This thread was born out of these two ongoing threads about the lack of snow in Southern Colorado, and where to go to make the most of it.
https://forum.pugski.com/threads/ho...due-to-lack-of-snow-but-will-lose-money.7713/
https://forum.pugski.com/threads/road-trip-help-requested.8099/
We left Phoenix early Friday evening and made the drive up to Flagstaff. The plan had been to pick up out ski gear from our condo and make the trip up to Monarch on the Saturday. However, reports of a huge winter storm with high winds made us decide to just leave late and drive through the night to Salida. We took I40 west to Gallup NM and then headed up north through the Navajo Nation on the dreaded, old US Route 666. By reputation, one of the deadliest roads in the US. We missed a lot of great scenery, but stayed ahead of the storm, which hit Northern AZ at 8am in the morning. Despite the darkness, we got some cool views of Ship Rock, Farmington and then Durango, the home of Purgatory Ski resortt as we crossed from New Mexico and into Colorado.
We took a quick stop in Pagosa Springs, at five in the morning, to take in the steam and sulfur, then headed up the mountain to Wolf Creek Pass and the Wolf Creek ski resort. We made the pass just before dawn and could see the groomers hard at work getting the trails ready.
Who knew there were so many abandoned rail cars in South Fork? Apparently a Chicago business man is getting paid millions to store old rolling stock on the unused tracks. It went on for thirty miles!
We watched the sun come up over the Rockies and made the last leg of the trip through the high plains and hay fields to Salida. Pancakes for breakfast at the local dive, then we checked in to the Silver Ridge Lodge early and got some well earned sleep.
We chilled the rest of the day, checked out the Historic District of Salida, watched deer fearlessly ramble hrough the town, then made a test drive up the mountain pass road to Monarch. We had pizza at Amicas, then turned in for the night. The infamous storm hasn’t reached us yet, but we should be waking up to a powder day with free refills. Keeping them crossed.
https://forum.pugski.com/threads/ho...due-to-lack-of-snow-but-will-lose-money.7713/
https://forum.pugski.com/threads/road-trip-help-requested.8099/
We left Phoenix early Friday evening and made the drive up to Flagstaff. The plan had been to pick up out ski gear from our condo and make the trip up to Monarch on the Saturday. However, reports of a huge winter storm with high winds made us decide to just leave late and drive through the night to Salida. We took I40 west to Gallup NM and then headed up north through the Navajo Nation on the dreaded, old US Route 666. By reputation, one of the deadliest roads in the US. We missed a lot of great scenery, but stayed ahead of the storm, which hit Northern AZ at 8am in the morning. Despite the darkness, we got some cool views of Ship Rock, Farmington and then Durango, the home of Purgatory Ski resortt as we crossed from New Mexico and into Colorado.
We took a quick stop in Pagosa Springs, at five in the morning, to take in the steam and sulfur, then headed up the mountain to Wolf Creek Pass and the Wolf Creek ski resort. We made the pass just before dawn and could see the groomers hard at work getting the trails ready.
Who knew there were so many abandoned rail cars in South Fork? Apparently a Chicago business man is getting paid millions to store old rolling stock on the unused tracks. It went on for thirty miles!
We watched the sun come up over the Rockies and made the last leg of the trip through the high plains and hay fields to Salida. Pancakes for breakfast at the local dive, then we checked in to the Silver Ridge Lodge early and got some well earned sleep.
We chilled the rest of the day, checked out the Historic District of Salida, watched deer fearlessly ramble hrough the town, then made a test drive up the mountain pass road to Monarch. We had pizza at Amicas, then turned in for the night. The infamous storm hasn’t reached us yet, but we should be waking up to a powder day with free refills. Keeping them crossed.
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