How to Ski Tour Hogan Park
Hogan Park is a winter trail starting across the highway from the Walton Creek parking lot on Rabbit Ears Pass and ending at the bottom of the Morningside chairlift in Steamboat Ski Resort (or vice versa, if you do it in the opposite direction). It’s a mellow tour that’s a bit under 7 miles one-way, and climbs about 1100 feet. If you do only one thing to prepare for this tour, invest time in trip planning: study maps, download a GPS app and GPX file onto your phone and learn how to use both. The biggest risk with this route isn’t exposure or avalanche danger, it’s getting lost.
I’ve heard a lot of stories about people getting lost on this route, but if you plan well, it’s straight forward. Every established winter trail on Rabbit Ears Pass is marked with blue diamonds. Sometimes they are easier to see than others, but they are always there, every 100 to 200 feet. The trick is to not lose sight of one before you find the next. If you deviate from the trail you think you’re on, you could very likely end up on a different trail, also marked by blue diamonds – there’s no way to discern them unless you have a map or GPS as your guide. Don’t just rely on tracks left by those who came before you, as that’s a sure way to end up in a pickle.
I recruited my friend D’Arcy to do this tour with me on April 11th 2021, in perfect spring conditions. I tracked the weather in the days leading up to it, wanting clear skies and minimal wind. A storm the day before dumped 3 inches of snow on Rabbit Ears Pass, but the snow was still firm when we embarked on our trek. Doing this route in the middle of winter will likely take longer, especially after a fresh storm. Personally, I would recommend waiting for a good visibility day which will only help your wayfinding. Our day couldn’t have had more ideal conditions.
A day to remember.
What To Know Before Ski Touring Hogan Park
- Know the route. I use the Gaia app on my phone, loaded with a GPX file of the route. I studied the route before hand, had a back up power source for my phone, and also carried a paper map. I made a timeline of our day and shared it with our husbands beforehand in case something went awry.
- Know your gear. Make sure you know how to use your skis and bindings. This is a long tour, so definitely get comfortable on your equipment with a few shorter tours before hand.
- Know the weather. Track the weather and reschedule if there’s a chance of a storm, high winds, or low visibility. I use the CAIC weather models and OpenSnow. If you go after a fresh snowfall, know that will change your timeline – it will take longer when you’re breaking trail.
Questions about Hogan Park? Leave ’em in the comments:
Hogan Park FAQ
- How experienced of a skier do I need to be to do Hogan Park?
- The skiing is not difficult, but due to its length and relative remoteness, plus hovering around an altitude of 10,000 feet, I wouldn’t recommend this as a first time ski tour. You should be comfortable with your gear, be confident that you won’t get blisters from your boots, and be in good physical condition. I’m a distance-runner turned skier, living in Steamboat who has skied 100 days this season. My friend who did it with me lives on the Front Range, and tours a few times a season. Plus, she is a long distance swimmer, who swam across Lake Tahoe and is currently training for a double crossing this summer, so she is incredibly fit! I knew we could be out there for a long time before fatigue or pain would set in.
- How long does it take to ski tour Hogan Park?
- It took us about 3.5 hours to cover the 6.8 miles on alpine touring gear. Our moving time was 2 hours, 50 minutes. We were going at a relaxed, conversational pace, and were focused on not missing any trail markers.
- What kind of skis do I need to tour Hogan Park?
- We used touring skis (DPS Tour1 Nina99 for me, DPS Yvette A100 RP for D’Arcy, both with Salomon Shift bindings), and skins. Other people use nordic gear. We didn’t remove our skins from the time we left our car until we reached the Morningside lift.
- When is the best time of year to ski tour Hogan Park?
- People do it all season long, but we really enjoyed it as a spring time tour. Whenever you go, check the weather beforehand. In Colorado, spring can still mean wintery weather.
- Where is your Hogan Park GPX file?
