When it snows East Coast, folks cancel marathons & barricade indoors. In Colorado, we go outside & play — LOVE our fluffy precip.
Woke early Saturday – destination Brainard Lake. Roads looked relatively clear after yesterday’s snow – small 2” preview of a storm forecasted to dump 20” later tonite.
DECISION TIME: (1) take the longer route to Brainard – thru Boulder Canyon to Nederland, then north on Peak-to-Peak. Major roads are plowed more often; however, also risk battling ski traffic to nearby Eldora. OR (2) choose the more direct route thru Ward – more direct, more scenic but whole lotta curves & lotta vertical incline.
Entering Boulder, roads still looked clear, so headed up Lee Hill Road to Ward. 20 minutes later, winter wonderland. Downside, I drive a Prius. Upside, had the road to myself – not many crazy enough to take this path in winter 🙂
Steady speed, wide on the curves. No slowing down, or would never make the elevation incline in my front-wheel-drive hybrid.
The road thru Ward is straight up – one stop sign mid-way thru town. UP, UP, UP, 30mph steady.
Past the stop sign & around the curve – sprayed wide but kept enough traction to continue forward. Popped up on Peak-to-Peak, then gunned the left turn into Indian Peaks. Only 5 more miles – on snow-packed state forest roads. Car, don’t fail me now.
Sped into trailhead parking – unplowed, pushed into the first open space…and that’s where I’d berth.
Most of the day’s trek would be on paths forged above summer roadways precip-buried in winter. Tall lodgepole pines, crisp thin air, fresh powder, no noise. Impossible not to smile. This is why we live in Colorado – need this as much as I do food.
2 ½ miles in, walked across Brainard & ate a sandwich near the dam water spill. Beautiful day.
SNOW came early – big flakes – so started back. Return was mostly downhill, so picked up pace & enjoyed some high elevation snow jogging 🙂 Snow jogging above 10,000ft – highly recommended.
BBQ in Nederland; ended the day with snow ice cream, my favourite childhood dessert (thanks Cliff).
Day in the mountains – smiling on the outside, beaming from the inside. LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!
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