Just an overview, the map misses much of the detail unfortunately. Click to enlarge.
Neal jokingly referred to it as the “Outward Bound Course in a Day” loop. I’m not exactly sure how long it is, but our estimates put it in the 40-mile range. It had 11,000+ vertical feet climbed over five passes and it took all day (about 12 hours with stops).
After the Meadow Mountain Traverse, a cross-country leg took us over this ridge, and to the Silver Pass trail.
In the clockwise direction we followed, the route goes something like this (grab a map):
From the Snowmass Creek Trailhead, follow the trail up to the lake, and then up to Trail Rider Pass. Descend from the pass, along the section of trail shared with the 4-Pass Loop, and part-way down, take a right fork to Geneva Lake. From the lake, find the Meadow Mountain Traverse and follow it, eventually you’ll have to go cross-country over a ridge to Silver Creek (It’s tough route finding there, go with someone who’s familiar with Marble-area trails). Follow the Silver Creek trail to the pass, and then continue on the faint trail, down the other side, through the East Avalanche Creek Valley. The rolling trail eventually climbs to a ridge above Avalanche Lake, and then descends towards it. Hook up with the Avalanche Creek trail (below the lake) and descend to the fork with the Capitol Pass Trail. Climb the steep trail to Capitol Pass (in the opposite direction of our Capitol/Hell Roaring Loop a few weeks back), and descend to Capitol Lake. Take on the final climb of the day to Daly Pass, and then make your way down past Moon Lake, and back to the trailhead. Have a beer.
Silver Pass
Neal Beidleman on the faint trail down the East Fork of Avalanche Creek from Silver Pass. Capitol Peak stands tall in the distance.
The huge west side of Capitol Peak. You’d have to be a fool to try and ski down that.
Sean and Neal take a break on Capitol Pass and scout the climbing route up the NW Buttress before taking on the 5th pass of the loop.
Neal takes the final steps up Daly Pass before the final descent down West Snowmass Creek.
Glad to be done. This loop might have to be put on the annual summer rotation. If it weren’t in official Wilderness, it would make a pretty cool race course. Oh well.
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