CCC road closures

If I am reading this correctly, this will make mid week climbing in CCC difficult...

denverpost.com/breakingnews…

Thanks for the post. Did I read that right, cell phone coverage in CCC?

Hey all, here is a brief rundown on the closure and the associated time table.

May 6 – May 11

U.S. 6 will be closed between the junction of State Highway 119 and I-70.

May 14 – June 29

On weekdays starting May 14 through June 29, U.S. 6 between Golden and the junction of State Highway 119 intersection will be closed, except as noted below.

U.S. 6 will be open beginning 10 AM on Fridays through 11 PM on Sundays to accommodate the heavy travel during this period; except Memorial Day Weekend, when it will be open for an extended period starting from 10 AM on Thursday to 8 AM on Tuesday.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. The closure is being implemented by CDOT to allow for a large construction project going on in the canyon.

Thanks,

Mike Morin
Outdoor Recreation Management Coordinator
Jefferson County Open Space
mmorin@jeffco.us

So let me make sure I have this straight...
CCC is open for climbing on Fridays after 10AM, and weekends.
How about the parking at the entrance to the canyon? ie for canal Zone and the crag above CZ?
Will parking at particular crags be disrupted when CCC is open, eg by construction equipment, etc?
I was hoping the canyon might be open to climbers, like the episode several years ago, when it was great to climb without all the road noise.
Mark

Mark E Dixon wrote: episode several years ago, when it was great to climb without all the road noise. Mark

that was wonderful. a rare wilderness experience in the canyon.. all you heard was the creek.

You've got it right. However, you won't be able to park at the mouth of the canyon to access Canal Zone. You could hike along the Clear Creek Trail from Golden, which wouldn't be a bad walk, but the convenient parking will not be available.

I'm not sure about parking availability on weekends. I'd say it's certainly possible that some key pullouts will be utilized for parking construction equipment.

And yes, that was an amazing time to be in the canyon, climbing or otherwise.

Darren Mabe wrote: that was wonderful. a rare wilderness experience in the canyon.. all you heard was the creek.

It was super sweet, alright.

This is probably well known to everybody but me, but how do you access the Clear Creek Trail, and how long a hike would it be to CZ?
Mark

Park at the windy saddle trailhead and walk the aqueduct.

CCTV camera's installed in clear creek? Big brother is reaching out into the mountains, the last place I felt I wasn't being watched. Bummer.

RyanO wrote:Park at the windy saddle trailhead and walk the aqueduct.

I have been trying to figure out if it was possible to hike to some of the crags. I know the trail continues quite aways up canyon from CZ, but can you get to Tunnels 2 or 3 from there?

Kind of a bummer - CCC is best on weekdays already, guaranteed to be a total zoo on the weekends now.

Mike Morin wrote:Hey all, here is a brief rundown on the closure and the associated time table. May 6 – May 11 U.S. 6 will be closed between the junction of State Highway 119 and I-70. May 14 – June 29 On weekdays starting May 14 through June 29, U.S. 6 between Golden and the junction of State Highway 119 intersection will be closed, except as noted below. U.S. 6 will be open beginning 10 AM on Fridays through 11 PM on Sundays to accommodate the heavy travel during this period; except Memorial Day Weekend, when it will be open for an extended period starting from 10 AM on Thursday to 8 AM on Tuesday. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. The closure is being implemented by CDOT to allow for a large construction project going on in the canyon. Thanks, Mike Morin Outdoor Recreation Management Coordinator Jefferson County Open Space mmorin@jeffco.us

One question, Mike - if it's closed to traffic, would bikes be allowed? For example, I could park in Golden and easily bike to one of the closer crags in just 15 minutes or so.

GO

Mike Morin wrote:And yes, that was an amazing time to be in the canyon, climbing or otherwise.

I feel lucky to have this as my 1st CCC experience

it was so quiet~ the cloven came out to play..

CCC road closure June-July '05 animals return.

Jay Samuelson wrote:CCTV camera's installed in clear creek? Big brother is reaching out into the mountains, the last place I felt I wasn't being watched. Bummer.

I would guess that they are just traffic cameras that are unsuitable for picking out individual vehicles in the masses.

GabeO wrote: One question, Mike - if it's closed to traffic, would bikes be allowed? For example, I could park in Golden and easily bike to one of the closer crags in just 15 minutes or so. GO

Hi Gabe,

According to the contractor and CDOT, bicycle access is not going to be permitted due to the nature of the equipment being used. Sorry.

ErikaNW wrote: I have been trying to figure out if it was possible to hike to some of the crags. I know the trail continues quite aways up canyon from CZ, but can you get to Tunnels 2 or 3 from there? Kind of a bummer - CCC is best on weekdays already, guaranteed to be a total zoo on the weekends now.

The trail doesn't continue up to Tunnel 2 or 3. I wouldn't push past CZ or TZ since people showing up along the road past Tunnel 1 might lead to the closure of the trail entirely.

I was out for a run yesterday along the river, and there were a million cars (as usual) parked at the base of the canyon (near Canal Zone) and cars driving up and down CCC. Did I completely mis-read the closure?? I thought all of CCC was closed to traffic until tomorrow at 10am. I had been avoiding that whole area because I thought it was all blocked off. Apparently it's only the back of the canyon, near the turn-off to Black Hawk/Central City. Whoops!

The upper part of the canyon (I-70-119) was closed this week, next week through end of June they are closing the lower part of the canyon (US 6 from Golden). They haven't really advertised it very well with signage or anything - just the one blurb in the Denver Post. Climbed there Tuesday night and looks like they are starting to stage a LOT of heavy construction equipment at the bottom.

Ahh! Till June?!? Madness. Stinks for us locals.

Thanks for the info :-)

Does anyone know a good place to park during that week that is close to the trail to Canal Zone? Thanks.

I walked the creek from Golden City Brewery today; closest parking for Canal Zone was a place called Lion's Park... But watch out, the lot is full of kayakers (they paddle among us)!