Gunnison Roads

[leonard]

Does anyone from Gunnison know if County Roads 723D and 723E are open in December? They head into the boundary of Sapinero SWA and are north of Hwy. 50. I'm trying to plan for a late season cow hunt in unit 54 and would like to know if I should plan on using a snowmobile (not going until after Christmas). If these roads are open it could save me from being limited to snowshoeing. I think a snowmobile would open up more country if there is sufficient snowpack. With the current weather pattern there may not be much snow anyhow, anyone's guess. Thanks - Preston

 

[chindits]

Those aren't really county roads. They are USFS roads that have no houses on them, so they might get graded once a year. For this country they are really buffed out roads so you really don't need an ATV if you got a truck with chains. Around here, we refer to areas by their drainages. Like the Sapinero State Wildlife Area encompases Red Crk, Dry Gulch,and East Elk Crk drainage and then there is a little section by the Rainbow Lake access road. Now me trying to say what the road is going to be like in December-Jan is like me telling you where the elk are. Yea, there might be snow there and there could be lots. More likely down low (elevation) though, those roads are south facing and early winter snows are pretty hit or miss around here so it will be less then knee deep powder that will not hold any weight. If you go up to the top of Red Creek you could have a heap of snow in the dark timber and north slopes. You probably want a ##### load of snow to get the critters moving down low. Yea I know there are resident elk all along the sage/aspen/spruce-fir ecotones, but I'm just saying for easier hunting. I haven't hunted the area in years, I don't like company much when I hunt. Maybe it's changed since then. I'd count on really cold nights and day temps any where from sub 0 to 50*.

 

[chindits]

By the way, you aren't going to be tooling across the sage country in a snowmobile. Even if there is thigh deep snow, that early in the season (very very unlikely) it will not have a solid base yet so it will not hold any weight. You will be stuck sledding on the roads that will be packed down by wheeled hunter traffic and free of substantial rocks and brush.

I think two miles up East Elk your motorized traffic gets shut down. You can run machines all the way up Red Crk and Rainbow Lake to the Wilderness boundary.

 

[leonard]

Thanks - I have a 4WD and chains, so I should be ok. I mainly foot hunt unless road access opens up other areas or I get one down close to a existing 4WD road. My limited experience with snowmobiles has been mixed, usually either fighting deep powder or getting stuck. The almanac is predicting average temp but above average precip for Dec.