GC1EDH0 CDT Rollins Pass
Type: Traditional | Size: Regular | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: McStain Adopt-A-Trail @ | Hide Date: 07/12/2008 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N39° 55.048 W105° 40.940 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
                 

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Terrain is high alpine tundra, with a few scattered boulder fields. Altitude is over 12,000 feet with SPECTACULAR views on both sides of the Continental Divide. Elevation gain approx 1,000 feet over 2 miles (guess - please let me know if you have a more accurate reading).

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From Highway 40, take the Moffat Road (Rollins Pass Road, County Road 80) across from Winter Park Ski area, about 2 miles south of the town of Winter Park (39.899728, -105.774479). Drive up the road; after about 11 miles you will see an old railroad trestle, the Rifle Sight Notch. Keep driving past the trestle another several miles to the parking lot at the top of the divide. The trail head is here. Head SOUTH following the CDTA (Continental Divide Trail Alliance) posts placed every 200-500 feet for approximately 2 miles until you get to your GPS way point.

NOTE: Rollins Pass Road is only cleared of snow during the summer months. Check with the Sulphur Ranger's Office to find out road conditions before you go. SUVs are recommended as Rollins Pass Road is not paved (but again, check with the rangers for conditions). Sometimes this road is plowed of snow up to the trestle only, but you can still park here and access the trail from the south end (longer hike). This trail is marked with CDTA posts in rock cairns. Parts of the trail go over 13,000 ft. above sea level and go through boulder fields (however you can easily go around the boulders).

Summer: Frequent thunderstorms with afternoon hail and high winds are common from mid-June through September. Electrical storm activity is a special consideration along this route. Retreat from exposed tundra and talus slopes to treeline protection when lightning activity is expected. Daytime high temperatures average 60 degrees Farenheit with lows occasionally below freezing. Remember sunscreen, hat, and water!

07/15/2018 By StephAndLiz
Replaced the cache with a stainless steel container and new log. Packed out plastic from old, smashed container. The trail is still well marked and just as beautiful as ever! We had fog rolling in on the day we visited and got back to the car just as it started to rain.

07/07/2018 By robuster91
This geocacher reported that the container is damaged.

07/07/2018 By robuster91
cache is smashed and needs a new cache did best to put back as it was

09/20/2014 By Scaber
Sorry to say the cache has been compromised. The container was broken and contents scattered about. I put it back together the best I could and covered with rocks. Thank you for placing this cache. Found and logged with my HTC One. Thank you for the cache.

06/30/2013 By greendiamond
The cache did not have a log in it. We had a small scrape of paper that we signed and left in the cache. It will handle a few more names, but a new log is needed.

GreenDiamond

06/26/2013 By greendiamond
TFTC This was well worth the hike. Our GPSr said we were at 12,080 feet. Great views, real windy. There was no log in the cache so we had a small scrape of paper that we signed and put in the container. A new log is needed.
GreenDiamond