Snake River (North Fork) (I-70 Mountains)

Snake River (North Fork) (I-70 Mountains) Canyoneering Canyoning Caving

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‌	Difficulty:‌3C3 I (v3a6 I) Swift water Raps:‌1, max ↨60ft Metric Overall: 30min-1h  ⟷0.2mi Approach:  ⟷245ft  ↓30ft Descent:  ⟷330ft  ↓80ft Exit:  ⟷610ft  ↑100ft No Red Tape:‌ Shuttle:‌None Vehicle:Passenger
Start:	39.6406, -105.8801
Parking:	39.6410, -105.8803
Condition Reports:
Weather:
Best season:	Jul-Sep winter spring summer fall Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
Regions:	North America United States Colorado Vail & Summit County

39.6406, -105.880139.6410, -105.8803https://ropewiki.com/images/3/31/Snake_River_%28North_Fork%29_%28I-70_Mountains%29.kmltopo

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Introduction

The short gorge of North Fork of the Snake River is a good practice canyon with interesting narrows above Snake River Falls.

Conditions are generally good in July and water flow tapers off in August.

Stream gauge: 09047500 SNAKE RIVER NEAR MONTEZUMA, CO
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09047500&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

Suggested target of ~6 cfs and "divide the streamflow value by 14" to estimate the cfs at Snake River Falls. Experts may go for more.

Approach

From I-70, drive over Loveland Pass to the south and by Arapaho Basin Ski Area at the bottom of the pass. Park on a pullout on the left (south) side of the road soon after the ski area and before a yellow sign that says "Runaway Truck Ramp 2.5 Miles".

Walk downhill for a minute from the pullout on well-worn social trails to the edge of the North Fork of the Snake River. Turn left (upstream) and drop in by a large telephone pole.

• 

  Drop in at the telephone pole
• 

  the narrows seen from one of the overlooks above
• 

  Snake River Falls from the overlook above

Descent

Hike the narrows downstream a short distance to Snake River Falls.

R1: 60' from a natural anchor or bolts on Canyon Right

pic|:NForkSnakeColorado1.jpg ~ Snake River Falls}}

• 

  Snake River Falls
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  stream below Snake River Falls
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  fixed line tied to a tree at the exit (2022 photo)

Exit

After Snake River Falls, the canyon widens. As of August 2022, a fixed line was tied to a tree up a steep dirt slope just downstream on Canyon Right from Snake River Falls.

Hike up one of many social trails on the north side of the canyon back to the car.

Credits

Snake River (North Fork) (I-70 Mountains)

Information provided by automated processes. KML map by (unknown). Main photo by (unknown). Authors are listed in chronological order.

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