Monarch pass snowstorm

Bigmac

Rather be in 29 palms.
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Mar 11, 2018
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714
Location
Oklahoma, USA
On my way cross country. Had to stop to see Ouray CO. Coming across Monarch Pass today at 11k feet a surprise snowstorm blew in and had Semis and travel trailers all over the damn place 300 yards from the top on both sides, was stuck for about an hour while it all got sorted out. Almost had to pull the Jeep off the hauler to sort it out myself.

Here's one of the road before I hit the jam, and one at the top after it got resolved.

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Pretty amazing to still get a snow storm like that in mid May, isn't it? In Denver early evening today, we got about 5 minutes of light wet snow.
 
Wow. Was it a freak storm, or is it typical to that much snow this time of the year at those elevations? It looks pretty in an eerie sort of a way. I really want to go visit Colorado sometime.
 
Snow storms on passes are no joke (especially with a trailer). I've been caught in a couple and they're no fun to drive through. I was at the top of Whistler - Blackcomb a few years ago and it was snowing... in July. Just goes to show how snow can hit at any time.

Reminded me of a snapchat I took a few years ago on Togwotee pass in Wyoming.


 
Years ago, we were doing a week long job in Fort Garland, CO on a massive ranch in July. Half of the team was from Chicago and not used to the often weird Colorado weather. Typical weather was in the high 90s low 100s, clear skies and bone dry dessert conditions. On the last day, we were bringing the last loads down the hill from the scattered cabins to the main lodge when the temps plummeted and the blizzard hit. The snow was gone within a couple hours and it was hot again the next day for the trip home. It was pretty exciting for everyone, especially the city folk.
 
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Leaving Denver once, I had to delay crossing Trail Ridge Road in early July due to 12"+ of snowfall overnight. No biggie though, it gave us time to stop in at Golden for a Coors Brewery tour. Trail Ridge Road was open by around noon that day.
 
DOH, Bigmac what is your destination?
Eventually 29 palms CA. May duck out of ouray early so as not to get snowed in for a week. Not sure if I should leave today or tomorrow.

The big concern is my wife is following in another vehicle pulling a small utility trailer, it's front wheel drive only. We've got her car, the truck and camper, the hauler and Jeep, and the small utility trailer, a dog and 2 kids. Picture ultimate adventure meets Beverly fuckin hillbillies.

From here we'll head to Moab for a week or so, then Bebop around AZ for a bit before heading into SOCAL.

Here the view out the camper back door.

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You should hook the utility trailer to the Jeep and have her drive that! Put her car on the trailer the Jeep was on.
 
Wow. Was it a freak storm, or is it typical to that much snow this time of the year at those elevations? It looks pretty in an eerie sort of a way. I really want to go visit Colorado sometime.
Its been a snowy winter which will usually push into a wet spring. We have a 100% chance of snow on Monday here at 8,150ft. We will get snow and then usually a few days later it is gone. My local trails open on June 21st so right now its just helping us avoid a fire ban by getting moisture.
 
That is crazy.

Purgatory (ski resort north of Durango) has good snow and is open. [The wife still follows the resort even though we have not skied there for more than 10 years.]
 
To
Study this is you haven't...
https://cotrip.org/map.htm#/roadConditions
The weather events are fairly localized where you are. If I recall, the roads calm down significantly once you drop down west of Ouray and get into Ridgeway.
Thanks for the link, that may have influenced us to stay an extra day but we were packing when I got it. Did stop in ouray to get a couple souvenirs on our way out. Awesome place. You were also 100% correct, both weather and terrain effects dropped off sharply with Ridgeway and beyond. We pulled into Moab today about 3 pm local.

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