Summer in the Rockies (looks remarkably like winter)

What happens when you mix 4 parts eagerness to get into the high country, 2 parts late spring snows and 200% of average snowpack for the year with a weekend trip to the Rockies?   A spring trip that looks quite a bit like winter.  A month ago I had the bright idea to visit Colorado State Forest State Park in late May on a weekend off among many weekend call days.  What I hadn't predicted were the snowy late spring conditions and lack of plowed access to the cabins.

We arrived at the driveway to the cabins surprised to see the 4 feet of snow covering it.  Considering we had a trunkload of camping gear and toys for Maddie we were a bit nonplussed by the idea of getting those items down a hundred yard snow-covered slope and more importantly how to get them back up.  Thankfully, having had a minimal amount of insight to the conditions, I'd decided to bring a sled for Maddie which greatly assisted in the transport of items to the cabin.  After a few breathless trips (at about 9500 feet of elevation) we'd unloaded everything and had a fire going in the wood stove, one of our few relative luxuries in the cabin.  Aside from the woodstove, we had four walls, a roof, 1 solar-powered light, 4 beds, a table and chairs.  You may have noticed that I didn't mention a bathroom or running water so we were basically camping inside...a few hundred snow-covered feet to the pit-toilets.  Aside from the abundant snow, we did know what we were getting into and were prepared.  We had a cooler with plenty of adult beverages, the meals Em had pre-prepared, a Coleman stove, some candles and most importantly the three of us without a pager, TV or cell phone signal within miles.

We spent Friday afternoon sledding and playing in the snow while blessed with a few precious hours of sunshine. Then it was time for happy hour and Petros (southern for Fritos, chili, cheese, onions and salsa).  We spent the evening hanging out, talking and enjoying each others' company without distraction.

The following day we went to the visitors center at the park for snowshoe rentals and being so incompetent that they could neither recommend a trail nor remember the price of the rentals, they were complimentary.  These people were really friendly, but after 15 minutes with a map I knew more about the park than they did.  As predicted, the weather was foul, 35 degrees and sleeting.  We tried snowshoeing for awhile, but Maddie tired of it quickly so I continued on while Em and Maddie returned to the cabin for naps.  I ran across some moose tracks, but no moose and that was surely the highlight of my snowshoe-clad, viewless, uphill grind.  I returned happy to have gotten some exercise, but a little damp.

 A few hours later the sun was out again for some sledding and cooking out on the deck of the cabin.

No matter what we do at the cabins, Maddie is happy to be there.  It's amazing how much fun she has just getting away to some new surroundings and entertaining herself with things like headlamps, climbing the bunkbeds, hanging out in her sleeping bag, etc.

Why can't we just go to Myrtle Beach Dad?

I bet your parents never made you snowshoe to the pit toilets with headlamps on when you were a kid.

(and yes that's snow at handrail level in the foreground)

In the AM we hauled all our gear uphill through what was now slush.  I can't tell you how much I enjoy postholing my way through slush with 50-70 lbs of gear in my arms.  After a few trips it was over and we did a quick hike around some beaver ponds.  No beaver, but we did see a baby elk with mama nowhere in sight so we got out of there quickly.  In other wildlife sightings earlier in the trip we saw a fox, coyote and some otters playing near the lake.  Looking back on the cabins as we left the beauty of the place was not lost on us, maybe just a little better suited to a July or August visit rather than mud season.

Next weekend: our first backpacking trip with Maddie.  Should be VERY interesting.  Stay tuned...