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Trip Report    

Rampart Vista

Good snow conditions and some scattered vistas from the point we have heard called Dungeon Knoll, as it is just south of Dungeon

  • Mon, Jan 18, 2021
  • Rampart Vista
  • Snowshoeing
  • Successful
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

From the far end of the Gold Creek SnoPark, we headed out on snowshoes.  After only a short time on the main road, maybe 600 feet, we angled left on an unnumbered spur road, rising above the highway in a southeast direction.  We followed this spur through three curvy switchbacks, to about the 3000’ elevation, before taking a more direct line up the ridge.  It was steep and a bit overgrown, but there was sufficient snow cover to make it mostly doable.  At around 3700’, we came upon spur road 4832-141, and resumed some brief road walking.  We departed the road after the next bend, around 3840’, working our way along the best contours as needed.  Views came out more and more, as we were more out of the trees.  We then encountered the same road at the 4480’ mark, and followed it back through a larger clump of trees to an open area below the Dungeon cliffs.  It was up on top that we enjoyed the attached pic of a unique sun dog, mist and light through trees.

Heading down, we basically retraced our path, enjoying plunging stepping in the open areas and navigating between the trees.  Once back on the road, if only briefly, things were much busier back at the SnoPark.  Glad we started early.  The only others we ran into, apart from that last short stretch of road, were a few backcountry skiers up higher.