A new fire is forcing evacuations of more than a dozen hikers at one of the most popular hikes in southwestern Colorado, Ice Lake Basin, The Durango Herald reported Monday. Another option is a shuttle system from Silverton to the trailhead to reduce parking problems, similar to one used in the summer months at the Maroon Bells near Aspen. The explosive display captivates many viewers during this short summer spectacle. The Ice Lakes Trail is nine miles in length, round trip, and is located west of Silverton. The Ice Lakes Basin Trail is located near Silverton, Colorado, within the Columbine Ranger District of San Juan National Forest. The cause is still under investigation. Botsford said they were showing up in the heart of summer monsoon season — meaning afternoon rainstorms were likely with the possibility of lightning — with 12-ounce water bottles and tiny backpacks. In the spring, Forest Service crews will work to mitigate hazards along the Ice Lake Trail and Clear Lake Road. All contents Copyright © 2020 The Denver Post or other copyright holders. From the trailhead, a hike of a little more than three miles, with an ascent of about 2,400 feet, leads to one of the most spectacular settings in Colorado. Fire crews report numerous fire-weakened trees on the lower sections of Ice Lakes Trail and the Clear Lake Road. “People seemed to be psyched because they were experiencing their public lands, which a good thing, but the sheer amount of use in that canyon was astonishing,” said Jed Botsford, recreation staff officer for the Columbine Ranger District of the San Juan National Forest. The Ice Lakes Basin trailhead begins from the dirt parking lot across the road from South Mineral Campground . More than 20 hikers on the Ice Lakes trail were stranded on Oct. 19 when the fire erupted near the trailhead, and they had to be evacuated by helicopter. See the San Juan National Forest site for more information on current closures. “We were also seeing people in those designated campgrounds were staying way long, way past the 14-day rule. Hiking to Ice Lakes Basin, Colorado Ice Lakes Basin is located near Silverton, CO, a mecca of hiking, backpacking, and camping! The Ice Lake Basin and aquamarine Ice Lake at 12,300 feet is ringed by 13,000-foot peaks. The lot at the trailhead can handle 60-80 cars. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features A steep climb to the upper basin leads to the turquoise blue waters of Ice Lake nestled in a magnificent cirque of sculpted ridges and peaks soaring well above 13,000-ft. Rainbow trout, kokanee (landlocked salmon), northern pike, mackinaw or lake trout, yellow perch and a host of other panfish lurk below the ice, depending on the Colorado terrain you choose to fish. The trail wastes no time gaining elevation, climbing 1,600-ft. in 2-miles through forests and wildflower-filled meadows to the beautiful Lower Ice Lakes basin. Campers unable to find legal campsites near the trailhead below set up tents on roadsides or overstayed 14-day limits on legal sites. “We will be reaching out to the other national forests that have permit systems in place to find out their lessons learned,” Botsford said. All rights reserved. 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Updated: December 18, 2020 Ice fishing in Colorado has grown in popularity in recent years, with many hearty winter fishers investing in portable fishing shelters, electronic fish locators and use of several types of bait (consult a local tackle shop for best bait information). “We will work hand in hand with San Juan County and the Town of Silverton, because everything we do up in that area affects them and their economy. It is located right outside of Silverton, CO and down the road from Ouray, CO in the San Juan Mountains. Did you see it? San Juan National Forest, near Silverton in Southwest Colorado, View of Pilot Knob and the ridge to the west of Ice Lake, This wonderful hike visits two gorgeous lake basins, traverses wildflower-filled meadows and passes numerous waterfalls along the way. The fire area includes the Ice Lakes Trail and the Clear Lake Road. And, of course, camping above treeline, you don’t have very much cover, so people were going to the bathroom literally right next to their tents, which they set up right next to the lake. “We saw people camping literally on the edge of a dirt road with 150 cars going by all day long, dust falling on their tents and in their food,” Botsford said. Fort Collins, Colorado 276 contributions 115 helpful votes Overrun by people and loose dogs and the bugs are voracious This trail has fallen victim to its own popularity and it is VERY crowded with hikers, lots of trail runners all of who do not leash their dogs, who go out into the fields to harass the wildlife. Because of its western geography, Colorado might just rank as the state with the greatest variety of fish to catch from the ice. Ice Fire Closure Area Reduced; Ice Lakes Trail Remains Closed BAYFIELD, Colo., October 28, 2020 – The Ice Fire area closure has been reduced beginning Wednesday, October 28, 2020. Description: Ice Lakes Basin is at the headwaters of Mineral Creek outside of Silverton, Colorado. Ice Lakes Trail [CLOSED] is a 8.2 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Silverton, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. The Colorado house with the best holiday lights in 2020 is ... Six free, socially distanced, in-person Christmas wonderlands to check out in Denver this month. Fire crews report numerous fire-weakened trees on the lower sections of Ice Lakes Trail and the Clear Lake Road. From the trailhead, a hike of a little more than three miles, with an ascent of about 2,400 feet, leads to one of the most spectacular settings in Colorado. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, snowshoeing, and backpacking and is best used from April until September. Ice Lake Basin Trail [CLOSED] is a 9.5 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Ophir, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Fire crews report numerous fire-weakened trees on the lower sections of Ice Lakes Trail and the Clear Lake Road. There are lots of options here - left and 300' higher in another.75 miles is Fuller Lake. The Ice Lakes trailhead is located about six miles west of Silverton. PHOTOS: There was a once-in-a-lifetime celestial event in the sky above Colorado Monday night. Designated campsites were full daily from the beginning of summer until the end, Botsford said. For many, ice fishing is not the winter activity that brings them to Colorado, but for those true anglers that are willing to put up with cold for that great catch, ice fishing in Colorado is a must! Sign up for our weekly entertainment and outdoors emails to get news and weekend plans sent right to your inbox. Through a stunning array of alpine wildflowers, the Ice Lakes trail winds through old growth forest, sub alpine meadows, and up to alpine tundra. 13er's surround the lake - Fuller, Vermillion, Golden Horn and Pilot Knob. 힘든 등산을, 그래도 전경은 매우 가치가 있었어요. Colorado Ice Fishing Forecast — November 10, 2020 Colorado Ice Fishing Forecast — November 10, 2020 So far, we are seeing the cold temperatures we need to get ice on a lot of the our bigger mountain lakes and reservoirs by Once it’s burned, it doesn’t come back for decades. The closure is currently in place until July 31, 2021; however, it could be lifted earlier, extended later, or the boundaries could be adjusted depending on conditions. This opinionated guide includes all the hikes in the Ouray, Telluride, Silverton and Lake City sections of the website plus info on local services and nearby attractions. Public entry into this area is prohibited for the safety of users. Fortunately for you, they don't hibernate! Ice Lakes,실버톤: 16건 중에서 8위를 차지한 관광명소인 Ice Lakes에 관한 29 건의 리뷰와 27 건의 사진을 체크하세요. The trail offers a number of activity options. Again, creek crossing shoes and poles may be helpful, especially early in the hiking season. The Ice Lakes trailhead is located about six miles west of Silverton. As a result, a permit system is being considered. Here’s how to explore it in the winter. A big part of that would be public input.”. It blows your mind, doesn’t it?”. Southwest Colorado. Dogs are also able to use this trail. They were there four, six, eight weeks, not leaving when they should have left after two weeks.”. An edition of The Denver Post. “A large portion were from Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah,” Botsford said, “but we were seeing plates from Florida, New York, Washington state.”. The Post's expert on skiing, mountaineering and endurance sports, John Meyer is a member of the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Colorado Running Hall of Fame. Ice Lakes Basin sits at an elevation of 12,500 ft, … Ice Lakes Basin provides perhaps the best bang for your buck on an effort vs scenery perspective in all of Colorado. “That high alpine environment up there cannot handle that amount of people walking off-trail, and that’s what was happening. Public entry into this area is prohibited for the safety of users. “People were also building fires directly on the alpine environment. The trail might be difficult, but that doesn’t seem to deter the thousands of hikers this trail sees every season. We know they were burning things besides normal firewood that you would collect in a forested environment, because we were finding nails from historic structures in those fire rings. Over the last 10 months, the Ice Lakes Basin area has been trampled, polluted, and destroyed by a tsunami of visitors. We want to make sure we’re all on the same page. Follow the trail across a flatter approach to Ice Lake and marvel at the deep blue-green color that changes as shadows cross the lake. A good friend and long time Colorado resident calls this the best hike in Colorado--and he may be right. To reach the trailhead from the intersection of Highway 550 and the turnoff to Silverton (Highway 110), drive 2 miles north on Highway 550 to County Road 7, located between mile markers 72 and 73. Upon reaching the lower basin great views open to Fuller, Vermillion Peak, Golden Horn and Pilot Knob rising above the ridge at the head of the basin. The Ice Lake Basin and aquamarine Ice Lake at 12,300 feet is ringed by 13,000-foot peaks. The hike to Ice Lakes begins from the South Mineral Campground in the San Juan National Forest near Silverton, Colorado. ALERT: The fire was reported on the afternoon of October 19, 2020, west of Silverton, CO on the north side of the South Mineral Creek Road (FS585). The fire area includes the Ice Lakes Trail and the Clear Lake Road. Opportunities for exploration include side trips to Island and Fuller lakes.Read Full Description. The Ice Lakes trailhead is about 7 hours driving from Denver in the southwest section of the state. We had human waste all over, between the rocks at the edge of the lake and 100 yards back. “This summer it was 400-600 hikers a day, every day of the week,” Botsford said. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Adventurist, to get outdoors news sent straight to your inbox. Basecamp(s) Information: At the Ice Lakes trailhead and down canyon, forest rangers saw license plates from all over the country. Overuse impacts were felt not just in the Ice Lake Basin, but down below in areas near the trailhead. While reports of crowding and resource damage in Colorado’s public lands have been commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic, what unfolded over the summer in the spectacular Ice Lakes area of the San Juan Range near Silverton has to be among the most egregious. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed for any commercial purpose. “We were seeing that lot maxed out by 7 in the morning,” Botsford said. Anything like that would include a public comment period before going into effect. The Gore Range is about as wild as Colorado gets. That fire was fully contained Oct. 27. Campfires were built on sensitive high alpine tundra, fueled by wood pilfered from historic mining structures. The Ice Lakes trailhead is located about six miles west of Silverton. Soils saturated by rain and snow and loosened by freezing and thawing will be even more unstable. As you wander up the lower basin waterfalls emanating from unseen alpine lakes and snowfields tumble down clefts in the rocky hillside watering a breathtaking array of wildflowers. Human waste was left around the perimeter of Ice Lake and neighboring Island Lake. It is moderately difficult, clocking in right at 8 miles with a total 3,000 feet of elevation gain, but the waterfalls, fantastic lakes, and wonderful views below and above the tree line are absolutely fantastic. Beautiful, epic, and grand, it has it all. Beyond that, forest service officials are considering a permit system to access the Ice Lakes trail, similar to the system employed the last two summers at Hanging Lake near Glenwood Springs. Some of the hikers were woefully unprepared for a high alpine hike like Ice Lakes and unaware of what such a hike might entail. The 3-4 hour hike up to lower Ice Lakes past a great waterfall is wonderful. The Ice Lake Basin Trail is a tough hike to stunning views, incredible wildflowers, and electric blue alpine lakes — it’s certainly worth the climb. But the best is yet to come. Public entry into this area is prohibited for the safety of users. We were seeing camping not only in the lower basin but actually at the lake itself. If there was ever a need for emergency management such as an ambulance at the campground or the trail, there was no way an ambulance could get by because the road was blocked.”. You'll need to cross the creek that drains Ice Lakes to reach the Island Lake trail spur. Then there were the parking problems. Continue to Island Lake (Colorado) Island Lake lies just 0.5 miles and 250 vertical feet above the Upper Ice Lakes. Dramatic peaks punctuate the ridge forming the backdrop for upper Ice Lake, nestled in an alpine wonderland. We’ve put together a list of the 8 best lakes for ice fishing in Colorado. A sea of columbine, larkspur, aspen daisies, chiming bells and cow parsnips blankets both sides of the trail. Ice fishing at Wolford Mountain Reservoir near Kremmling, CO “We pumped the toilets in those campgrounds four times more than in any other season, and those are 750-gallon vaulted toilets,” Botsford said. Five years ago, Botsford said, a busy day on the Ice Lakes trail might see 250 hikers. Silverton / Ouray, Region Information: Hikers at popular Ice Lakes trail left behind feces, trash and damaged historic mining structures Daily Camera | 10d While reports of crowding and resource damage in Colorado’s public lands have been commonplace during the coronavirus pandemic, what unfolded over the summer in the spectacular Ice Lakes area of the San Juan Range near Silverton has to be among the most egregious. The alpine wonderland around the lake invites exploration, with routes heading toward Island Lake, Fuller Lake and beyond. As a result, Botsford said, the Ice Lakes trail is expected to be closed until July 31. The Ice Lakes trailhead is located about six miles west of Silverton. The fire is estimated to be burning across 15 to 20 acres. New Colorado study claims no link between gym attendance and COVID-19 infections. Enjoy quiet landscapes, breath-taking scenery, and the tranquility of the Colorado wilderness. The hike up to Ice Lake and Island Lake in Colorado's San Juan Mountains is truly an amazing one. Public lands in Colorado saw huge increases in visitation this summer as other opportunities for summer fun were restricted or eliminated. Crews had cleared the Clear Lake road numerous times before the recent snowfall, but trees, rocks and boulders continued to fall. The fire area includes the Ice Lakes Trail and the Clear Lake Road. © HikingWalking.com. The reputation of ice fishing as a cold winter activity is true, but with modern equipment like heaters, huts and the right winter clothing, you can usually find yourself quite comfortable. Then, adding insult to those injuries, in late October a wildfire burned nearly 600 acres near the Ice Lakes trailhead. Ice Fishing & Contests The lakes of Grand County, Colorado are home to some of the biggest lake trout in the Rocky Mountain West. EXPLORE ICE CASTLES IN Colorado Open for the season Dates and hours are weather dependent. Crowding abated around mid-September, a month before the Ice Lakes fire, and it’s a good thing it didn’t happen before visitation dropped. Because of fire damage, lots of erosion is expected in the burn area. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Ice Lakes(シルバートン)に行くならトリップアドバイザーで口コミ(29件）、写真（27枚）、地図をチェック！ Ice Lakesはシルバートンで8位(16件中)の観光名所です。 “Then people were parking up and down the road on either side, so there was no possibility for larger vehicles. 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