Excerpted from Snowshoeing Colorado by Claire Walter

The Sourdough Trail's three main trailheads, as well as the auxiliary connectors, are all accessible from side roads off the Peak to Peak Highway. To snowshoe South Sourdough from the south, drive north from Nederland for 7 miles (or south from Ward 5 miles), and turn west (left from Nederland, right from Ward) onto Rainbow Lake Road, an unpaved road prominently labeled"University of Colorado Research Station." The trailhead is 0.4 mile from the turn-off. Off-road parking is limited, but Red Rocksized crowds never develop.

	The Sourdough Trail Starting elevation: 10,060 feet (Red Rock Lake trailhead) Highest elevation: 10,060 feet Elevation difference: 900 foot loss (to Beaver Creek Road); 1,520-foot loss (to Camp Dick)—all one way Distance: 5.9 miles (Beaver Reservoir Road); 7.8 miles (Camp Dick) minus 2 miles if shortcut is used Difficulty: Moderate to challenging northbound; challenging southbound Avalanche hazard: None

Both sections offer nice ups and downs through the woods and over several large meadows and small clearings before the final descent to Rainbow Lakes Road or Camp Dick. Although the Sourdough Trail is relatively straightforward, be aware of trail junctions and tricky spots. The trail junctions are well marked, but if you are breaking trail in new snow, small, deceiving clearings can tug you off-route. Watch for the blue trail markers. Northbound from the Brainard Lake Road (i.e., the Red Rock Lake trailhead), you can either stay on the main trail or take a shortcut via a short stretch of the South St. Vrain Trail and the Church Camp Cutoff Trail. To use the shortcut, turn right (east) on the South St. Vrain Trail. After 0.2 mile, follow the shortcut that branches left (north) and intercept the Sourdough Trail. The shortcut eliminates 2 miles of the Sourdough Trail. When you rejoin the main trail, bear right (north).

If you want to visit the Stapp Lakes area, take Stapp Lakes Trail, which branches from the Sourdough Trail 4.5 miles (2.5 miles if you take the shortcut) north of the Red Rock Lake trailhead. The Sourdough Trail intercepts the Beaver Reservoir Road after about 5.9 miles (3.9 miles with the shortcut), which you can follow west to the reservoir. If you are heading to Peaceful Valley, continue northward on the Sourdough Trail another 2 miles to Camp Dick. Note that the descent into the Middle St. Vrain Valley and Camp Dick is steep. Be alert for skiers coming down behind you.

To explore the various snowed-over four-wheel-drive roads and short connecting trails integrated with portions of longer trails, study a good trail and topo map and plot other out-and-back routes with a loop in the middle. Because most of this trail system is in the woods, it is tree sheltered, and the snow is usually good. Beaver Reservoir is where you're mostly likely to encounter wind. Another alternative is to take the South St. Vrain Trail directly to Tahosa Bridge near the Peak to Peak Highway, a steady 3-mile downhill. After leaving the Red Rock Lake Trailhead, go 1.1 miles, then turn right (east) on the South St. Vrain Trail and follow it to the Tahosa Bridge.

South Sourdough doesn't offer as many ancillary trails, but it is an extremely pleasant ramble through the forest. The trailhead at the Red Rock Lake parking area is about 50 yards east of the Lefthand Reservoir route. Pass the Little Raven Trail junction and continue in a south/southeasterly direction through woods and open meadows. There is one large, sharp hairpin turn at a bridge crossing at about 4 miles. About a mile further on, following the junction with Niwot Ridge Road, the Sourdough Trail turns east, steepens and develops switchbacks before terminating 1.5 miles later at the Rainbow Lakes Road. Some of the roads near the University of Colorado Research Station are also accessible to snowmobiles.

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