7/2/2025 Route: Alpine Tunnel Trailhead Posted On: 7/2/2025, By: JasonKline Info: The peaks are in summer conditions. There's no need to cross snow/ice. My Hyundai Ioniq made it to the Alpine Tunnel Trailhead via 295 from St. Elmo using cautious and slow driving, but I'd very much advise against taking a sedan to the trailhead in the current conditions. There were at least two (probably more) places where it was pretty much impossible to avoid scraping in a sedan. Other people along the route commented that 295 was in much worse condition than in previous years. The additional section of 295 from the Alpine Tunnel Trailhead to Hancock Lake was also in bad shape. One member of our party considered driving to Hancock Lake, but decided not to after initial inspection. Even if one had a vehicle capable of the present conditions, it might be faster to walk that section than to drive. |
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7/9/2023 Route: North Fork Reservoir Posted On: 7/9/2023, By: malogos Info: Clear trail after exiting the campground and crossing the creek for about .75 miles. Meadow is boggy. Slope after the lake to gain the ridge is quite loose. The ridge to summit is pure rock hopping and slow. |
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6/5/2020 Route: From Hancock Lake and Chalk Creek Pass Posted On: 6/5/2020, By: supranihilest Info: We parked about half a mile or so from the Hancock Lake Trailhead. The road from St. Elmo is great for like six miles then super rough. The upper road is also literally a river. The CDT from the trailhead is the soggiest trail I've maybe ever been on. Running water, standing water, snow, willows, mud, it's got it all and in spades. Getting up to the pass once past the sloppy trail is great, all dry to the summit. We took a series of grassy ledges up about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way to the saddle, then talus hopped the remainder to the saddle. It's not really that bad. From there there's a long Class 2+ ridge to the summit, and it's both super dramatic and fun. We descended the way we came. |
