Well, It’s Official: Here Comes The Start Of A Colorado Winter
It's always usually about this time of year when you get that first really cold overnight reminding us that yes, indeed we do live somewhere where it snows and gets pretty miserably cold in the winter. Especially this year, we've been spoiled by some really awesome summer-like weather later into the season, but that officially ended today.
No, there's not snow in the forecast this weekend. I'm sure that will come soon enough.
I'm talking about the official closure of the highest continuous paved road in the entire United States, as Rocky Mountain National Park officially closed Trail Ridge Road for the season. Once that closes down, you know what happens next. Nothing, at least not on that road, until they open and plow it in the spring.
The road sits at 12,183 feet - the highest in the US - and connects Estes Park to Grand Lake. If you've never driven it in the summer, it's absolutely gorgeous with views for days, but it's not for the faint of heart. There's not too many guard rails to speak of, and nowhere to pull off, so if it's you and other traffic up there, it can be a bit of a white-knuckler.
It's closed between Rainbow Curve on the Estes side of the park and the Colorado River trailhead on the west side. It's closed a full week later than it did last year, and depending on how much snow we get this winter, the annual re-open date is still TBD.
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Gallery Credit: Dave Jensen