West 2017 Colorado High Country Adventure

[silverlabs]

Thanks for the info. We were planning to arrive several days ahead of time to acclimate but had not thought through the process enough to think that WHERE we acclimate is as important as when. We are definitely flatlanders. In our younger days we always arrived in Denver the day before a ski excursion to acclimate, maybe now we need more. I was thinking that we could possibly stay in an RV park in Golden that is near Camping World. Is that high enough? Would Colorado Springs be better? I was planning to wait for the itinerary to develop before we solidified those plans but now my thought process is drifting elsewhere. That being said, we are really excited to see where this adventure leads us and excited to put a face to on a name of the other Airstreamers.

[Lily&Me]

We might even coordinate next summer some pre-Adventure meet-ups, leading directly up to this, so we flatlanders can acclimate and adjust to the higher altitudes....so that we can then enjoy the Great Adventure.


Maggie

[Silver Maple]

Thanks for the heads up Ray, and great idea Maggie!
A few years ago I flew from sea level to Tibet. Having access to the latest and greatest of medical literature, I did my best to be informed/prepared before going. All of us had subtle signs of oxygen deprivation, despite being aerobically fit and keeping activity level low. One of the group spent 3 - 4 days in bed recovering in time to leave.
We are fortunate to have Ray take us along and want to make the most of the outdoor living Colorado offers. So we will be driving to 5000' and then plan about 1000' per day before joining Ray. Bringing Diamox. My daughter says ginger candy is really popular in BC for altitude nausea, so that too.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!

[Ray Eklund]

Oh... this is going to be fun. Get onto Google and enter a town, state elevation. You will then get an idea of where are some great places on the way to Denver, CO to get some thin air exercise. I am trying very hard to keep the elevations of our camps BELOW 10,000 feet and will find 9,000', or less, a good comfortable elevation to enjoy.

Elevations:
Amarillo, TX 3500' to 3700'
Raton, NM 6,680'
Raton Pass, NM/CO 7,835'
Goodland, KS 3,681'
Albuquerque, NM 5,312'
Colorado Springs, CO 6,035'
Cheyenne, WY 6,063
Laramie, WY 7,165'
Castle Rock, CO 6,224'

Of course the elevations are 'in town'. Raton Pass has a RV Park where you can get all the thin air you can handle at 7,835' elevation. Up to this point, you are experiencing what most of us living in Colorado are 'normal Front Range' elevations.

Up to 6,000 feet, if you move briskly... your breathing will pick up and may notice that you are a bit out of breath. The better your physical conditioning... the easier. Pull out a lawn chair and taking it easy watching the scenery the first day at elevation... not a bad idea on OUR first day in August 2017. Casually move around and take in some of the fishing along the creeks/rivers to us here... Read up on how to notice Altitude Sickness before you get the headache and nausea side effects.

Sitting in your trailer will be comfortable and easy. Hiking from 9,000 feet to 10,000 feet elevation, maybe a test of will and when you begin to feel out of breath... sit, drink some water, eat some tasty snacks and just relax. You are not a porter carrying a hundred pounds of supplies up to Base Camp Mount Everest.

Get to, lets say, Laramie, Wyoming at 7,165'... you begin to get that Rocky Mountain High feeling... of thin air. Just take it easy and you will do fine. Deep breaths and you will get the hang of it for the 2016 Wyoming Adventure. This is one good reason to START Wyoming at the elevation we will be finding ourselves.

Colorado will be no different, but the first day will be a good climb for tow vehicle, trailer and passengers. It is not until you get outside and walk around you will notice the air actually 'feels different'.

Winter Park Ski Resort at 9,052'... welcome to thin air. Sunrise the sun warms everything quickly. Sunset it is like the air conditioning in the trailer is ON. It is that immediate for those not expecting the quick changes in temperatures. Keystone Ski Resort... 12,408 at the highest run and down to 9,280 when eating dinner at the resort.

Taking advantage of this Sunrise and Sunset will be taught at the Boondocking for Greenhorns. Simple tricks to make your life comfortable at... elevation.

Myself. I enjoy Wyoming with the 6,000 to 7,500 foot elevations. Colorado... those elevations are for the kids to play football in their short pants and tee shirts. No wonder why the Broncos have a little edge just at One mile above sea level. It takes a toll.

[ColoradoLady]

Ray, I am so excited about the Greenhorn Boondocking school in June. I arrived home today with "Goliath". I O/N last night at Amarillo, then deadheaded home from there. The prevailing winds in Texas panhandle, North west New Mexico, and southern Colofado beat the crap out of my shoulders and knees. "Goliath" is like a big wind sail....if we would have been at sea, who knows where we would be!

I hope we won't be traveling on the San Juan skyway. I had experience towing the Tab, three years ago. Not fun. Evelyn.

[Mas Tierra]

Hey Ray. Have been way busy preparing for our 2016 Texas Big Bend Adventure (leaving in 4 days). Just saw this post and that Mas Tierra is confirmed for 2017 Colorado High Country Adventure. Now that is GOOD NEWS. Karen and I are delighted to be off the trailer in waiting list. Agree with Lilly & ME, and Arctic Fox......water is always good. Water brings wildlife and birds (our Texas trip is essentially a birding adventure). Fly fishing sounds great as well. Will try to google NFS sites to come up with a proposal just to learn how to do it. I am really pinched for time. Will see.
Thank you again "fearless leader" for all the time you devote to planning these adventures.
Mas Tierra (Richard & Karen, Ocala FL)

[mrsretail6]

Hi Ray, I wish we could attend your June 2016, Greenhorn boon-docking school. However, our AS is getting a little work done to her at this time. We are looking forward to the Colorado High Country trip in 2017, and we'll just learn on the fly. Thank you for the opportunity to be apart of the adventure.

Retail6 & Mrsretail6 (Rich & Kim Hamilton, Northwest Arkansas)


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[traveluminum]

I was looking for campsites, and remember camping in the high country west of Lake city, going toward Animas Forks. That was about fifteen years ago, and we were tent camping. I can't remember whether the roads were suitable for Airstreams, but don't think it would be an issue until you get closer to Animas Forks, where the roads are more suited to Jeeps. I keep thinking I want to check out that area again, so this may be a consideration. I was looking at a motor vehicle use map, and see there are several dispersed campsites shown, but looking at Google maps, it looks like there are a lot of downed trees, probably from beetle infestations. There are some great back roads to drive here once the Airstreams are set up. Not far from there, we camped near the Rio Grand in a national forest campground, and would like to return there as well.

[Ray Eklund]

cpw.state.co.us

Colorado Parks & Wildlife license costs for 2016 can prepare you for 2017.

License dates: April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 (annual date of license)

Annual License: Resident $26.00 Nonresident $56.00
Colorado Seniors 64 and older: $1
Five Day Nonresident: $21.00
One Day Resident or Nonresident: $9.00

Depending on how much time you plan to spend in Colorado... do the math. One year in Wyoming it was cheaper to get a Nonresident annual as the daily rates would exceed the cost of an annual at the time.

Licenses can be purchased On Line and at places like WalMart in many places. Fly shops and outdoor supply centers.

[Lily&Me]

We need a license...why?


Maggie

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

We need a license...why?


Maggie

Ummm....for fishing, of course.


Maggie

[Arcticfox]

I'm guessing one still needs a "permit" to camp on Gov't land, so I'm assuming that's what Ray is talking about.


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[Thalweg]

Originally Posted by Arcticfox

I'm guessing one still needs a "permit" to camp on Gov't land, so I'm assuming that's what Ray is talking about.


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State parks permits. No permit needed for National Forest or BLM land.

[Ray Eklund]

[QUOTE=Arcticfox;1776310]I'm guessing one still needs a "permit" to camp on Gov't land, so I'm assuming that's what Ray is talking about.
******
These are the 'permits' needed if you are standing next to a stream or lake and holding a fishing pole when a Game Warden asks you for your... license.

At an established Forest Service campsite, we would need to pay up if it is a 'fee area'. Some with restroom pit and water would be, most likely.

It is like the film the Treasure of the Sierra Madre:

"Badges?... I don't have to show you any stinking badges."

Try that one with a Wyoming Game and Fish warden... and they will show you 'their stinking badges' with the county judge adding up the total number of inches the trout may measure.

Anyone wanting to fish... pay for the license. My Dad in the 1950's thought he could pull it off in northwestern Montana without a license. He worked for the Montana Forest Service at the time in the back woods. Of course, it was the only time he and a Game and Fish warden discovered the Forest was a bit too small that day for both of them. He did not get to keep the fish, either.

[Ray Eklund]

I am working behind the scenes on feedback to find a variety of Colorado High Country Base Camp sites that offer everyone an opportunity to experience.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TRAVEL/07/04...pass.colorado/

Or... Google: 'Independence Pass a road worth traveling'
This is one of my proposed Colorado High Country Adventure experiences. No... you will not be pulling your trailer along US24 and CO82 for those 39 miles. The tow vehicle experience would be satisfactory for most, if not all, on this one part of the... Adventure.

By misfortune I DID tow our 2006 23 foot Safari from Aspen's city limits to Independence Pass in 2010 to Leadville, Colorado. As you drive east out of the edge of Aspen the road begins to narrow. At that moment there is no turn around, turns off or any option other than to pass the large sign that says 'NO TRAILERS". Or something to that point, maybe with some other warnings. At that point... you cannot turn off or around. You are going to Independence Pass, which is marked with a very large sign explaining you are at 12,095 feet elevation and the Continental Divide.

This road is blasted out of the side of a vertical cliff face, as the 'Independence Pass a road worth traveling' explains. It is paved with asphalt. It is almost two lanes wide at most, but not all of the route. The guard rail is strong enough to keep a moped back onto the pavement and some spots are 1.25 lanes wide... but it is worth every heart beat, even if the heart beat is a bit rapid.

I did it towing a 23 foot trailer without incident and lucky for us... traffic was light the moment we made this unplanned TRUE 'Adventure'. The video photo is NOT the road blasted into the side of the mountain part of the trip...it is the recovering your self control zone.

I needed two votes to get this part of the Adventure marked with several X's. The other vote arrived seconds ago... looks like Independence Pass will be the Colorado HIGHest Country portion of this Adventure and down hill from there.

For those members not wanting to experience the experience... there are some ice cream salons in Leadville, where you can sit on the edge of your seat.

[Ray Eklund]

Anyone who wants to be among the 'Trailer's in Waiting' list need to go back to Post #20 and send me the information requested to boondockingairstream@gmail.com

From previous experience with these Adventures, there tends to be a steep cancellation period within six weeks of the date of departure for a number of reasons.

A reason is not required to cancel. Just allow enough time for someone else to be able to plan to attend is all I ask. Others need time to make plans, as well.

The current list has 20 members as of today. The dates would be August 14 (Sunday) to August 23 (Wednesday), 2017. Of course, the weekend before will have a location to gather and the August 23 is just a convenient date, that YOU can adjust to fit your schedule. Maybe 15 days is possible, as ten was just convenient for planning. You need not attend all of the Base Camps or Off the Grid sites... We will be working within ONE section of Colorado. Not the entire State.

2017, NOT this year... 2016.

There is no longer a June 2016 to check out Off the Grid and Base Campsites as it is easier if I do it myself. My selection considerations may vary from those wanting to come along for the experience and to accommodate as many as can be managed with some... comfort and convenience.

The original intent was TEN members. The more Adventure members requires different sites that can fit more who actually end up attending.

I will be actively working on this Adventure this Summer for sites that will have a little of everything to experience in High Country Colorado.

[Ray Eklund]

I have had private discussions as to the experience required to safely navigate the numerous Rocky Mountains Passes towing a trailer. There is a VERY HIGH RISK factor for those not experienced in using the tow vehicle's transmission and coordinating the braking systems of both to maintain control.

I am seriously considering NOT to proceed with this Adventure from experiences in the mountains this month for the Boondocking Greenhorns.

When an Itinerary is developed and the Passes that are required to gain access, more will be considered as to the viability of traveling the High Country towing over a two week period.

Are there any current members that have indicated an interest that HAVE or HAVE NOT experienced steep grades and feel COMFORTABLE or not, traveling under these conditions?

[Lily&Me]

I've experienced steep grades, tho they're not my favorite...nor are sheer drop offs near which I must drive.

How high into the High Country must we go...i.e. can it be Moderately High Country, and still a great adventure?


Maggie

[ColoradoLady]

Yeah, Ray, like maybe camping at "lower elevations"...... say...6,000 ft? I can manage on steep grades with "Goliath", but, like Maggie, sheer drop offs into an unseen abyss are not my favorite. Did you see what was left of that guardrail on Monarch pass? I wonder if it actually prevented someone taking flight? Many of those passes do not even have a guard rail. I found myself looking closely at the crumbling roadway edges and hugging the center lane. YIKES! I love the mountains for their awesome beauty, but, can manage fine without the sheer terror of driving some....like the San Juan Skyway/hwy 550!

[Ray Eklund]

After reviewing the possible options for access into the Colorado High Country, I am 'officially cancelling' this Adventure. All involve steep Mountain Pass access and high elevations that may not suit everyone at each campsite I have studied.

This year and previous years, Nancy and I have crossed the major Passes from the Front Range into the Colorado Rockies and South and Middle Parks. There is a risk to those not familiar traveling these steep grades UP, but the danger is the inexperience of how to control their speed going DOWN.

It is a responsibility which I am unable to train or explain through words on a Forum for those who may want to attempt, but the risk remains strong.

It is with deep regrets that I retreat from the Forum and minimize my inserting of thoughts in what I love the most... Boondocking and the brave few who share this activity.