn.to/3pXPDNN.
Osprey Kresta 30 - https://amzn.to/3n4CpNe.
GoPro Hero 9 - https://amzn.to/38aWu0g.
TSL Symbioz Hyperflex Racing Snowshoe - Hard to find!
Garmin InReach - https://amzn.to/2KPGWpT
Black Diamond Carbon Z Trekking Poles - https://amzn.to/38cntYZ.
