It was a nice day to be out - blue sky, warm temps, little to NO wind and very few people on the trails.
Zach (Anschutz), a new member, and I met at Lyons this morning. I was bummed (but understand) that others bowed out (and that my jeep was in the garage...) but we made solid use of the great weather.
I parked the car in the north trailhead area of Bunce and tossed the recovery bag, shovel, and rescue list in with him (he had enough as well). Heading south on Bunce we decided to check out Ironclads - the first uphill snowy spot in the trees before the first rock obstacle was clear / little snow. Lockers on and up the first obstacle. Ample clearance (7"+ at the tightest spot) to get over the obstacle - no wheel slippage yet. To the long uphill in the trees where it can be a snow slog - packed snow but not too icy - up without slippage. At the Y we tried the ledge and while there was little to no "ledge" as the low side was filled with snow, there was some down/sideways slippage. With a 2014 JKUR 4-door with nary a scratch or ding, we didn't push it - but did decide to check out a counterclockwise Ironclads loop. The tough uphill was no issue for the Jeep and its tires - no slippage though a good mix of packed snow leaning towards ice. The upper dead end spur looks to be blocked off - or I missed it - we headed down the ledge and completed the loop. Two quads and two side-by-sides were seen.
Ironclads dispatched, we headed south on Bunce. Hard pack snow in the shadows but no belly pan rubbing or wheel slipping. After "making the right turn and heading uphill" in the shadows it was full hard pack two-track with the middle high towards the belly pan - but again, NO wheel slippage and we cruised to the top. At the meadow we had two or three "snow bumps" 3 or 4 foot thick sections that are 20 to 30 feet long. The first we went across w/o issue but the last one, before we'd hit the FS gate at the south end of the meadow, made us think twice. Someone had gotten stuck in it and the snow was messed up - not a clean two-track and we didn't wish to get stuck so we turned around (though a winch was at hand). We turned around and snapped pix of the mountain vista at the north end of the meadow.
Heading north on Bunce, since we were rolling quickly and it was early, we discussed options. We ended up taking the "side exit" - with yet a deviation down-n-back on a side spur, down to the Peak To Peak. From there we went to see how much of Miller Rock we could do. Unfortunately, one of the cabins had a pickup sitting on or next to the trail with a water tank emptying water for the cabin. We didn't get past and back tracked.
I picked up the car and we went to Bright Trail / Taylor Mountain Road. I recall a trip report recently and thought it'd be open - but it was gated. Quick U-Turn to the alternate of Rock Creek.
Down the first slope it was mostly bare. Only down near the base, before the left turn, was there snow - all hard pack / stay on top of running. After the left at the base the slight uphill had some sketchyness. We had to back up and get a run at it - and put it into 4WD fully locked (and not 2WD open which got us easily spinning) and had perfect momentum and control to make it up the pitch. Right turn at the top and we headed down towards the main creek running. A set of folks, with a nice 4x4 at the campsite, were camping. We drove past and there was little for tracks of people or vehicles. We went perhaps 100 yards and I started to get tingly with "we should not be here" so we decided to U-turn and not push it.
In the end, Zach and I enjoyed lunch at the BBQ place in Estes. He headed back to Colorado Springs and I headed home to FoCo via Glen Haven (much construction still happening) with a nice (first for me) side trip to Storm Mountain. While I didn't make the final stretch to the trailhead (in my car - didn't wish to get stuck), I did make it much of the way up Storm Mountain Road. NICE VIEWS UP THERE - a nice deviation.
Gonna take a nap and kick up some pix.