Hiking Mt. Garfield Will Have to Wait Another Week

I really miss climbing Mt. Garfield. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll have to get over it. Here's why my hiking adventures will have to wait at least another week.

Do you remember last winter in Western Colorado? What winter? Like me, you probably hiked Mt. Garfield several times during the season. It could get a little slippery on the east side, but that's about it.

We just enjoyed a week of rain. It looks like we'll have more this evening, and even a little rain and snow on Monday. Okay, what's the big deal about a little mud? We'll, there are other factors to consider.

In order to hike Mt. Garfield, you have to get to Mt. Garfield. How do you do that? There's a tunnel running under I-70. This tunnel is shaped like a "V" with a deep valley in the middle. As you can imagine, that valley collects water when it rains. The video above was shot after only one day of rain. Imagine what this tunnel looks like after a week of rain. Trust me, the water is deeper than it looks.

There is a second reason why you might want to avoid this hike for a few days. It's still pretty muddy up there. I suspect it will remain muddy for a few days. If you've hiked Western Colorado trails before, then you know hikers are asked to avoid trails in muddy conditions. Hiking when still muddy can cause serious damage to the trails and surrounding vegetation.

Take a break and put hiking Mt. Garfield on the to-do list. I suspect it will still be there in a week or two. Perhaps one of Grand Junction's paved trails is in order for your next hike.