Weather corner: Hidden Colorado headwaters, the unknown mountains of Grand County

208 “ranked peaks” are located within Grand County. These are defined as peaks that rise more than 300 feet above its closest connecting ridge or saddle. Many of these high points reside in one of the two largest microclimates in Grand County: the northern and southern mountains.

These mountainous microclimates typically experience more precipitation than surrounding valleys due to mountains creating extra lift for clouds — fueling the development of showers both in the winter and summer months.

They can also experience months of temperatures below freezing from early November through early April according to data from the PRISM Group. These higher elevations, especially below timberline, often hold snow for months after the last major snowstorm. As such, these vast regions are responsible for keeping the Colorado River’s streamflow healthy year round.

This year, many stream flows have already peaked after a March heatwave fueled rapid runoff.

The northern mountains

Including prominent peaks such as Parkview Mountain — the highest peak in the Rabbit Ears Range — Elk Mountain, Little Gravel and Gravel Mountain, the northern mountains have many important tributaries into the Colorado River.

According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Sustainability and Climate, the Antelope, Troublesome, Corral, Willow, Stillwater and Supply Creeks supply healthy amounts of water year-round into the Colorado from the wide expanses of public land that encompass the area enclosed by U.S. Highway 40 to the south and west, and U.S. Highway 34 to the east.

Taking Colorado Highway 125 brings you along one of these major tributaries, Willow Creek, and sends you into Jackson County once you hop Willow Creek Pass.

Willow Creek and Muddy Creek above Antelope Creek are both flowing stronger than usual due to early melting of snowpack. They typically see peak streamflow in late April through early May, but is already slowing down after much of the snowpack feeding this stream has already melted.

As of April 6, the Upper Colorado basin is only at 26% of median during the same period we typically reach our usual peak in snowpack, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Muddy Creek above Antelope Creek were flowing above average, peaking for the season at over 200 cubic feet per second on March 27. Since then, flows have been falling back to 50 cubic feet per second, without ample snowpack to keep feeding the stream.

The southern mountains

With more peaks above timberline than you can name along the southern county border, Byers Peak marks the most prominent peak on the county’s interior and shines in the middle of Fraser’s webcam.

With major tributaries sourced from this region including Williams Fork, Little Muddy, Tenmile, Crooked, Saint Louis and Vazquez Creeks, the slightly higher peaks that line the southern mountains are responsible for a significant portion of headwater flows.

This region can be explored by taking County Road 3 towards Ute Pass and branching off onto the numerous curvy, rougher roads that can be used for various recreation opportunities.

Similar stories of earlier-than-average peak flows can be found scattered through the more numerous sensor suites that measure stream discharge along these southern tributaries.

Williams Fork has likely already peaked for the season when streamflow usually only starts rising in early April. Saint Louis Creek has also been seeing high early streamflow above last year’s mark since mid-late March. While Vazquez Creek is usually still muddled by ice and slow flows around five cubic feet per second, flows have been marked above 10 cubic feet per second since March 20.

Both of these microclimates’ month-early peaks in streamflow have met calls for immediate action with Kremmling instating level three watering restrictions and the declaration of stage three drought by the Grand County Drought Preparedness Committee.

Similar downturns in water supply forecasts from the United States Department of Agriculture for the Colorado River have lifted red flags for water scarcity and extreme drought, not just in Grand County but along the Colorado River as a whole.

The Weather Corner is your go-to column for valuable information about Grand County’s weather.