Name: Caribou Approach
Rating: 3.1

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Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

Respect private property crossings.

Description

On a powder day, you'll need a 4WD car to access the top part of Caribou Road since the road is not plowed in the winter. Park alongside the road by the old mining structures, or at the end of the road.

The approach is mellow and flat for about 1.75 miles. Take the second fork in the trail, to the right. From the broken down cabins on the left, follow the trail to the right. Here you'll start your ascent up the base of the slope. This hike takes about 10 minutes and there should be a distinct skin track when no fresh snow has fallen. At the top of the knob, head right to the open meadow and choose your line.

This area is lap-able without backtracking on the approach. The slope is open and east-facing, so prone to wind loading and fills in nicely early season, but can lead to stability issues on steeper aspects.

Overall, this is a relatively safe and playful slope that you can lap 3 - 4 times on a good day.

On the hike out, get ready to strap skins on, as the last section of the hike is a low-grade climb out to the parking lot.

Contacts

Land Manager: USFS - Arapaho National Forests - Clear Creek Ranger District

Shared By:

Sallie Hoefer

Full Details

Trail Ratings

3.1 from 17 votes

#2

in Indian Peaks

#162

Overall

3.1 from 17 votes

5 Star		6%
4 Star		24%
3 Star		53%
2 Star		12%
1 Star		6%

Ascent Rankings

#2

in Indian Peaks

#38

in Colorado

#162

Overall

376 Views Last Month

21,320 Since Mar 12, 2015

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Photos

Just below Baldy Summit, at the top of what Powder Project calls "Caribou Approach" ascent.

Jan 2, 2021 near Nederland, CO

Looking down the lower snowfield of the caribou trees - still skiers right of the skintrack - here you want to be sure NOT to drop skiers right, but trend left back to the cabin

Jan 26, 2023 near Nederland, CO

Looking up at the first major switchback of the caribou skintrack. This is the steepest portion of the skintrack & can have suspect wind drifts at times..

Jan 26, 2023 near Nederland, CO

Looking down the upper main slope of the caribou trees (skiers right of skin track)

Jan 26, 2023 near Nederland, CO

Jan 9, 2023 near Nederland, CO

Jan 9, 2023 near Nederland, CO

2 Comments

Weather

Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 4 days ago

Update Conditions See History

Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Jan 25, 2023

Jake Albright

Jan 14, 2023

Jake Albright

Jan 12, 2023

Jake Albright

Jan 8, 2023

Jake Albright

Dec 18, 2022

Jake Albright

Dec 16, 2022

Jake Albright

Dec 15, 2022

Jake Albright

Dec 3, 2022

Jaimie S

Nice skin and ski - still lots of rocks to navigate around but we got some clean lines (and some not so clean lines…)

Nov 20, 2022

Andrew Hewitt

Trail in was a very nice skin as of Nov 19th. Good conditions for descend on trail. The slope is still filling in…many rocks. Saw ski lines up high…

Jan 28, 2022

Ray Wu

Jan 16, 2022

JJ Johns

The approach is nicely filled in with no rocks anywhere. The snow ATL is extremely wind packed and hard to skin in the steeper sections. 3.6mi — 2h 15m

Jan 9, 2022

bogdan lita

Klondike is skiable but snow cover is thin towards the top. Bottom has more snow than the top 2mi — 1h 30m

Feb 25, 2021

JJ Johns

After the snow last night, coverage was great through the day. No more wind blown bald spots early on the approach. Packed powder on the hill. 3.7mi — 3h 30m

Feb 4, 2021

Chris Stellato

windblown down to the dirt in some places before the turnoff. Fresh drifts in other places. Well covered after the right turn.

Jan 31, 2021

Kole Barr

Pretty good snow, decently deep. Layer of wet crust on top 3mi — 3h 00m

Jan 22, 2021

matt lazio

Jan 4, 2021

JJ Johns

The approach is very well covered, except for 150 yards or so just a little bit after you put your skis on. 3.3mi — 2h 17m

Dec 31, 2020

Chris Cederstrom

Dec 31, 2020

Chris Stellato

A few minor bald spots on the ascent but mostly covered up to treeline. Upper boulder fields still very exposed, barely any snow up top.

Apr 4, 2020

Be Hambright

Some small what appeared to be wet slides on east/southeast slopes that were steeper.

Mar 21, 2020

Daniel Hall

Feb 18, 2019

Corey Adam

6mi

Feb 17, 2019

Josh K

Apr 17, 2017

Anfarwal Vr

w/ JD, quick lap with Nala. Got nearly shot at the parking lot — 2h 30m

Feb 12, 2017

CK Kenn

5.7mi

Jan 28, 2017

Blake Gansborg

Jan 18, 2017

Blake Gansborg

Feb 13, 2016

Paul Hoerster

Nov 18, 2015

Mauricio Herrera Cuadra

with Hillary

Apr 18, 2014

Hansen Wendlandt

Nearby Ski Lines

Top of Klondike facing north, towards the Arapahoe Peaks. Head this way, ride the saddle down keeping left if you want to ascend the opposite ridge on Bald Mtn, veering right to go back into the drainage (skin track back)

Klondike Mountain Descent

0.3 mi 0.5 km • -404 ft Descent • -123.21 m Descent

Nederland, CO

Backcountry access gate at the bottom of Moose Glades

Lost Lake Alternate Descent

0.4 mi 0.7 km • -414 ft Descent • -126.1 m Descent

Nederland, CO

Lost Lake Gully

0.5 mi 0.8 km • -544 ft Descent • -165.94 m Descent

Nederland, CO

Alexis skinning up near treeline, with views (from L->R) of Mt. Toll, Paiute Peak, and Mt. Audubon.

Little Pawnee: North Couloir (East)

0.5 mi 0.8 km • -1,130 ft Descent • -344.54 m Descent

Nederland, CO

The south face of Mt. Audubon from near Mitchell Lake.

Mt. Audubon: South Face

0.8 mi 1.2 km • -1,732 ft Descent • -527.97 m Descent

Nederland, CO

Mt. Toll: SE Face

1.0 mi 1.7 km • -1,414 ft Descent • -430.91 m Descent

Nederland, CO

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Caribou Approach

“A casual approach to a low-angle and playful slope with optional steeper glade lines. ”

2.0

3.2

Ascent

11,122' 3,390 m

9,945' 3,031 m

1,178' 359 m

57' 17 m

12%

36%

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Know This Trail?

Description

Contacts

Shared By:

Trail Ratings

#2

#162

#2

#38

#162

Photos

2 Comments

Comment Type:

Weather

Current Trail Conditions

Check-Ins

Nearby Ski Lines

Klondike Mountain Descent

Lost Lake Alternate Descent

Lost Lake Gully

Little Pawnee: North Couloir (East)

Mt. Audubon: South Face

Mt. Toll: SE Face