Trail Ridge Open

Anna Aspnes Credits:
ArtPlay Palette Arrive Paper
ArtPlay Palette Brimming Tape
UrbanThreadz8, 13

Text:
National Park Service plow operators normally begin clearing the snow in the middle of April. Crews from the west side of the park and crews from the east side of the park move along the road and eventually meet at the Alpine Visitor Center. The visitor center is the highest in the National Park Service, sitting at 11,796 feet above sea level. Spring storms often impact plowing activities. On May 18 and May 19 of this year, a major snowstorm occurred on the east side of the park, dropping more than 3 feet of snow in lower elevations of the park. Plow operators faced 8 to 14 feet of snow at higher elevations, hampering efforts to open Trail Ridge Road by Memorial Day weekend.

Journaling:
After Browns Park, we still needed a vacation, and three days in Estes Park sounded about right. We headed up on Monday morning and were excited to see what Trail Ridge Road was like right after opening. Near the summit, some walls were 20 feet or higher.

Trail Ridge Road runs through Rocky Mountain National Park, which is 30 miles from us. Altitude issues make it necessary to stay up there instead of just making a day trip.