Switzerland Trail Saturday 5/24/2014
- Thread starter karas
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
- Thread starter
- #102
We're you doing something like this Luke.
- Thread starter
- #103
Well we had a good time and the kids got to play a lot. It didn't rain on is until about 8 Friday night so we got to have s'mores at least. Waking up in the morning we met Sam down in Nederland and head back up to start the trail. It was very scenic and pensylvania gulch was harder then what I have read. Even the pics on trail damage made it look a a
to easier then what it was. Anyway we made it back to camp and Greg started packing up to head home and Sam and Leon went on another adventure. I ended up meeting Sam back in town for some pizza but the cooks were all stoned and the music was to loud so we went to a cafe to eat. The Sam left for home and I headed back up to camp in the rain. It was pouring so we watched a movie in the car. After the movie was over it stopped raining long enough so we could get in the tent and get to bed. We got up in the morning and headed down to get some fishing in. We didn't have any luck and just about everyone else there had the same problem. So we packed up camp and headed home trying to miss the hail along the way.
A little water at the beginning of the trail.
to easier then what it was. Anyway we made it back to camp and Greg started packing up to head home and Sam and Leon went on another adventure. I ended up meeting Sam back in town for some pizza but the cooks were all stoned and the music was to loud so we went to a cafe to eat. The Sam left for home and I headed back up to camp in the rain. It was pouring so we watched a movie in the car. After the movie was over it stopped raining long enough so we could get in the tent and get to bed. We got up in the morning and headed down to get some fishing in. We didn't have any luck and just about everyone else there had the same problem. So we packed up camp and headed home trying to miss the hail along the way.
A little water at the beginning of the trail.
- Thread starter
- #104
Nice views
- Thread starter
- #105
It always looked like it was going to rain.
- Thread starter
- #106
Some pics
- Thread starter
- #107
Some more of the white stuff
- Thread starter
- #108
Start of Pennsylvania gulch. It's just one little rock
- Thread starter
- #109
Bad pic but it lets you know how tight the trail was.
- Thread starter
- #110
Better pic without the windshield.
- Thread starter
- #111
Oh and there was water on this part as well
- Thread starter
- #112
Camp
We had the battle of the biggest tents going on. I think Greg one by only a little bit.
We had the battle of the biggest tents going on. I think Greg one by only a little bit.
- Thread starter
- #113
Looks like fun, sorry I missed it (although it looks like I would have added some pinstripping to the old girl had I gone).
Greg, the LED bar on your ARB looks great!
Greg, the LED bar on your ARB looks great!
I've seen Greg's tent, I'm surprised you didn't need to use your camera's panoramic setting to get it all on one photo.
- Thread starter
- #116
Oh and a shot at the beginning,Airing down. I should have put this at the top
Travis you were missed along with everyone else. Especially Luke. We needed some lumber jack skills with a chainsaw.
That might be my next item is a chainsaw and Luke if you wouldn't mind showing a flat lander how to cut and chop wood that would be great.
Travis you were missed along with everyone else. Especially Luke. We needed some lumber jack skills with a chainsaw.
That might be my next item is a chainsaw and Luke if you wouldn't mind showing a flat lander how to cut and chop wood that would be great.
Haha with all 4 of us there we put that big tent to good use! Also had it outfitted with propane heat for this outing too. Melissa was good enough to let me drag her out camping almost 7 months pregnant so I wanted to make sure she was comfortable.
I was the last to roll into camp Friday evening. Storms and traffic delayed me from the Springs. I got off on Hwy 89 out of Castle Rock to “beat the traffic” only to get caught in a back up just north of the outlet mall. Turns out stormwater runoff had cross both directions of traffic in two place about 6 inches deep. I saw one car turning at an intersection and it looked to be at the bottom of the door (a little foreshadowing). Going up Coal Creek Canyon the flood damage from last fall was pretty apparent, must have been quite a scene.
Once I got near camp and into the FS area I can across a Dodge Avenger (I think), (a little sports coup). It was stuck deep in a mud hole with three guys in late teens or early 20s trying to get unstuck. I pulled up to them and asked them which way they wanted me to pull them out They opted for being pulled back, good choice. I told the owner he would have to hook on the winch cable and it took him a bit of crawling in the mud until he found the tow loop. I confirmed again he was okay with me pulling him out and then I winched his car out. It took bit more pulling to get that car out as the mud was pretty deep.
The next day was a mainly just nice trails, Pennsylvania Gulch had a few spots I think each one of us hit something at a time we didn’t expect. Greg’s 80 started smoking bad before we hit that trail but luckily stopped as quickly as it started. Afterward, Sam, Sandy and I went to check out Gross Reservoir. We found a pretty cool little road with lots of camping spots on the way down to the water. A short hike got us to the water’s edge.
Once I got near camp and into the FS area I can across a Dodge Avenger (I think), (a little sports coup). It was stuck deep in a mud hole with three guys in late teens or early 20s trying to get unstuck. I pulled up to them and asked them which way they wanted me to pull them out They opted for being pulled back, good choice. I told the owner he would have to hook on the winch cable and it took him a bit of crawling in the mud until he found the tow loop. I confirmed again he was okay with me pulling him out and then I winched his car out. It took bit more pulling to get that car out as the mud was pretty deep.
The next day was a mainly just nice trails, Pennsylvania Gulch had a few spots I think each one of us hit something at a time we didn’t expect. Greg’s 80 started smoking bad before we hit that trail but luckily stopped as quickly as it started. Afterward, Sam, Sandy and I went to check out Gross Reservoir. We found a pretty cool little road with lots of camping spots on the way down to the water. A short hike got us to the water’s edge.
Last edited:
On the way home I spotted this near where Coal Creek Rd. comes into 93 north of Golden at 6:12 pm. I wasn't sure what is was but it didn't seem right. Sometime around 6:50 the NWS issued a tornado warning in the west Denver area, they mentioned Chatfield Reservoir, not too long after I went through there. I sent the picture to Wes and this is what he had to say :
“Yes, that's a textbook "Wall Cloud….When we're out storm spotting for NWS, this is a significant reportable incident. Nice photo, BTW - will forward to NWS Boulder…That's very likely the wall cloud that evolved into the Tornado they warned on”
There was a lot of rain on the way home.
All in all nice trip, thanks for leading it Matt!
By the way, I thought about you all on Sunday as I saw the radar images.
“Yes, that's a textbook "Wall Cloud….When we're out storm spotting for NWS, this is a significant reportable incident. Nice photo, BTW - will forward to NWS Boulder…That's very likely the wall cloud that evolved into the Tornado they warned on”
There was a lot of rain on the way home.
All in all nice trip, thanks for leading it Matt!
By the way, I thought about you all on Sunday as I saw the radar images.
- Thread starter
- #120
Thanks Leon. There was another animal that ran though camp Sunday morning and it kind of growled and stomped the ground a bit. Pretty sure it was a bear but I won't rule out a bull elk as there was fresh sign in the area of those. Couldn't pick up,a track so my thought is bear as hooves are sharp and should have left something even I could find.