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Snowmass and Willow Lakes Loop

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Jul 14, 2013 at 10:14 am #1305365

Dondo .
BPL Member

@dondo
Locale: Colorado Rockies

Read the new trip report at Dondo Outdoors.

Jul 14, 2013 at 10:28 am #2005891

Eugene Smith
BPL Member

@eugeneius
Locale: Nuevo Mexico

Perfect.

Jul 14, 2013 at 11:18 am #2005901

John Whynot
Member

@jdw01776
Locale: Southeast Texas

Great trip report. Snowmass Lake is a wonderful place — even better that you had it almost all to yourself…

Jul 14, 2013 at 11:57 am #2005921

Jim Colten
BPL Member

@jcolten
Locale: MN

Very nice trip report, thank you!

A friend is planning a trip for us in that area …. I'm expecting to sleep on the shores of Snowmass Lake on Aug 11

Jul 14, 2013 at 7:30 pm #2006079

Dondo .
BPL Member

@dondo
Locale: Colorado Rockies

Thanks for comments, guys. Yeah, Snowmass Lake is a special place. Hope you enjoy your trip there, Jim.

Jul 15, 2013 at 3:55 am #2006176

Leigh Baker
BPL Member

@leighb
Locale: Northeast Texas Pineywoods

Loved it, thanks for sharing. I've only done trips to southern CO and northern NM,since they're closer to home, but I'm looking forward to getting up that way someday.

Jul 15, 2013 at 5:22 pm #2006431

Dondo .
BPL Member

@dondo
Locale: Colorado Rockies

Glad you enjoyed it, Leigh. Hope you make it up there. It really is a special place.

Jul 16, 2013 at 8:52 pm #2006952

Ben Wortman
BPL Member

@bwortman
Locale: Nebraska

You need to stop making me jealous! Never mind. Keep them coming.

How were the mosquitoes up there? Do you ever have a problem with them in your SL2?

Jul 16, 2013 at 9:36 pm #2006965

Daniel Pittman
Spectator

@pitsy
Locale: Central Texas

Excellent writeup. I'm adding it to my list of places to visit. I love hitting popular spots mid-week or off-season; it's a whole new experience when you can have an entire lake or valley to yourself!

Jul 17, 2013 at 5:34 pm #2007207

Dondo .
BPL Member

@dondo
Locale: Colorado Rockies

Thanks,Ben and Daniel.

Ben, yeah, the mosquitoes started in on me the second afternoon in the Willow Lake area. But I was ready for them with long woven pants and shirt with some strategically sprayed permethrin, and one of Peter Vacco's headnets. In addition, I got the idea of using stick DEET from Jorgen Johansson's book and found it was a lot easier to use than the creams. So the mozzies didn't score on me even once.

For some reason, flies tend to gather in the SL2 harmlessly near the peaks. Only one mosquito found her way inside, and I just swept her out. Both nights were spent at elevation, once around 11K and the other at 12K, and it tends to get cool there, so the mosquitoes just disappeared after a while.

Daniel, I like to use the same strategies as you. It becomes a kind of a game to figure out when and where the crowds will be and plan to avoid them. It's really sweet when it works out like on this trip.
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