"Golden Bear Peak"

Route: Golden Lolipop
Posted On: 7/19/2025, By: M_Dundee
Info: A few updates to the route that was in the trip report of 8/12/24 by Captain Suburbia. Along the Continental Divide ridge there are metal fence posts from the saddle to Golden Bear. For the two sub peaks north of Golden Bear the easiest terrain is to the right (east) of those bumps. On the final ridge between the Divide and Coon Hill the snow is off the ridge to the south and the descending trail back to valley only requires a single step in the snow at some rock steps. The flowers are currently amazing the entire hike. 

Route: From West Tunnel Exit Parking Lot
Posted On: 6/21/2025, By: cloudust
Info: Mix of summer and winter conditions. There is snow in the bowl, and spikes are incredibly helpful. I went up & came down early, so the snow was firm, but a little bit of sunshine, and it will be soft fast. The ridge to Golden Bear holds summer conditions. Any snow is 100% avoidable. Attached is a picture of the ridge from Golden Bear to Hagar. I did not summit, as the final approach to the summit block looked sketchy with snow. Oh! Definitely lots of water & mud too :-) 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: nedryarson
Info: Skinned up from base of Chair 8 after booting up The Face from I70. A road cut has been plowed just above Ginni Lee hut but other that, it’s skinnable to the summit. Started descent at 9:40, probably would’ve been better around 9:00 with how warm it was. 

Route: From Eisenhower Tunnel west side
Posted On: 9/9/2024, By: HikesInGeologicTime
Info: Snow-free. Water crossings near tunnel trivial. Trail in great condition to junction with backside of Loveland's Ridge Cat pickup; social trail forming along ridgeline after that makes for equally pleasant strolling up to the summit. Perfect hike for a quick jaunt on the way to or from Denver. 

Route: Westside of Eisenhower tunnel
Posted On: 8/12/2024, By: CaptainSuburbia
Info: Seemed like a safe peak with the bumpy forecast. Ended up being a perfect weather day. Parked near the truck brake test area immediately after exiting tunnel. Trail through basin was wet with lots of shallow stream crossings. Wildflowers were spectacular! Rest of the route was dry. I did a lollipop going up the switchbacks and down at the saddle with Coon Hill. I didn't sign register. Paper was too wet. 

Route: from Eisenhower Tunnel
Posted On: 7/5/2024, By: E_A_Marcus_949
Info: One super small snow field - 98% summer conditions. Went over to Hagar after Golden Bear. The saddle at Coon Hill holds snow with a cornice. 

Route: from Eisenhouer tunnel
Posted On: 6/23/2024, By: cindymo
Info: A few hard packed snow fields to cross in the morning were no issue with microspikes. It was soft and we postholed by late morning. 

Route: via Coon Hill trail/Tunnel Semi Parking
Posted On: 6/20/2024, By: Athiel
Info: Still quite a few snow patches along the trail, which are melting quick and creating a stream by afternoon. Upper trail is easily accessible by avoiding a few snowfields. Ridgeline is completely clear of snow as well as the summit. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/8/2024, By: Danger_D
Info: A mellow ski from the Loveland base, keeping it under 30 degrees because of the wet slide risk. We hiked under the i70 tunnel and to the base of lift 8 with only scattered snow. A little above lift 8 base we clicked in and picked a continuous line to the summit up the east ridge. Summit block is melted, but I could touch the summit with my ski pole, so that works for me. Snow still felt very solid so we dropped in on the slightly steeper bowl from the summit at 8:30 and things were good corn 

Route: Via easiest runs at Loveland
Posted On: 5/20/2024, By: HikesInGeologicTime
Info: Still a continuous skin/ski from just above the base area on the beginner/intermediate terrain. There is a cat track all the way up to and just past the summit, which I do not recall from postseason skins in prior years but which I was happy to take full advantage of. Decided to ski down more or less the same way I had come up to minimize traversing back over to the base area instead of dropping into the Lift 8 drainage, a decision I was quite pleased with as there was plenty of corn to be harvested, including on the groomed track, but there were tracks going more directly off the summit as well. Will add pics when I finally decide to quit lollygagging and drive somewhere with wi-fi. 

Route: East Ridge/Loveland Ski Area
Posted On: 5/20/2024, By: nedryarson
Info: Lots of snow still up here, skinned from base of chair 8 to the summit. Plenty of coverage for nearly unlimited descent lines and should be that way for a while. Hagar was looking super fat as well. 

Route: South ridge from west tunnel entrance
Posted On: 11/6/2023, By: sunbleached
Info: Boot-packed trail all the way toward the turn-off that takes you to the col of Coon Hill's east ridge. I approached GBP's south ridge - occasional powder mixed with wind-hardened firmness, but plenty of bare ground still. Lots of wind. 

Route: West side of Eisenhower Tunnel
Posted On: 7/4/2023, By: sarahmariekirk
Info: Climbed Hagar Mountain today along with Golden Bear, starting from the west side of Eisenhower Tunnel. The class 3 climb on Hagar is super fun and very solid, gorgeous views of the Citadel. On our way back to solid ground from the class 3 portion, we started hearing thunder and seeing very dark clouds surrounding us. Within a matter of minutes, we experienced buzzing rocks and could feel the metal zippers of our jackets vibrating. My friend and I both were shocked on the top of our heads, and it was extremely scary. We booked it down as fast as we could and the weather passed, so we started towards GB. Experienced weather while descending GB today - extreme wind and a gnarly hail storm. Crazy weather lately in the front range! 

Route: East Ridge/Loveland Ski Area
Posted On: 5/22/2023, By: nedryarson
Info: Parked at a small pulloff here (39.681522, -105.899092) and then hiked up The Face run to the base of chair 8. Skinned to the summit from there, primarily following the lift line and then heading right to catch the east ridge. Started at 7:08, summited at 9:10, skied off summit at 9:35. Wouldn't have wanted to be much later than this due to the light freeze and rapid softening in the sun, but it still skied great all the way back to the base of chair 8. 

Route: Lift 9 (Loveland) along the Ridge
Posted On: 5/1/2023, By: HikesInGeologicTime
Info: Six days left to get this one the easy way: by taking the lifts! And if you wait until the weekend, it will be even easier still, since the Ridge Cat should hopefully be running to drop you off even higher. But if you want to hit the sweet spot between not having to skin/hike up all ~2200 from the main lot and having a creamy corn harvest all to yourself, sneaking away one of the next couple mornings (preferably before the forecasted thundersnow arrives) to use one of those 4-Pak tickets you'll otherwise struggle to get rid of on closing day would be worth the trip.