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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