So this last weekend, Sarah and I decided to head up towards Crested Butte to hike Snowmass Mountain. At 14,092', Snowmass is the 31st tallest mountain in Colorado. The original plan called for us to leave ABQ early on Friday morning, get to the trail head by 5pm, and hike up to the lake at the base of Snowmass. On Saturday, we would hike the peak, back to camp, hike out and stay Saturday night in Crested Butte, leaving Sunday morning. Everything was going as planned, until we got to Crested Butte.
When we got to CB, it was raining and had been raining for a few hours. It wasn't very hard, but constant. We followed the Forrest Service Road out the west side of CB and curved our way up into the mountains. We eventually reach a "4-Wheel drive vehicles recommended beyond this point" sign. Since it said "recommended" and not "required," I down-shifted the Saturn and we continued on our way. The road was smooth until we came to a part where we had to ford a river. Since the water was 12" deep, we decided to park the car and hike the last 5 miles to the trail head. After about two miles, we can to a part of the road where it crosses another river. This river, however, was swollen from the rain and we couldn't find a good place to cross. By now it was 8pm, it was getting dark, we were soaked, and I was getting cold. We resign ourselves to failure and decide to hike back to the car and set up camp at a roadside campground we'd passed.
After loading our gear in the car, we start back towards Crested Butte to set up camp near Emerald Lake. As the one lane road climbs up over Emerald Lake, I bring the car to a stop because there are numerous rock slides covering the road. After a few minutes of inspections, I have Sarah direct me as I drive over the first one. It was rock solid (no pun intended), no problems. The second one looked even more gentle then the first one so I gun it up it. What I didn't know is that while it was all rocks on the top, the second one was actually a mudslide. The car sinks into 12" of mud and we're stuck...
Now it's 9:30pm, it's pitch black outside, there is no cell coverage, and no one around. Since this is a one-lane road, and the only road out of the basin, there are many people camping that won't be able to get out until they rescue our car. We decide to grab our backpacks and hike into town. Luckily, right before we leave, a car comes from the other direction and we're able to hitch-hike back to town. We eventually get a room at the Grand Lodge Resort and happily crash for the night.
The next day we head back up into the mountains with a tow truck and they are able to drag our car out of the mudslide. After our car is pulled out they close the road to all traffic, including 4-wheel drive vehicles.
Since our mudslide incident, we were both out of energy to go hiking, so we decided to spend the weekend hanging out in Crested Butte. The town is beautiful with lots of ethnic restaurants with great food, great beer, and neat places to shop. After two nights there, we drive home on Sunday and boy was I happy to be safe in my own bed.
When we got to CB, it was raining and had been raining for a few hours. It wasn't very hard, but constant. We followed the Forrest Service Road out the west side of CB and curved our way up into the mountains. We eventually reach a "4-Wheel drive vehicles recommended beyond this point" sign. Since it said "recommended" and not "required," I down-shifted the Saturn and we continued on our way. The road was smooth until we came to a part where we had to ford a river. Since the water was 12" deep, we decided to park the car and hike the last 5 miles to the trail head. After about two miles, we can to a part of the road where it crosses another river. This river, however, was swollen from the rain and we couldn't find a good place to cross. By now it was 8pm, it was getting dark, we were soaked, and I was getting cold. We resign ourselves to failure and decide to hike back to the car and set up camp at a roadside campground we'd passed.
After loading our gear in the car, we start back towards Crested Butte to set up camp near Emerald Lake. As the one lane road climbs up over Emerald Lake, I bring the car to a stop because there are numerous rock slides covering the road. After a few minutes of inspections, I have Sarah direct me as I drive over the first one. It was rock solid (no pun intended), no problems. The second one looked even more gentle then the first one so I gun it up it. What I didn't know is that while it was all rocks on the top, the second one was actually a mudslide. The car sinks into 12" of mud and we're stuck...
Now it's 9:30pm, it's pitch black outside, there is no cell coverage, and no one around. Since this is a one-lane road, and the only road out of the basin, there are many people camping that won't be able to get out until they rescue our car. We decide to grab our backpacks and hike into town. Luckily, right before we leave, a car comes from the other direction and we're able to hitch-hike back to town. We eventually get a room at the Grand Lodge Resort and happily crash for the night.
The next day we head back up into the mountains with a tow truck and they are able to drag our car out of the mudslide. After our car is pulled out they close the road to all traffic, including 4-wheel drive vehicles.
Since our mudslide incident, we were both out of energy to go hiking, so we decided to spend the weekend hanging out in Crested Butte. The town is beautiful with lots of ethnic restaurants with great food, great beer, and neat places to shop. After two nights there, we drive home on Sunday and boy was I happy to be safe in my own bed.
While nothing went as planned, it was still a great time relaxing with Sarah in a beautiful town. I've driven through quite a few mountain towns now. Some of them are cute, and great to visit, but Crested Butte is the first one where I think I could live (other than the fact it is so far from a major airport).
Someday Sarah and I will get back there and defeat Snomass Mountain, but until then, we'll just look back and laugh about the time Snowmass kicked our butts with a mudslide.
4 comments:
Oh man! I'm glad to see that you got the car out - any damage done?
Let us know the next time you're looking that direction, in the very least, we'll share some beer with you at the butte.
o m g. that is just nuts that the car was in the mudslide. SUCKS!
let us know, too, and my slow, poopy butt will try to hang with you advanced hikers. ;)
I'll let you guys know next time. I think I'm going to head up that way on the 10th of August. Sarah is out of town but I am planning on tackling a few 14ers. Sarah did 4 of them in one day so i'll probably try and recreate her trip to get a few more under my belt.
Ha!! dougieb said beer butte!
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