Zimmerman Lake Early Season

Took a very early season trip up to Zimmerman Lake at the top of Rt 14, Poudre Canyon near the Cameron Pass apex. Snow is already up there. Not much, anywhere from six to eight inches. I went up because I miss snow. I’ve missed winter sports for a few years.

I used to do a lot more resort skiing and boarding. I have even been in the back-country skiing and boarding also. Up near Cameron Pass and the Montgomery Ski bowls is where I used to go a fair amount.

I stopped going to resorts in the high country of Colorado because the prices got too steep. And the amount of driving that you needed to put in to get to it. Staying overnight became so pricey that it wasn’t an option. And then a lot of resorts and towns put restrictions on car camping in lots.

So it goes. Too many people can’t afford to go play in the snow anymore. A lot of the friends that I would do BC with have moved on, had kids, or just don’t do it anymore.

I’m not really thinking of getting back into BC skiing. It takes a lot of equipment and a good crew to go with. The minimalist and simplicity part of me says slow down. I’ve fallen for the get the gear trap before.

That is where Nordic skiing is starting to creep back into my head. Cameron Pass has a good network of Nordic trails. More if you go over the pass and into State Forest State Park. Don’t get me wrong. This is still BC Nordic skiing. There is the danger of avalanches, wolves, tree holes, falling trees, even big cats and wolverines.

But the cost of entry is a lot lower. I already have my Nordic skis. Would I like something better for the BC, hell yes. But for right now, the best thing to do from a minimalist perspective is use what you’ve got. So that is what I intend.

If something comes along that is a great deal, or is like the old set I had, I will jump on it.

What about Zimmerman Lake? It is on the east side of the pass. It connects to the Meadow Snow trail off Long Draw Road. Long Draw has a lot of snowmobiles on it in winter. A lot of that area has them up there. There are dozens of miles of Nordic trails up there. Only about six miles of groomed trails. More if you are willing to take some of the snowmobile routes. But those are noisy and smell.

What kind of story can I tell about the area? There used to be a ski area, long grown over and missing. It was never very clear where it was. You don’t get the consistent and long-lasting snow up the canyon until you really get up to Joe Wright and Long Draw Road. It’s just the nature of the weather here. The sun seems to melt out any open field. So the options you are left with for Nordic skiing are really on the backcountry and rolling terrain side. A lot of it is in trees. Some of it is tight.

Is it a good idea to have a beacon and avalanche gear? It would be. The avalanche danger can be lessened if you stay in terrain that is more stable. Lot of areas in the trees are safer. Perfectly? No. But looking at the Colorado Avalanche Info Center is a good place to look before heading out. At some point, if it goes to level 4, I might not even go out on some of the Nordic trails. Some are in the slide path of areas that are higher up.

Always a good thing to read the terrain.

Emergency beacons. There is the spot brand, but the monthly charge can really start to add up. I found that they seem to nickel and dime you (or five and ten is more like it). Take the cost up front and buy an emergency transponder that doesn’t require a service subscription. The cost would be less in the first year alone. Most have a 5-7 year battery life. Think about how fast that annual subscription adds up. That’s a lot of money wasted on that instead of travel.

This is rambling. And I’m getting into the gear trap. Best to keep things simple.