I've just moved to Denver from Florida with my wife and our 2.5-yo Malamute girl. I've been scouring the net for a Colorado forum for the outdoor loving dog owners, I'm looking for trail suggestions, directions, etc. With such an outdoor focused state and so many dog owners, it's surprising how little information is out there. This is the closest thing I've found. I'm looking at the photos from harrise and jbealer and know I'm in the right place. Can't wait to check out some of the places you guys are hiking and snowshoeing!

Welcome!
Whereabouts are you in Denver?
There is a month Husky Huddle and Malamute Mingle and one is happening tomorrow at Glendale Farm Open Space Dog Park in Littleton (south Denver).
http://www.doggoes.com/parks/colorado/denver-area/glendale-farm-open-space-dog-park

1-3pm Sunday, 2/25 - hope you can make.
DIRECTIONS TO SURRY RIDGE DOG PARK: From Denver take I25S to exit 192, Ridgegate Pkwy (first exit past Lincoln near Sky Ridge Medical Center). Make a left (E) under the highway. At the second light, Havana St., make a right and go 2.4 miles. Pass the light. DO NOT go under the one-way tunnel, go straight onto Havana. The driveway to the dog park is on the left side across from Clydsdale Ln

If you're on Facebook, join the group 'Husky Huddle and Malamute Mingle - Colorad' and you'll get the meet-up invitations automatically.

There are TONS of hiking, snowshoeing and skijoring! And there are tons of trail information out there. I bought a couple of books off Amazon for cheap just so I know trail details and how rough it would be on the pups paws (for hiking). It also lets me know if dogs are allowed on certain trails during hiking season and not snowshoeing season. Some counties allow dogs only during hiking so it's nice to know all of that info. I can send you book info if you're interested.

Oh boy, did YOU come to the right place!

Yoohoo! Eddy! You have a new friend

ETA: Oh yeah, welcome to the forum!!

We are renting a small apartment near I-25 and Hampden Ave, so we are actually not too far away from the meeting place tomorrow. But I was planning on doing something else tomorrow, I'll see if I can make it.

If you can send me some info on the books you have, I'd really appreciate it. Since we are new to CO, I haven't really got my bearing on where everything is. I'd like to find off the beaten path places away from the crowds, to let Polar hike off leash. I know some people don't like it, that's why I like to find more secluded places.

cmanding wrote:

Welcome!
Whereabouts are you in Denver?
There is a month Husky Huddle and Malamute Mingle and one is happening tomorrow at Glendale Farm Open Space Dog Park in Littleton (south Denver).
http://www.doggoes.com/parks/colorado/denver-area/glendale-farm-open-space-dog-park

1-3pm Sunday, 2/25 - hope you can make.
DIRECTIONS TO SURRY RIDGE DOG PARK: From Denver take I25S to exit 192, Ridgegate Pkwy (first exit past Lincoln near Sky Ridge Medical Center). Make a left (E) under the highway. At the second light, Havana St., make a right and go 2.4 miles. Pass the light. DO NOT go under the one-way tunnel, go straight onto Havana. The driveway to the dog park is on the left side across from Clydsdale Ln

If you're on Facebook, join the group 'Husky Huddle and Malamute Mingle - Colorad' and you'll get the meet-up invitations automatically.

There are TONS of hiking, snowshoeing and skijoring! And there are tons of trail information out there. I bought a couple of books off Amazon for cheap just so I know trail details and how rough it would be on the pups paws (for hiking). It also lets me know if dogs are allowed on certain trails during hiking season and not snowshoeing season. Some counties allow dogs only during hiking so it's nice to know all of that info. I can send you book info if you're interested.

Welcome to the family forum!!

Polar wrote:

If you can send me some info on the books you have, I'd really appreciate it. Since we are new to CO, I haven't really got my bearing on where everything is. I'd like to find off the beaten path places away from the crowds, to let Polar hike off leash. I know some people don't like it, that's why I like to find more secluded places.

Eddy's a good resource for that, and hopefully he'll chime in. Some of the hikes I do aren't quite off the beaten path, but can be very little traffic or none - most cases, dogs are required to be leashed unless under tight voice and/or sight command.

Curse you and your Coloradoness. You just need to come one state more to the west.

rileyflorence wrote:

Curse you and your Coloradoness. You just need to come one state more to the west.

Or maybe you need to move and join our Coloradoness!
Did that roadtrip to CO happen yet? (I lost track when that was supposed to happen).

Welcome! Was out snowshoeing today! Hope u make the meet tomorrow and join the FB group, I run it
More later its late and I'm on my phone

Oh you Coloradans... Stealing a Floridian!

Welcome!

yay another malamute owner!! welcome!

rileyflorence wrote:

Curse you and your Coloradoness. You just need to come one state more to the west.

Riley, you are sounding like me now!! All these Coloradoians getting together with their cute little sled dogs and the rest of us looking longingly from the outside... WAY outside in VA in my case!

Welcome to the forum anyway! Look us up if you ever head east.

Well, that just means that all you nonColoradoans need to move! lol

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome
You definitely came to the right place

Welcome! I love the pic of pup! She's very beautiful!

Welcome! Glad our unorganized assortment of outdoors threads brought you by. Not finding much on the internet is what really got me posting. I think the way the topic of dogs devolves into a bash festival keeps a lot of folks from sharing information specific to dogs. There are books and lots of good info online, but determining a route based on another person's definition of "class II" is tough. Especially since dogs have individual strengths and weaknesses too. Then there's the obsession with "14ers" clogging up most of the search results.

We're just getting into the winter thing, but I can already tell you most of the Indian Peaks winter trails are BUSY on weekends. There are many less popular routes I could recommend. Some you might want to leash her for the first part until you get off the busy section. My Malamute boy could do off leash, but some people are very afraid of dogs. I normally don't let them loose until treeline so I can see if people are approaching. Each forest and destination can have different rules regarding off leash dogs (and different fee structures too). I haven't run into rangers beyond main trails, and when I do it's in or next to a wilderness area.

Just tell me a little about what you're looking for in a hike (drive time, elevation gain, total distance, summits or lakes, established winter trails or trench busting...) and I can at least get you pointed the right way.

arooroomom wrote:

Oh you Coloradans... Stealing a Floridian!

It was about time for another Coloradan. You Florida people had a serious run lately. Go figure. Florida?!?

Koda wrote:

Oh boy, did YOU come to the right place!

Yoohoo! Eddy! You have a new friend

ETA: Oh yeah, welcome to the forum!!

kevo wrote:

Welcome to the family forum!!

norbreedslove wrote:

yay another malamute owner!! welcome!

SabakaMom wrote:

rileyflorence wrote:

Curse you and your Coloradoness. You just need to come one state more to the west.

Riley, you are sounding like me now!! All these Coloradoians getting together with their cute little sled dogs and the rest of us looking longingly from the outside... WAY outside in VA in my case!

Welcome to the forum anyway! Look us up if you ever head east.

Demon&Dakota wrote:

Well, that just means that all you nonColoradoans need to move! lol

Welcome to the forum!

Jennet&Embry wrote:

Welcome
You definitely came to the right place

Hayden_69 wrote:

Welcome! I love the pic of pup! She's very beautiful!

Thank you all for the warm welcomes!

rileyflorence wrote:

Curse you and your Coloradoness. You just need to come one state more to the west.

Utah was actually on the radar for us, since I was interviewing for a job there. But ultimately, we decided to stay in CO after the long drive from FL. Hopefully I'll find a job in Denver soon!

jbealer wrote:

Welcome! Was out snowshoeing today! Hope u make the meet tomorrow and join the FB group, I run it
More later its late and I'm on my phone

I have arranged to go to the meeting today, Polar and I will see you there!

arooroomom wrote:

Oh you Coloradans... Stealing a Floridian!

Welcome!

Your user ID rings a bell, I think I've met you on another husky forum (husky-owner). However with moving and traveling around, I haven't been to husky-owner for a year or two.

harrise wrote:

Just tell me a little about what you're looking for in a hike (drive time, elevation gain, total distance, summits or lakes, established winter trails or trench busting...) and I can at least get you pointed the right way.

I guess a drive time of under 2 hours one way, nice views, away from the crowds is what I'm looking for. I'd probably try to stay away from the established trails, because that would mean more people. The important thing for me is just to get out and let Polar have some fun. Most of my outdoor gear is still in a storage unit in Florida, therefore I can't really do any hard trips this winter anyway. So even just a big open snow field where I can take my wife and Polar out for a leisurely walk for a couple of hours would be ok for me.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. I forget about topics rather quickly.


First up is the Bison Peak area:

Google maps to approximate trailhead location.

Summit Post page with more specifics.

Recent trip report to give you an idea of the area

It is a wilderness area so leash laws apply. You want to stay in the southern area of Lost Creek Wilderness to do what you want to do.

Wilderness area map


Guanella Pass area:

Google maps to trailhead. The road will be impassable at some point before the top. A gate is closed around Duck Lake. The road hike itself may be busy due to Mount Bierstadt (14er) being nearby. But once at the pass, you can hike west toward Square Top Lakes and Square Top Mountain. The hike to the lakes is fairly level and even in summer there's not many people on the west side of the pass.

13ers route page showing the main trail.

Couldn't find a recent trip so here's the link to mine...
https://www.itsahuskything.com/t869-hiking-with-dogs-square-top-mountain-colorado

Another option in that area is a ridge walk from the pass to Geneva Mountain. I don't think I've ever seen anyone on that mountain. From the east side parking lot, head due south towards the obvious lump and that will be the ridge to Geneva.




Huh. I'm kinda having a hard time thinking of more right now. Everything that comes to mind is either goes through avalanche terrain or has mucho winter use. I can say that Loveland Pass, Berthoud Pass, Saint Mary's Glacier, and the lower trails closer to Denver will be teaming with people. I also don't know much of the lower stuff near the metro areas. The car break-ins and vandalism keeps me away from there.

Another thing you could look into is Boulder's off leash dog tags. It probably costs more as a non-resident, but it allows you to hit the trails next to the Flatirons leash free and without fear of getting ticketed. Miles upon miles of trails up there. But it does cost money at some trailheads so I avoid that area too. Heh.

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5562&Itemid=411



I'm sure something else will spring to mind.

harrise wrote:

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. I forget about topics rather quickly.


First up is the Bison Peak area:

Google maps to approximate trailhead location.

Summit Post page with more specifics.

Recent trip report to give you an idea of the area

It is a wilderness area so leash laws apply. You want to stay in the southern area of Lost Creek Wilderness to do what you want to do.

Wilderness area map


Guanella Pass area:

Google maps to trailhead. The road will be impassable at some point before the top. A gate is closed around Duck Lake. The road hike itself may be busy due to Mount Bierstadt (14er) being nearby. But once at the pass, you can hike west toward Square Top Lakes and Square Top Mountain. The hike to the lakes is fairly level and even in summer there's not many people on the west side of the pass.

13ers route page showing the main trail.

Couldn't find a recent trip so here's the link to mine...
https://www.itsahuskything.com/t869-hiking-with-dogs-square-top-mountain-colorado

Another option in that area is a ridge walk from the pass to Geneva Mountain. I don't think I've ever seen anyone on that mountain. From the east side parking lot, head due south towards the obvious lump and that will be the ridge to Geneva.




Huh. I'm kinda having a hard time thinking of more right now. Everything that comes to mind is either goes through avalanche terrain or has mucho winter use. I can say that Loveland Pass, Berthoud Pass, Saint Mary's Glacier, and the lower trails closer to Denver will be teaming with people. I also don't know much of the lower stuff near the metro areas. The car break-ins and vandalism keeps me away from there.

Another thing you could look into is Boulder's off leash dog tags. It probably costs more as a non-resident, but it allows you to hit the trails next to the Flatirons leash free and without fear of getting ticketed. Miles upon miles of trails up there. But it does cost money at some trailheads so I avoid that area too. Heh.

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5562&Itemid=411



I'm sure something else will spring to mind.

Thanks for all that info! It will take a little time for me to digest it all. I already got the Boulder off leash tag for Polar, but the Flatirons was a little too busy for my liking. I went out on a Thursday and it was packed! I guess I need to go up a little higher in the mountains to get away from the crowds...