After a great night in our sweet little camping site, the weather forecast was still predicting snow in this area so we decided to continue heading east over the next pass to warmer weather. At the diesel station at the bottom of the pass, a fellow gas purchaser, and local, said we better get going because as soon as the snow started, they would close the pass. So, off we went…up and up and up, and up and up some more, to over 10,000ft and snow on the road. The views were amazing, the road pretty well maintained and filled with friendly hunters on ATVs who stared at us before waving (we get that a lot), but the ominous clouds following us kept us moving up, up, up and over to the other side.
We quickly descended part way down the other side on a steep bumpy road. We are now sitting in a little USFS Campground around 7,600ft in the rain shadow, with the storm brewing above us in the mountains. Dinner is on, down jackets are on, and the new propane heater is prepped and ready!
And then it snowed…we woke up to 23 degrees and ½ an inch of snow/ice on the top of the tent.
What an amazing, nerve wracking, and adventuresome 48 hours. We are hoping for a slightly calmer next 48 hours with slightly warmer temperatures (I know, be careful what you wish for)!