6/26/2022 Posted On: 6/26/2022 By: chin1997 Info: Drove the road yesterday in a 2013 Subaru Impreza with very low ground clearance. Took my sweet time but did manage to get up to the communication towers and park. While up there we saw a front wheel drive Toyota Camry. Anything with decent clearance can get up on a dry day with a good amount of maneuvering and time. | ||||
6/13/2022 Posted On: 6/13/2022 By: silentsword3 Info: Road was clear for 4WD all the way up to the Lodge. | 1 |
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6/12/2022 Posted On: 6/12/2022 By: bribaker2001 Info: Made it to radio towers in a stock 2006 V8 2WD 4Runner, no problem. Still some snow at trail break from the road. | ||||
6/10/2022 Posted On: 6/14/2022 By: miecho Info: Drove up past the radio towers and was able to park at the last switchback at ~11,600. There was a small patch of snow just past this last switchback, otherwise drivable 4WD almost to Lucky Mine. Stock 4x4 Jeep Grand Cherokee. | ||||
6/8/2022 Posted On: 6/10/2022 By: sklumb Info: There is still impassable snow just after the last switchback on the road before the trail breaks off it. There is no snow on the road anymore before this point. You can park at least one, maybe two cars at this switchback. We saw a truck parked there. There are a couple parking spots at various places between the radio towers and this last switchback, mostly only room for one, maybe two cars at each place. The road does get a bit rougher after the radio towers though. Had to pass a car at about 7:30am on our way up. Then had to pass a car just before the radio towers on our way down at 2pm, and two more cars right before returning to the 2WD trailhead. That was a bummer but for the most part, it all worked out better than I couldve hoped. | ||||
6/4/2022 Posted On: 6/5/2022 By: CraigE Info: Any crossover vehicle with clearance should be able to make it up to the radio towers and several hundred yards beyond. Lots of ruts and dips, but no snow and not very rocky. Theres a snow drift at the first sharp switchback above the towers, and a long stretch of impassable snow further up on the final switchback. | ||||
5/6/2022 Posted On: 5/8/2022 By: MBosch27 Info: Easily passable to the towers in a Rav4 TRD. After the towers, the road quickly becomes choked with snow. About 1/4 mile past the trailhead, the snow cover up to 8' deep uphill and down to the dirt on the far downhill side of the road, making it about a 40 degree angle... IF you can get past the first few snow drifts past the towers, there is ample parking before the big snow begins about 1/4 mile past the towers. Pics are of the big snow drifts about 1/4 mile past the towers. | 2 |
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5/1/2022 Posted On: 5/2/2022 By: Eagle Eye Info: From yesterday 5/1/22. The lower trailhead is in great shape and there is a clean bathroom WITH tp! I just walked up the road, but someone did drive a truck up and parked at the radio towers. There are still quite a few risky places on the road where only your inside tires would be on the dirt or mud, the others on a hard ice or snow 'platform'. Hard drifts cover the road continuing up from, and the summer parking areas around the towers. | ||||
12/22/2021 Posted On: 12/22/2021 By: KRBoyce Info: About a half mile or so below the towers there was a larged downed tree. This morning some other hikers and I were able to leverage it out of the way just enough to make it passable all the way to the towers. There was modest amount of snow on the road, and one of the other hikers wasn't able to make it up one of the switchbacks on his jeep. I was able to get all the way to the towers. | 1 |
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11/22/2021 Posted On: 11/23/2021 By: etradio1 Info: Another than a small patch of ice that is easily avoided the road is completely dry. | ||||
10/30/2021 Posted On: 10/31/2021 By: MidsizeAl Info: Road is dry all the way to 11,800. We parked at the towers in a 2018 Outback and had no major difficulties getting to that point. Good clearance is a must if you like your car. I wouldnt want to drive up this with any more than a light dusting of snow on the road, so pay attention to the weather, as it is set to change tomorrow afternoon. | ||||
9/12/2021 Posted On: 9/12/2021 By: noob_hiker Info: subaruable to 10,800. i turned left at 322A and found camping/parking shortly thereafter. | ||||
8/24/2021 Posted On: 9/2/2021 By: Ed_Groves Info: Mt. Princeton Road has big humps but they are smooth enough for four wheel or all wheel drive vehicles. I would have my doubts coming up with two wheel drive, but it could possibly be done with the right driver and ground clearance for the humps. (Don't quote me on that though.) I drove to the towers with a four wheel drive V6 Tacoma and could have drove further up to additional camping and parking spaces beyond the towers. Two or three were still open when I hiked up from the towers. After completing the hike, another vehicle and mine encountered another upward-driving vehicle on our descent of the narrow one lane road. Fortunately with a bit of discussion, he found a place about 50 yards behind him where he was able to back his jeep up and allow us to pass. The only real problems with this road are how narrow it is, and the drop off on one side. | ||||
8/20/2021 Posted On: 8/23/2021 By: Btuperkwh Info: Road was dry all the way up. Drove a lifted Nissan Titan up to the radio towers (Fri 8/20 - 7AM) but could have easily driven my Cherokee Trailhawk up carefully. Interestingly enough there was a Honda Fit already parked at the radio towers - gone by the time I returned to my truck ~ 1:30p. Dispersed camping spots after the radio towers were mostly full - the high(er) one was empty. Road is OK but definitely very narrow and has very, very few spots where 2 vehicles can pass each other. I wouldn't want to be coming down this road in weekend traffic. | ||||
8/4/2021 Posted On: 8/4/2021 By: sctbke Info: Drove up the road yesterday to check in after the heavy rains, it is still in good condition. Couple of small washouts but nothing that can't be navigated. Subarus can still make it to the radio towers and about 1/4 mile beyond them. 5 or so parking spots 1/4 mile up from the radio towers, majority of the parking is at the radio towers. Road after that has some large exposed rocks, but they can be navigated with good line choice. Most difficult part of the trail in my opinion is around 100 yards above the 5 parking spots. Minimum 8" ground clearance and decent torque needed to make it. 07 Honda Pilot with bigger A/T's can still make it to the trail with spot-on line choice, cutting it close over a rock in one spot. Beyond the 5 parking spots 1/4 mile beyond the radio towers, there is very limited parking. There are 3 tight switchbacks with a spot or two on the lower 2, and 3 spots on the highest, left turning (uphill) switchback. When I hiked Princeton, I car camped at this upper switchback. It has a spectacular view! Beyond this upper switchback, there isn't any parking that I would call reasonable, and nowhere to camp that's flat. Hopefully that provides some good road info for those looking. Get out there and hike! |
