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Denver and The Blue River Parkway
By PK | July 11, 2008
In May when you reach the Rocky Mountains you can’t predict the weather. A late spring snow storm can catch you unawares quickly. In Denver the temperature could be in the mid 50s or even higher, but when you reach the higher altitudes of the Rockies, it drops as quick as you’re ascending. As beautiful as these mountains are, they hold many dangers for travelers who are unaware of this region’s climate.
Normally, I love to take pictures of cities I haven’t visited, but I was so excited about the Rocky Mountains and looking around me I only took two of Denver. This is one of them coming into Denver. That is the power the Rockies hold on you, their graceful, majestic mounds of snow-capped mountains that remind you of a delicious bowl of ice cream topped with whipped cream. Did anyone say ice cream??? Maybe that’s why I like the mountains here so much. I’m beginning to see the similarity between the two. *wink
This is a map I created on Google Earth showing you the route we took from Denver to Silverthorne, Colorado. Google Earth is a free download and has a lot of interesting features. Great science tool for those who have middle grade school students. We took I-70 west out of Denver to Silverthorne.
Mmm….don’t ya just want to dig in?
I could hardly sit still in my seat for wanting to snap pictures all around me and poor Dalton needing help watching traffic, checking the map for exits and needing gas. We didn’t want to get off in Denver, but let me tell you now…you’d better. Because there are few gas stations once you get to this point! Gas Stations cease to exist after you leave Golden, go through the Eisenhower Tunnel, and reach Silverthorne. That’s only a stretch of about 60 miles, but there are many mountains between that you have to climb. Gas guzzlers beware.
It was about this time I began to sing the song, “High Cotton”, ‘we were walking in high cotton…’ This drive will surely make you think you are walking in high cotton coming from southern roots.
One of the most important things to remember on a trip such as this, is to drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest. I’m not teasing here…I’m being serious, based on my own experiences. I don’t like drinking a lot when traveling cause of the frequent stops, but this is a time you should. I experienced altitude sickness each and every time I came to the Rockies until I finally moved here. These old bones were used to 800 feet above sea level, not 14,000 feet. It is quite a difference. They say you should descend immediately if you are experiencing severe symptoms. Yeah! Like that was going to happen. There was no way I was going back down anytime soon…tough it out, girl!!!
Not all the mountains in the Rockies are covered with whipped cream…I mean snow. But the uniqueness of their rock formations, pinnacles and sheer cliffs make them just as interesting. There are also canyons but I don’t want to spoil you now as that post will come later…*smile
If you actually knew what I went through to get these photographs uploaded, by golly, you’d download every single one of them and use them daily as your wallpaper on your desktop. I need a vacation every weekend after posting all week just to calm my nerves. I haven’t quite figured out if it’s my computer, my web server or my WIFI. I do know when a semi goes by, my WIFI Mbps increase….the waves just bouncing off their shiny trailers and if I keep this computer two more years, I’ll be able to sell it on e-bay as an antique. Maybe I should set up Paypal, then people might buy my doilies (under Hobbies) or help contribute to my cause. Cause I need a new computer!!
When I see the clouds and the top of the mountains almost touching, it makes me want to climb to the top and jump as high as I can, which at my age wouldn’t be very far, but I guess it’s the thought there that counts. I have been doing a lot of mountain climbing…see my post, Fish Creek Falls. It’s not as easy as one would think. I just had heart surgery almost two years ago to correct a heart defect I had. It is a very big accomplishment for me that I’m very proud to say I did.
If you notice in this picture the clouds are changing…that’s how quickly the weather can change. We ran into a snow storm further up the road as we approached the Eisenhower Tunnel. My eyes had to stay on the road more than through my viewfinder as I kept getting side glances from Dalton.
I regret not getting my own pictures of the Eisenhower Tunnel, but road conditions were deteriorating due to snow and ice….those pesky weather changes. This one is courtesy of Department of Colorado. If you would like to read more about this tunnel, here’s the place to do so… Eisenhower Tunnel.
We left I-70 at the Silverthorne exit and headed north to Steamboat up Route 9, a two lane highway. Route 9 is also called Blue River Parkway. The Blue River runs parallel with Rt. 9 until it reaches the Green Mountain Reservoir.
You’ll see a lot of wildlife as you travel along Rt. 9, mule deer, antelope and elk were the most popular ones we seen. This is a picture I took of some antelope.
Traveling along Rt. 9 you come to Kremmling, Colorado. The town is located approximately at the mouth of the both the Blue River, which descends from the south, and Muddy Creek, which descends from the north. This location provides valley access to Rabbit Ears Pass at the Continental Divide, which then descends into Steamboat Springs. Kremmling is also where the Blue River and Muddy Creek join the headwaters of the Colorado River, which comes in from the East and then passes West through Gore Canyon. This confluence is the primary reason Kremmling was founded.
To continue this journey, you can read the post, ‘Rabbit Ears Mountain Range‘. I hope you enjoyed this leg of our journey as we explore Colorado. Future articles will include Gore Canyon, The Rocky Mountains in the fall, and surrounding communites in north central Colorado.
Just drop a few coins in the tin cup…I’ll be around to collect it! *smiles
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Topics: "Post Cards From the West", Colorado |
