[Sage_Cat]

Does anyone have any information on the conditions of the CDT near Chama? Is there a lot of tree-fall? I assume there is still snow up high, but how about the trail from the campground up to the pass? Thanks.

 

[Mars29]

I was planning to ride the Great Divide MTB route from Cumbres Pass to Cuba starting this weekend and checked on the conditions last week. The Tres Piedras ranger district said there is still a lot of snow and mud up there and they have not been able to get up there yet.

I got a photo from someone who drove past Hopewell Lake on Hwy 64 and there is snow on the ground. Not just in trees but in open areas.

Someone was working on the CDT starting at Hwy 84 and working up towards Hopewell lake.

I decided I should wait until July to ride that high country unless I got a better report and to just ride the part south from Abiquiu this weekend.

Mars

 

[Sage_Cat]

I was planning to ride the Great Divide MTB route from Cumbres Pass to Cuba starting this weekend and checked on the conditions last week. The Tres Piedras ranger district said there is still a lot of snow and mud up there and they have not been able to get up there yet.

I got a photo from someone who drove past Hopewell Lake on Hwy 64 and there is snow on the ground. Not just in trees but in open areas.

Someone was working on the CDT starting at Hwy 84 and working up towards Hopewell lake.

I decided I should wait until July to ride that high country unless I got a better report and to just ride the part south from Abiquiu this weekend.

Mars

Thanks very much for the information.

 

[AlienTrees]

Hopewell is completely clear of snow. I've been up there every week since mid April, seen the snowpack melt and water levels in the streams drop to summer levels. It was a hell of a strong runoff this year, towards the end of April the stream below Hopewell was raging class 4 and 5 rapids and there was still 2-5' of snow along the banks in the canyon, more water flowing than I've seen here since 2004. Deer Trail and Rio Tusas tributaries were all flowing well above the banks. Two days ago on June 10th there was no snow at Hopewell and the stream was low enough to ride or walk across, didn't ride any of the CDT so no word on any downed trees, there's probably some, all the forest roads I checked out were dry - a few miles down 91B, 91B1 and the old CDT route along 356A besides where it crosses the stream. Burned Mountain looked pretty dry wherever I could see it from the roads. Jawbone had only a few lingering snow patches along the cliffs, there may be a few isolated patches between there and Cumbres Pass. All around the area the aspens are leafing out.

Below Hopewell Lake dam April 29th;

FR 356A stream crossing above the junction with 91B1, June 3;

Below the dam June 10th, quite a change from earlier during spring;

 

[Sage_Cat]

Report as of June 15, 2019. Yes, as you guessed, way too early to ride up high. We were hoping to ride CDT 813 downhill but couldn't get past 11000 feet while climbing on FSR # 118. Roads are officially closed due to snow at Highway 17. Could not even access the campground near the RR station. Found great camping 2 miles east off of FR #116 and enjoyed riding around the snow and mud as we explored the high country. Met some poor thru-hikers, on the way to Canada, slogging their way north. Not a good year for them, but a good year for the trees.

 

[Mars29]

I changed my route and only rode from Abiquiu south through the Jemez. There was only a small bit of snow up over 10,000 ft. And I mean a small bit. I only saw one patch of snow and no mud. Lots of dust on the ride down FR #144 south of the pipeline beyond the 4wd territory.

I saw the report that Hopewell was clear at the last minute before I left and almost switched back to my original plan. Now I am glad I did not.

I came across two bikers riding north to Canada. They said I was the first biker they had seen in 12 days.

Mars

 

[SSweetleaf]

I came across two bikers riding north to Canada. They said I was the first biker they had seen in 12 days.

Mars

Why we live and ride here, right? :thumbsup:

 

[Mars29]

I got another report on conditions that came from a group of folks riding the Continental Divide Mountain Bike Route. They had to cross though about 1.5 miles of snow just south of Cumbres Pass.

Mars

 

[Mars29]

Why we live and ride here, right? :thumbsup:

I was the one mountain biker they saw. They did not mention how many motorcycles they saw. I came across maybe a dozen motorcycles, not counting the ones on the roads below the four wheel drive territory.

But there are a whole lot of areas to ride where you will rarely see anyone.

Mars

 

[Eric B]

Looking to ride from Cumbres Pass to Hopewell Lake or maybe further the weekend of Sept 13-15 if anyone is interested.

 

[Mars29]

I am interested.

Mars