Snowy Riding on Loveland Pass

Well, the forecasted "big snow storm" never did really materialize for us in the metro Denver area.  The computer models had ranged from several inches to a couple of feet of snow accumulation, we got pretty much squat.

It was under brightening skies, the sun forcing its way through disappearing overcast clouds, as I rode the I-70 Super Slab with Scarlett, my 2014 URAL Patrol Sidecar Rig.  There was a big slow down on the western side of Floyd Hill and before the twin tunnels near Idaho Springs but no one was stupid and no accidents happened.

As we climbed higher and higher, snow began to fall first sporadically then lightly once we passed the Bakerville exit.  Semi-Trailer Trucks were pulling off into the "chain up" parking areas next to the highway as the "Chain Laws" enforced lights on the signs started flashing amber.

Traffic remained reasonably slow as we slowly approached the Continental Divide mountain peaks.  Scarlett and I turned off at the junction with US6 or Loveland Pass Road.  The roads had been wet since Georgetown and remained so as we climbed the road towards the summit.  There was plenty of snow on the hillsides next to the road, and the nearby peaks were shrouded as if in fog but really it was falling snow up in the heights.

I rode past the Loveland Ski Area, choked full of cars with more cars seeking non-existent parking spaces as skiers tried to squeeze a few more runs out of the ski season.  I was passed, on double-yellow sections of road mind you, by impatient a-holes in cages as they  raced to A-Basin probably to just stand in lines there waiting to ski.  Apparently, maintaining 30 mph, in a 30 mph zone, in sub-optimal traction and weather conditions was something unreasonable for me to be doing.

It would now lightly the whole time I cruised about the summit area of Loveland Pass.  Gray lighting conditions, no real views of the nearby peaks, and lots of skiers and snow-boarders being ferried up to the summit so they could ski down to lower sections.

 The requisite picture of the summit sign

 Looking back towards the east side of the Continental Divide

 Near the last hairpin turn before A-Basin, I dared not wander too

far away from the road since although the snow wasn't deep, 

it was very slick.

 Walking over to the edge, a view of the A-Basin Ski Resort.

 Returning back towards the summit from the west side of 

Loveland Pass.

 Nearing the summit, there were some nice cloud formations

framing the snowy hillsides.

 I tried a photoshop filter on the above picture, it brought

out the snow clouds but doesn't look quite right.

 Stopped at the bridge that crosses Georgetown Lake for

pictures of the surroundings.

The sun broke out and dried out the roads some time after I 

left Idaho Springs behind me as I descended towards Denver

using US40.

I swung by Red Rocks Park on the way home, thinking that the rock formations would look nice with snow on them.  I found the entire area dry as a bone with the flat afternoon sunn making the rocks look more brown than red.  

It was also quite warm to me so I shed a couple of layers and enjoyed the now cool temperatures as I motored on home via US285.  Bright sunshine in the front range, snow clouds at the Continental Divide, that's Colorado for you!

A Fiercely Fiery Colorado Sunset

This evening, there was a weather front moving into Colorado, causing forecast of colder temperatures than what was enjoyed today.  There's even a rumor of snow for Thursday, it seems Spring's warm start may be rolled back a bit by Mother Nature.

In the hopes of some interesting cloud time-lapse sequences, Scarlett and I headed out towards the nearby Plains Conservation Center which provides one with an good view of the western skies for sunsets.

First up was just a "Cloudy Sky" time-lapse:

By the time the above video was finished, it was time to hurriedly set up for the "Sunset" mode of the time-lapse camera application.  I should have swapped in a new battery but thought that 77% would do the trick, so I missed the last few seconds of the sunset.  I ended it a bit early as the battery warning symbol had appeared and I didn't want it to run out of power before it saved the time-lapse video!

For the two videos, I'd set it to also create a picture each time it added a frame shot to the time-lapse video it was shooting.  From the resulting 1.13 GB of photographs, I was able to glean a few that I think you will like.

It was truly like the sky was on fire tonight.  Near the last third of the sunset time-lapse sequence, the winds picked up tremendously and I felt sand and dirt sting the back of my neck and head as I tried to shield the camera from the debris flying about!  I guess I should have kept my helmet on huh?  :)

It seemed as if the mountains themselves were on fire.....quite amazing.

Previously: Lunch Ride with Brigitta

Lunch with Brigitta

And by lunch I mean it was about 45 minutes of riding under brilliantly sunny skies with a few puffy clouds to provide balance.

The thermometer at the house said 57 degrees Farenheit but it felt much warmer under the warm sun.

Mount Evans was not too hazy in the distance and so I went to a spot on Jewell Avenue where it parallels the fence line of Buckley Air Force Base for pictures.

There was nearby road construction of some sort so there was some photoshop work necessary to erase evidence of the construction vehicles and orange traffic cones.

Previously: Cold on Berthoud Pass

Windy and Cold on Berthoud Pass

As if to make it up to me for yesterday's boringly warm and sunny riding weather, Mother Nature reminded me what the alternative can be.

Scarlett, my 2014 URAL Patrol Sidecar Rig and I rode out of the neighborhood shortly after 8:15 AM and transited through the metro Denver area using US285 till we got to the western side of the C-470 "beltway" which we then took north to it's junction with the I-70 super slab.

This we took west into the foothills, using the US40 frontage road to avoid the not too heavy westbound traffic going up into the mountains.  Soon enough we were at the Buffalo Overlook exit and today was not a bad day to pose Scarlett with the first snow-clad peaks one sees when heading away from Denver:

Today it was very windy as we headed west, the winds coming out of the west slowing us down a bit and driving up the wind chill factor.  We stopped in Dumont and gassed up, and I took advantage of the stop to add on my windproof layer and heavier gloves!

Temperatures continued to descend as I approached the junction of US40 and I-70.  Taking the road towards Empire, CO, the skies became gray overcast and temperatures felt colder.  Scarlett and I slowly ascended past the small "town" of Berthoud Falls and soon were steeply climbing the road towards the summit of Berthoud Pass.

Enroute though, I stopped at the usual spot for pictures of the mountains below and to the west but what looked like fog (but turned out to be light snow clouds) obscured the views I'd hope for.

 If you look closely, you can see Scarlett in the center bottom

of the picture.

 The requisite pic of the sign at the summit.

Thinking it wouldn't be too wide of a set of snow clouds, Scarlett and I motored onwards towards Winter Park, making it all the way to the city limits of Winter Park and turning around at the Mary Jane Ski Resort.  It had been lightly snowing on us and the roads were starting to look a bit wet.  We turned around thinking that if things got worse, they'd close the pass and we'd be stuck on the wrong side of it!

We made it back across the pass with no issues and of course, as soon as I was on the southern portion of the pass, the sun came out and dried things out.  Still, I could see behind me the snow clouds trying to cross the mountain barrier and almost suceeding; so it was time to head down, after one more picture of course.

Snowy conditions to the north, in the direction of Winter Park

as you can see, things are much better with some sunlight

Still feeling a bit chilled from the stint between Winter Park and the Berthoud Pass Summit, we motored on down towards the I-70 Slab.   Although the temperatures didn't get any lower or seemingly higher if the sun was blocked, the roads were dry and what more could one ask for right?

It got sunnier and warmer once I was back in the metro Denver area and clear of the foothills; then it was just early Sunday afternoon traffic to deal with on my way home.   The winds remained strong and gusty the whole day, I sure was glad I wasn't on two wheels today, the winds were sometimes strong enough to blow the rig about....

I had actually been expecting sunny conditions with clear blue skies in the Berthoud Pass and Winter Park area, Mother Nature changed things up for me!  You couldn't see the top of Mount Evans from Denver though skies looked clear and sunny to the north in the Rocky Mountain National Park area, should have gone there instead!

Previously: Short Sunny Day Ride