Do to the lack of snow in the mountains this year Trail Ridge opened early, so I decided to take a little trip.
This is a picture of The peaks above sheep meadow in Rocky Mountain National Park. Lots of elk in the meadow with sheep on the hill side above. If you look at the green peak on the left you will see a bare spot at the top. That is Rainbow Curve which is a little over half way to the top.
Once I got above Rainbow Curve I stopped to take a couple of pictures of the peaks to the south.
On up Trail Ridge I stopped to see if Ice Berg Lake had any melt but the lake was still frozen over.
Although the mountains are really hurting for snow there was a little at the Ice Berg Lake overlook.
I stopped at the top and took another picture to the South.
Looking fwd to the pictures.. They did not come thru here.
Jerry: I mixed up on the snow bank at Ice Berg Lake Overlook. I will try that one again.
The sticks in the snow above is so the snow plows and cats can see the edge of the road when they are clearing it.
Dave,
what sort of altitude are you at up there in that amazing country ?
Regards,
Bede
Does anyone know if Logan Pass in Glacier National Park is open this year?
We had to go around from the south entrance to the north entrance last year when driving the Kamper back to LA. There was over 20 feet of snow on the road and it took weeks to clear it for people to drive over it. All the businesses were suffering because of the lack of tourists.
Car looks amazing and so does the view.
Bede Cordes:
Estes Park: 7,522
The first stop was Sheep Meadow: Some where around 9 Thousand
Second Stop Rainbow Curb is above two miles
Snow bank last year just below the two mile sign
Third Stop was Rock Cut: Somewhere near 11,000
Fourth Stop, Ice Berg Lake Overlook around 11,500.
Last Stop: Trail Ridge Pass at 12,183. This is supposed to be the Highest continuous road in the US.
I drove from Granby to Estes Park in the spring/early summer of 1963. Is that the same road?
It wasn't in a T though, but in my 56 Chevy.
Roar
If you were flying at those altitudes, you would be required to have oxygen. Does the car get a little anemic at those elevations?
Anja and I participated in the Rocky Mountain Tour organized by the Northern Colorado Club and the Tulsa Club in 2007, in which Dave Huson was very much involved.
There are several places in the mountain West that get lots of snow. Some years Tioga Pass isn't open until July. It's the Sierra snow pack melting all summer that makes California a leading agricultural state. On the downside, it also enabled Los Angeles and all of southern California to become the second largest population center in the country. Some of the runoff from the snow in Dave's pictures feeds not only Denver, but also Phoenix and Los Angeles. Western fights over the runoff are legendary. An old western saying goes, "Whiskey is for drinkin'. Water is for fightin' over."
Hal, I raised that same question at the opening dinner in Loveland and Dave made two suggestions: remove the carb stove and lean the mixture somewhat. I did both and had no problems all week.
Roar Sand:
You are correct, that would be Trail Ridge, Voted the Scenic Drive in the US. Its too bad that not more Ters don't drive it.
Hal Davis:
Yes you are right, ALL cars loose some of their power at that altitude. I had a job where I drove it every day in a 1950 ford sedan and by the time I got to the top it had very little power left
Bede Cortes:
I just bought a new GPS (nuvi 50} yesterday. It gives elevations so I should be able to give you better elevations in the future. By the way from Loveland to the top is 7,201 feet. You can go from 80 degree weather to heavy coat weather. In fact it was pretty cold on top the day I took the above pictures.
Dick Lodge:
I am glad you made the Colorado/Wyoming Tour number 3. I hope you enjoyed it. I don't know haw anyone would not like the High Country.
Thanks for the pictures. Brings back memories.Been on two tours there.
Jackie and I did two tours out of Loveland and hope to get back again. Our first trip over Trail Ridge was brutal with with some pretty high winds and Freezing A** Cold. I Loved it and so did the Torpedo maybe not so much with the wife with our SoCal jackets. hee hee. I bought a warmer one in Steamboat Springs.
Another trip we unhooked the trailer on the interstate and drove down to Saratoga just to spend another night at the Famous Wolf Hotel.
Very fun trips and one that everyone should make at least once. There's nothing else like driving a T thru the High Country of Colorado.
Thanks again to the guys for organizing the tours!
Can't wait to get back
I enjoyed my trip over trail Ridge in my 26 in 2009, but my wife didn't she had her eyes closed the whole trip from the visitors center and she was white knuckle holding on to the door, a great trip.
Rick
Peter Kable:
Stan howe would know if the Going to The Sun (Logan Pass) is open or not. If they did not get any more snow than Colorado did this last Winter I suspect it may be open. One year after the Montana 500 I was racing Stan Howe up the East Side of Logan Pass and got pulled over. Fortunately I only got a written warning. Stan didn't get pulled over I think they must have seen his Montana Plates. In late June and early July you drive THROUGH a water fall on the West Side. I was in my Montana 500 car with no top. Boy did I get drowned and was it cold. The Going to the Sun Highway is one of the most scenic drives I have ever been on.
Dave,
thanks for posting the height. It's impressive. I'd hate to be cranking a stubborn T by hand at 12000 feet !
In 2005 when we were on our overseas trip across the US, we woke up to snow on the ground when we were camping at the Grand Canyon in our tent, and the day before it was hot. All the Australians in our group couldn't believe their eyes. You offered to take us for a ride (and even let me drive for a bit !!!) if we visited you in Colorado, but our tour company's route never brought us your way. The closest we made it to Colorado was a place called "four corners" where the 4 states met.
Regards
Bede
Bede Cordes:
I never motice much difference, but one time I was at Rainbow Curve. Rainbow Curve is the most popular overlook on Trial Ridge (40 miles). There is usually 20 or 30 people and even more when a large tour bus pull up and lets the people off. One of the guys was asking a lot of qwuestions
I don't know what happened to the rest of the post. He asked if I had to crank it to start it. I had my 12 that day and told him that the 12 always starts easy and the local T club had named it old two pull because after choking it once it always stared on the second pull. I was ready to go so I went to start it with at least 20 people watching. Wouldn't you know it I cranked and cranked and it would not start for a long time. It was embarrassing after telling him how it always started on the second pull. It finally started and I was glad to get away.
Dave,
Altitude training !
Good luck,
Bede
Thanks for the magnificent photos Dave.
It makes my recent trip to the 'Snowless Snow Country' look rather mild by comparison.