Today we started up interstate 70 to a trail Jeff had found, but when we got close we realized it was still snowed in. I had seen a sign that Independence Pass was open so off we went!
Frozen lake still thawing!
Lunch stop! Picnic in a pulloff!
Lunch view!
Kids had a secret hideout!
I love you!!!
Someone's mouths were full of 3 Musketeers!
After we left our lunch stop, we noticed the aspen trees were really leafed out! Brilliant green!
Enter avalanche area. They weren't joking! It hadn't been cleared for very long and it was crazy! We saw trees sticking out of snowbanks. I don't know what is going to happen when the snow melts. I'm sure the trees are going to shift somehow and maybe go in the road again.
High snow and see the trees sticking out from the banks?
Waterfall coming off the mountain going up to Independence Pass!
No joke! Higher than the pickup!
Would it be called paraskiing???
Climbing up to the lookout. So funny because we were going up a path and looked over at the top and realized we were nowhere near the actual path. It was covered in snow.
This was spectacular!
On the way back, we found a place to pull over with trails and we went over a raging river and walked along part of a trail. Really neat.
Raging river. Zane was scared because it was so powerful!
Someone got over their fear when sister went closer with Daddy.
Awwww
Looking at beaver lakes
Beaver lodge
Jeff's artsy video he took. :) :) :)
I hope you enjoyed this episode of our Colorado vacation!
We had a beautiful drive up to the near ghost town of Montezuma! Wow, beautiful views of the snake river.
This was Rachel's view. haha.
And Zane's view. They were happy though!
All trails were closed!
Welcome to Montezuma! Such a cool sign!
The town itself looked really rough. Dirt roads, no grocery store, no businesses, but there was a church building. Some nice houses and others that were made of plywood. I am just amazed that people live there. We saw quite a few bikers. They would work really hard getting up there, then fly down the mountain at top speed.
A welcoming sight as we entered town, wouldn't you say?
And a matching throne on the other side of the driveway.
Small houses
Stop signs in a barrel
We started down a trail after leaving Montezuma headed to Peru Creek, but I chickened out because of a bear sign, so we will go back with our bear spray soon.
Next, back to Loveland Pass! Turns out this was the highlight of our day! So cool! Jeff said it's the most fun he's had in a long time!
Jeff had to go back down and get Zane's big jacket. It was really cold and windy on top!
We got to see several snow boarders go down. Pretty neat. Jeff asked how they got back up and the guy said they hitched a ride with someone. I guess snowboarders help snowboarders.
We went back to the snow spot where we went the first time, but went across the road. It was awesome!
Snow angels!
Well...
Sometimes we flop.
Zane went so high up on the mountain. He wanted to go all the way to the top and Jeff said in a couple years he'll do it.
We had such a fun time today. Zane was so exhausted that when we got home he went to bed. I tried to get him up to drink, but he just went back to bed until supper. He was tuckered out and didn't even have the energy to go to the pool! Now that's tired. He ate good and drank some gaterade and water, so I was happy with that. :) What a great day.
