The van rocked me awake. Wind was back. Damn it! Breakfast in the van again, but it wasn’t too cold thankfully, just inhibits the living process.
I let myself out of the paddock and continued on towards the Rockies, still visible in the distance, but this time more shrouded in cloud than they had been yesterday. As I was cruising along the highway, an overhead sign read that the road to the park was closed and an alternate route should be taken. I consulted the map for options, I would have to head further south first, then track west to the mountains. Just after I’d figured this out, I saw red and blue flashing lights behind me. What?!?! Not again?!?!
Sure enough, it was me they were after. It was a Dodge Charger, unmarked. Bastards. I racked my brain for what I’d done wrong while Mr. Officer came up to my passenger window. I came up with nothing, I hadn’t been speeding, was my tail light out?
“I’m pulling you over today because I saw you holding your map infront of you while you were driving”. Shoot. I nodded in agreement that what I’d done was wrong, he asked for my license, registration and insurance which I had handy. He retreated to his car. I hate this bit. You sit there, not knowing what you’re in for. I think they drag out the time in their car on purpose, it’s like sitting in the naughty corner. I entertained myself by watching all the cars rushing by change lanes to avoid us, some not bothering to do so. Eventually Mr. Officer re-approached my car, but this time, his colleague in the passenger seat got out with him. Oh shit! Why did he need back up, were they going to arrest me?
Mr. Officer handed me back my paperwork along with an addition and explained that he was giving me a warning. Maybe the warning I’d got from the ranger in the Tetons wasn’t on the Colorado system? It wouldn’t surprise me if there was no communication between states. The second officer didn’t contribute, he just stood behind his boss. Maybe he was in training. After giving me directions around the closed highway, they wished me well with a final reminder to remain focused on the road at all times. Thank you officer! At least he was nice, and the warning was more than expected!
I dawdled around in the car, wanting them to drive off first, scared to be served with another infringement. I consulted my map again, then decided to play it safe and use my phone to navigate through the highways to where I wanted to be. Never mind the hundreds of people around me that were texting, pick on the one trying to do things the traditional way! Maybe I should get a smaller map…
Anyway, that infraction over, I continued on my round-about way to Rocky Mountain National Park. As I reached the bottom of the range the clouds loomed overhead. As I climbed the mountain road, errant snow flakes began to fall lazily. Soon enough, the flakes turned into sideways snow and eventually a white cloud. As I climbed high, I pondered why I was doing this. I was taking myself into seriously cold weather, just when it is starting to get to me. But I’d made a plan and I was sticking to it! At the town of Estes Park at the entrance to the NP I popped into the visitors centre where I didn’t get much info, I would find it at the park entrance. Surprisingly, despite the falling snow, it wasn’t too cold which was encouraging.
At the Beaver Meadows Info Centre, I spoke to an older guy who had the same park ranger attitude of discouraging you from anything too adventurous. He highlighted the road closures for me and gave me a detailed map of a hiking area and informed me that camping in the only open campground would cost $18 a night. What a rip off! With that knowledge, after watching the 23-minute movie about the park, I went to the wilderness permit office where I devised to get a backcountry permit. While I wasn’t committed to actually camping in the backcountry, it would mean I could park overnight at a trailhead and incognito camp.
I spent a long time with Barry the ranger in the office and he laid out a lot of options for me. He’s the most helpful ranger I’ve come across so far. He didn’t question my abilities, just asked what I was interested in and consulted me on the best options considering the weather and the time I had. He ended up giving me a free permit for two nights at a trailhead near the entrance of the park.
I drove into the park along a ploughed but very icy road, my brakes locking up more than once, again thinking I was stupid to be doing this, to be in a place like this in this weather, but I carried on. At the Bear Lake trailhead, I was surprised to see almost a dozen cars and on the trail I saw plenty of hikers, so I wasn’t the only crazy one.
Once I got hiking on the trail to Emerald Lake I no longer felt stupid. Forests in the snow are just stunning. Once I got amongst the trees I was out of the wind for the most part so I walked underneath a blanket of falling snow. I think I was walking with my mouth open in wonderment. While I didn’t have the privelege of carving the first tracks in fresh snow I was grateful that hikers before me had compacted the ankle-deep powder to make it easier going for me. Each of the three lakes I passed on the hike were blanketed with snow and I’m sure frozen solid, but I didn’t risk venturing out onto their surface. The last lake, Emerald, was at the bottom of a few mountain peaks that I could just see through the snow clouds. The wind was fierce here and while the snow and ice stung my exposed face, it was a pleasure to watch the snow being whirled violently in every direction, dancing.
On the way back down I ventured out onto a side trail towards another lake, but turned back halfway when I’d reached a pretty outcrop of snow-covered rocks and a frozen creek that I played on with the ice being so thick. This path was less-travelled and after the frozen creek the snow deepened, making me decide to turn back. I was glad I’d come the extra short way though, I got a great view down into the vally, even with the blanket of thick snow that was covering the mountains.
Along the trail I kept coming across a group of four people from Pennsylvania (know by them as “PA”). They were on a birthday trip and had been making the most of the Denver/Colorado Springs/Rocky Mountain area. We chatted long enough for them to give me some travel tips.
Back at the car, I was feeling nearly frozen, especially my face and hands, but I am thoroughly pleased with the $50 investment I put into new hiking boots. They are definitely water proof and while my feet feel cold when I first put them on, once my feet warm up, they don’t go cold again. My feet even tend to sweat a little which is absolutely fine by me.
I drove a short ways to Glacier Gorge where I did a two-miler to see Alberta Falls. With the sun pretty much gone behind the mountains and this trail more exposed to the howling wind, I was thoroughly cold, pulling my buff up over my nose and mouth to try and keep the extremities of my face somewhat warm. I even took to running up a section of stairs to pump blood around my body. There is no way I would be backcountry camping, that really would be stupid. The falls were no longer falling, they were frozen solid in a magnificent blue-coloured ice. While I was kind of disappointed, I also marvelled at how that happened. There wasn’t even a trickle of free-flowing water. I would love to see a time lapse of a waterfall like that freezing. I rushed back to the car, enthusiastic to be out of the wind and made it back down in no time. It was nearly 4:30pm by that stage so night time was approaching fast.
I drove slowly out of the park and tried to call the ranger on my way out to let them know I would not be in the wilderness, but couldn’t get through. I’m sure they’ll figure it out. I was looking forward to a Starbucks session tonight, I wanted to get everything in order for my American visa application and in Australia it is Dad’s birthday so had to call to wish him a happy 60th!
Turns out I was the first in what I’m sure will be an inundation of calls to the birthday boy who was spending his special day on his hands and knees painting a house that seems to be getting larger every day, he must have been at this jobs for weeks now. I’ll bet he misses his sidekick! We talked as he worked his way through the job, swearing at the inadequacy of the paint he was using.
As soon as I got off the phone to him, I was talking to Kaila, mostly about logistical things like mail, but catching up on Tesla life as well. All the while I was completing my application for a working-holiday visa for Canada. Did I mention I was doing all this while enjoying a toasted cinnamon bagel and hot chocolate? Yum. After Kaila, Kevin called and we yarned on for ages about life and future plans.
As the Starbucks guy walked through and announcing closing (it was 9pm), I didn’t realise how the time had gone, but I’d completed my Canadian visa application, put together all my supporting documents for the American visa and talked to some of my favourite people. I was starving!
I drove through some residential streets until I found a quiet enough spot where I could be incognito. It’s not an ideal camp like the ones I’ve been having recently but at least I have the comfort of the van and am not paying $18 for the priveledge! In the few minutes it took me to get dinner stuff out for reheating, my hands were frozen, but they soon warmed up once I had a warm dish of spaghetti bog in my hands.
At -8‑C inside, I will be properly snuggled up under the covers tonight. I dread to see what the temperature gauge reads tomorrow morning!