The Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park

[g e]

This past week I was in Estes Park for a wedding. I had a chance to slip my leash and went for a drive on The Trail Ridge Road, aka US 34. This is the highest continuous paved road in CONUS. The highest elevation of the road is 12,183 feet. It also crosses the western Continental Divide.

So how did my BRZ do? I dunno... it was parked at the airport in ATL.

Instead I had an undistinguished Nissan, wheezy, underpowered engine, ridiculous transmission, grabby brakes, and tires that did not lend confidence. Other than that it was fine..... well, the seats weren't bad and I did come to appreciate the brakes on the long descents.

What a road! What a view!

At least every 5 minutes I wondered how it would be with my BRZ. Not much traffic either so I could have had some prudent fun.

Some of those turns have tightening radius which can surprise the unwitting driver. And many sections have long, steep drop offs. I don't recall seeing any guardrails. It's sobering to consider the consequences of an unplanned road departure. Some of those drops are cliffs.

The highest and most interesting section of the road was closed, still under 20 or 50 feet of snow depending on which local you believe. I drove it until I saw 100% snow packed road going into a blind curve... who knows what was beyond that. So I chickened out, turned the car around and went back up the mountain. So did the four cars behind me. I lived to chicken out another day.

The weather was also beginning to turn. Winds were 40 MPH and gusting higher. Snow flurries were frequent and growing stronger in some of the valleys. Winter conditions on the mountain can worsen desperately with no warning but happily it did not happen.

Going off season means far fewer cars and tourists, but the most interesting and challenging section of road is closed. It opens end of May through October.

I did some reading later and this is not the hairiest road one can drive in Colorado. Some of them sound like genuine white knuckle adventures... real terror!

Too bad its a 30 hour drive from my place to Denver. I wouldn't mind going back, and maybe take a crack at Pike's Peak too!

I didn't see any BRZ's or 86's out there but I did spy a screamin' red Toyota Celica in town. Never saw it again, tho.

Cheers!

ge

[thomasmryan]

Estes is a 24 hour drive from East Tennessee.



I did Wolf Creek Pass (160) going to Mesa Verde and 4-corners back in 1980.