A day on Mount Evans
(June 20, 2007)
(June 20, 2007)
Val says,
Saturday, June 16, dawned clear with the sun immediately searing the blacktopped "RV park" where we had spent the previous night. It was predicted to be 97 degrees in Denver that day, possibly breaking the record. We were glad that we had made plans with my sister, Lee Ann, and her husband, Chuck, to go to the mountains for the day. Our destination was Mt. Evans.
We left Aurora around 10 a.m., heading west on I-70 to Idaho Springs. There is a gold mine there that Lee Ann and Chuck have toured. Also several hot mineral springs, which give the town its name. The scenery was most interesting and varied. If we looked closely, we could see abandoned mine sites on the mountainsides.
We took Colorado 103 to Echo Lake, the first alpine lake on the route. Here we entered the Mount Evans Scenic Byway maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. We saw several more alpine lakes, some of which were still ice-covered. We also saw many snowfields and places along the road where the snowbanks were still higher than the truck. As we went higher, the road narrowed, and in places the cliffside edges were crumbling.
The road Mt. Evans was started in 1915, intending to connect three of the 14's (mountains over 14,000 feet), Longs Peak, Mt. Evans, and Pike's Peak. This feat proved to be unfeasible at that time. The summit is only 50 miles from Denver, but is nearly three times the city's mile-high elevation at 14,264 feet. The road is the highest paved automobile route in North America.
On the way up we were watching for some of the wildlife that lives in this high elevation. I spotted some odd-looking tannish lumps on one snowfield. Further inspection with the binoculars revealed five mountain goats resting on the snow. Lou pulled off on the first available turnoff and was able to get a few pictures before they got up and ambled away over the snow and rocks. We saw many hardy souls pumping their way up the mountain on bicycles. They have to be in more than excellent condition. Going down, they whizzed by us with their sleeves a-flappin'! It just made me cringe.
It was a chilly 44 degrees at the parking lot at 14,130 feet (and it was amazing to see people emerge from their vehicles in shorts, tank tops, and sandals! We had on jeans, sweatshirts, and jackets, and were wishing for earmuffs!). We ate our lunch in the truck, then Lee Ann and Chuck decided to walk up to the summit. However, about half way up, the trail was blocked by snow. Lou took pictures and I went to hear the ranger explain the difference between mountain goats and bighorn sheep (which I cannot explain!). During this time, clouds were building up over the nearby mountains and we could see lightning and hear the thunder echo from mountain to mountain.
We learned that above the treeline, there is only 40% of the oxygen as at sealevel. Also, exposure to the sun is 40% greater (we were to well covered up for that to be much of a problem). However, I did experience a brief bout of high-elevation sickness - headache, fatigue, light-headed, short of breath. I think this is why I don't remember the ranger's talk. Chuck has had experience in the mountains, and knew how to encourage me through it. I started to feel better as we headed back down and after we ate buffalo burgers had lots of water in Idaho Springs, I felt fine. Lou was only a little bit affected, Lee Ann and Chuck hardly at all.
During our trip down the mountain, the thunderstorm caught up with us - with rain, sleet, and snow. There was no accumulation and we were able to proceed without incident. When we got to Idaho Springs, traffic on I-70 was at a standstill. In the restaurant we learned that there was a semi rolled over at the Central City Parkway exit about five miles east of Idaho Springs. After a leisurely meal, traffic was still barely moving, so we took 103 back up past Echo Lake and through Evergreen, then back to Aurora. Later, we saw on the news that the truck was loaded with frosting and the clean-up took several hours!
Saturday, June 16, dawned clear with the sun immediately searing the blacktopped "RV park" where we had spent the previous night. It was predicted to be 97 degrees in Denver that day, possibly breaking the record. We were glad that we had made plans with my sister, Lee Ann, and her husband, Chuck, to go to the mountains for the day. Our destination was Mt. Evans.
We left Aurora around 10 a.m., heading west on I-70 to Idaho Springs. There is a gold mine there that Lee Ann and Chuck have toured. Also several hot mineral springs, which give the town its name. The scenery was most interesting and varied. If we looked closely, we could see abandoned mine sites on the mountainsides.
We took Colorado 103 to Echo Lake, the first alpine lake on the route. Here we entered the Mount Evans Scenic Byway maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. We saw several more alpine lakes, some of which were still ice-covered. We also saw many snowfields and places along the road where the snowbanks were still higher than the truck. As we went higher, the road narrowed, and in places the cliffside edges were crumbling.
The road Mt. Evans was started in 1915, intending to connect three of the 14's (mountains over 14,000 feet), Longs Peak, Mt. Evans, and Pike's Peak. This feat proved to be unfeasible at that time. The summit is only 50 miles from Denver, but is nearly three times the city's mile-high elevation at 14,264 feet. The road is the highest paved automobile route in North America.
On the way up we were watching for some of the wildlife that lives in this high elevation. I spotted some odd-looking tannish lumps on one snowfield. Further inspection with the binoculars revealed five mountain goats resting on the snow. Lou pulled off on the first available turnoff and was able to get a few pictures before they got up and ambled away over the snow and rocks. We saw many hardy souls pumping their way up the mountain on bicycles. They have to be in more than excellent condition. Going down, they whizzed by us with their sleeves a-flappin'! It just made me cringe.
It was a chilly 44 degrees at the parking lot at 14,130 feet (and it was amazing to see people emerge from their vehicles in shorts, tank tops, and sandals! We had on jeans, sweatshirts, and jackets, and were wishing for earmuffs!). We ate our lunch in the truck, then Lee Ann and Chuck decided to walk up to the summit. However, about half way up, the trail was blocked by snow. Lou took pictures and I went to hear the ranger explain the difference between mountain goats and bighorn sheep (which I cannot explain!). During this time, clouds were building up over the nearby mountains and we could see lightning and hear the thunder echo from mountain to mountain.
We learned that above the treeline, there is only 40% of the oxygen as at sealevel. Also, exposure to the sun is 40% greater (we were to well covered up for that to be much of a problem). However, I did experience a brief bout of high-elevation sickness - headache, fatigue, light-headed, short of breath. I think this is why I don't remember the ranger's talk. Chuck has had experience in the mountains, and knew how to encourage me through it. I started to feel better as we headed back down and after we ate buffalo burgers had lots of water in Idaho Springs, I felt fine. Lou was only a little bit affected, Lee Ann and Chuck hardly at all.
During our trip down the mountain, the thunderstorm caught up with us - with rain, sleet, and snow. There was no accumulation and we were able to proceed without incident. When we got to Idaho Springs, traffic on I-70 was at a standstill. In the restaurant we learned that there was a semi rolled over at the Central City Parkway exit about five miles east of Idaho Springs. After a leisurely meal, traffic was still barely moving, so we took 103 back up past Echo Lake and through Evergreen, then back to Aurora. Later, we saw on the news that the truck was loaded with frosting and the clean-up took several hours!
Lou and Val at one of the scenic pulloffs
The road to the top
A rest area on Hwy 103
Summit Lake
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Issue #2
June 23rd 2007
June 23rd 2007
Page 3 of 3
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