Looking for *gentle* tour around the Colorado front range area

We will be in Boulder in late January. We're probably going to be telemarking for a few days at some resort but we would like to find a scenic but GENTLE tour somewhere in that area. I saw the site pointer in a previous post but I thought I would ask the question anyway. You see, we will have a 1 year old baby with us (I will have her in a backpack) so I don't want to do anything that's not (more or less) level.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

Charles,

Here are some more or less level tours on the eastern slopes, west of
Boulder:

Peaceful Valley trail, west of Raymond.

Coney Flats trail, from Beaver Reservoir, southwest of Raymond,
northwest of Ward. The access road sometimes gets severely drifted in.

South CMC trail, from Brainard Lake road.

Sourdough trail, from Brainard Lake road, both north and south segments.

Sourdough trail, from Niwot Ridge/Research Station road.

Fourth of July road (county road 111) west of town of Eldora, left fork.

Boulder Creek trail (Hessie), west of Eldora, right fork, first mile
only.

East Portal trail, first mile only, west of Rollinsville.

All of these are west of the Peak to Peak highway and start over 9000
feet elevation. All are free trails on public lands. The Sourdough
trail, Fourth of July road, and Hessie trail require good snow coverage,
and fare poorly in December/January droughts. Some have open areas that
may be hard on children during the windy episodes.

There are some good books on local ski trails, available at the many
outdoor stores in Boulder.

--Dave

Charles Fineman wrote:

We will be in Boulder in late January. We're probably going to be telemarking for a few days at some resort but we would like to find a scenic but GENTLE tour somewhere in that area. I saw the site pointer in a previous post but I thought I would ask the question anyway. You see, we will have a 1 year old baby with us (I will have her in a backpack) so I don't want to do anything that's not (more or less) level.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

Charles Fineman wrote in message news:c5108$3fd408ca$d89e2d9a$18265@allthenewsgrou ps.com...
We will be in Boulder in late January. We're probably going to be
telemarking for a few days at some resort but we would like to find a
scenic but GENTLE tour somewhere in that area. I saw the site pointer
in a previous post but I thought I would ask the question anyway. You
see, we will have a 1 year old baby with us (I will have her in a
backpack) so I don't want to do anything that's not (more or less)
level.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

I would think Bulter Gulch would be a good plan, up to the first set
of
open glades. It has only one pitch to that point. But strictly not
front
range, it is at the East side of Berthoud Pass. Is known for good
snow.
And higher, a bowl for turns (supposedly).

The place lots of folks go is Brainard Lake area. You can ski up the
road and there is even a CMC warming hut at the end And there are
various tours. But again wind and wind blown conditions can be a
problem.
Scenery wise, very scenic. Get there early or you won't be able to
park

Another is Rollins Pass area, up the South Boulder trail, or even up
the road. South Boulder seems to have better snow, don't worry about
the wind in the parking lot. It always blows a hurricane by the
tunnel,
and then once in the trees the wind drops away. The very beginning is
easy until after the big open meadow.

Another scenic place is Rocky Mountain National park and ski around
Bear Lake? Or risk life and limb and ski on Bear Lake Park in
general has poor ski conditions. I would rate the trails leading
up as not gentle. There is the hidden valley "snow play" area with
old ski runs. The other side of the park has a lot of gentle terrain,
and tons of snow. East side ... only in places does it hold snow.

And at Eldora there is a Nordic Center, and National Forest Access,
but
I can't speak for the trail. Runs right up between the Nordic center
that the rope tow.

And of course all the places the previous poster mentioned. But expect
windblown and icy conditions esp 4th of july and peaceful valley road
mixed
with piles of powder once in the shelter of trees.

-Rich Auletta

To Whom It May Concern,

On reflection I see that my dyslexia is acting up worse than I thought.
Correction followeth:

Dave Allured wrote on Dec 8:

... Fourth of July road (county road 111) west of town
of Eldora, left fork.

Boulder Creek trail (Hessie), west of Eldora, right fork, first mile
only ...

That SHOULD read:

Fourth of July road (county road 111) west of town of Eldora, RIGHT fork
at Hessie turnoff.

Boulder Creek trail (Hessie), west of Eldora, LEFT fork, first mile
only.

P.S. We were up at Hessie on Wednesday Dec. 10. There was less snow
there than in my front yard in Boulder. Translation, conditions
sucked. HOWEVER, the trail got pretty sweet starting right at that
shady area about 1-1/2 miles in, at the second bridge right after the
Devils Thumb Bypass Trail turns off.

More snow, please!