a drive up hellroaring
I’ll be honest, I drove. Read: Limited photography. This time around I’ll have to use my words to entertain you and hope it captures the beauty, the moment, the adventure.
Soaking up the view up the canyon before a spring storm rolls in over the Beartooths.
Rather than setting you up with a long post about my Memorial Day weekend explorations I decided to break each adventure into its own little snapshot for your quick viewing pleasure. Originally, I held hopes of traveling over the weekend and living a grand and glorious excursion but life created other plans for me. I ended up surveying a bunch of different trails and areas to check on snow melt out conditions.
I don’t even mind this route for that weekend because luck brought crystal clear, warm weather, which made it a wonderful weekend to bask in the spots I know and love so well. Turns out this technique also helped because the first week of June was chilly and rainy and the random side quests allowed me to still provide you with pictures to peruse…for the whole month! You’re welcome.
Highlighting one of my favorite views along the road to adventure.
In this adventure, I convinced TAJ to explore up the canyon and he asked me to drive. I thought I may get us muddy depending on the snow melt off across the dirt roads and somehow managed to keep the side by side mostly clean. The views remained as inspirational as I recall them when we last had access to them. This time though the verdant aspens leafing out demonstrated a wellspring of hope this season is known for. Spring stirs within me a rejuvenated sense of adventure.
Even though we are still a month out before getting into the higher reaches, just maaaaybe I can push through the melting snow into higher alpine forests, trails, plateaus. Feel the cooler mountain air. See the freshness for myself.
Rockslides are prevalent in spring while ice and snow melt release pressure on rocks or the freeze thaw cycle happens more rapidly.
Anyway, back to the driving bit. Yes, the views mesmerized and delighted me. Yes, we hit snowdrifts across the high forest service road precisely where I thought we would and turned around. Yes, the short excursion was worth it. After turning around, we followed the main forest service road past the campgrounds and along the creek until bumping into the locked gate at the state line. We stopped, took in the views, and made note of the storm clouds building over us. A rockfall clanked loudly down the mountainside across from us. Powerful to observe, I delayed snapping a photo until afterwards when I could breathe again.
The raindrops chased us out of the canyon and we made it back home in time to enjoy the quick shower safely behind windows. What a great way to check in on the status of trailheads, right? My luck and fortune aren’t lost on me. Despite how agitating the wait to get into type two adventure shenanigans in the high alpine (mountains) can be, this one outing made up for it. Making memories with TAJ in our slice of paradise means the world to me.
Here’s to hoping you also find spring renewal too! Although it’s probably already feeling like summer where you’re at. Wink. What type of fun did you indulge in over Memorial Day weekend and what adventures are you beginning in June?