High Country Scouting Months?

[john_tn]

I'm considering traveling to Colorado and doing some preseason scouting. We hunt between 11,000 and 12,000 ft. What is the earliest I could make it up there without having to wear snowshoes?

 

[Nomad]

If you hunt in beetle kill areas, consider the extra deadfall that has been/is falling and will be blocking trails early. I hiked into the Weminuche over Memorial Day weekend last year and it was pretty brutal. I knew it would be ugly in spots, but it was way worse than I expected. There had also been a late snow in the area last year (early May) and it was piled up at 10K.

 

[under h2o hunter]

Best time is going to be late July early August.. I have seen snow in June pretty piled up. The deadfall is brutal like Nomad mentioned. Let the forestry service get their crews going which is usually June into mid July before you head out and you'll have a better time...

 

[john_tn]

Where I'm going i don't use maintained trails anyways. The snowabove treeline is my biggest concern.

 

[307]

Late July at the earliest

 

[chindits]

what 307 says, no advantage in scouting earlier. Usually the later the better, the less flies, the safer water crossings, and no snow cornices to punch if you are switching drainages. If I didn't live here I wouldn't scout so much and so early. Early and mid summer can just be torture, but I deserve it.