elripster
12-09-2007, 08:50 PM
Seeing the snow covered mountains off in the distance filled me with the urger to grab Claire and run to the hills. I brought up the idea and she bit. We packed up a lunch before church and as soon as we were released we headed north on I15 then east on 76.
This wasn't a challenging wheeling trip or anything like that but it was very scenic and fun... for the most part.
At the top of the grade was a sign, "road closed due to fire hazard". The vehicles ahead of me as well as myself figured that 6"+ of snow on the ground pretty much negated any fire hazard and proceeded. When we got to the end of the trail, where pavement begins, we were turned back by a very nice park ranger. He explained the park was closed. I have no idea what encompasses the park but he had us go back down the grade. Claire I stopped to have lunch on the way back down. We were almost done eating when this extremely rude sheriff raps on the window (it was windy so I didn't hear him pull or walk up + I had the Charger game on in the truck). He orders us to leave because the whole area is closed. I didn't ask why, he was too much of a jerk and I didn't need the hassles.
It turns out (I got online and researched) that the whole road has been deemed impassable. By what or whom is anyone's guess. I mean my open diff with worn 31's made it no sweat but some how it is unsafe and impassable. If that is true, why the nice cop sent us back down the unsafe and impassable road is unclear. Anyway, we made our way back down the mountain and all and all enjoyed ourselves. We finished up with some wine tasting at Orfila vineyards.
The only thing that worried me more is that for some reason I drove up the grade in "D". Usually I select 1 or 2. The auto-tranny-fluid-is-too-hot light came on and might have been on for a while. I was checking out the surroundings on the way up. When I would switch from park to drive or back and forth from reverse to drive, even after the light wen out (I pulled over and gave it some time to cool), the tranny would slip the first time I tried to get the truck to move and was fine thereafter. When we were kicked out, the truck had cooled enough and all of those slipping antics ceased. I'm going to get the fluid changed tomorrow just to be safe.
On to the pics!
These are from I15.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate1.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate3.jpg
Now from Highway 76.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate4.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate7.jpg
Farther down 76.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate8.jpg
On NHG.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate10.jpg
Getting above the snow line.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate11.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate12.jpg
Surrounding mountains.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate13.jpg
Is this not perfect for a Christmas card?
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate14.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate15.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate18.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate19.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate20.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate21.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate22.jpg
Frank
This wasn't a challenging wheeling trip or anything like that but it was very scenic and fun... for the most part.
At the top of the grade was a sign, "road closed due to fire hazard". The vehicles ahead of me as well as myself figured that 6"+ of snow on the ground pretty much negated any fire hazard and proceeded. When we got to the end of the trail, where pavement begins, we were turned back by a very nice park ranger. He explained the park was closed. I have no idea what encompasses the park but he had us go back down the grade. Claire I stopped to have lunch on the way back down. We were almost done eating when this extremely rude sheriff raps on the window (it was windy so I didn't hear him pull or walk up + I had the Charger game on in the truck). He orders us to leave because the whole area is closed. I didn't ask why, he was too much of a jerk and I didn't need the hassles.
It turns out (I got online and researched) that the whole road has been deemed impassable. By what or whom is anyone's guess. I mean my open diff with worn 31's made it no sweat but some how it is unsafe and impassable. If that is true, why the nice cop sent us back down the unsafe and impassable road is unclear. Anyway, we made our way back down the mountain and all and all enjoyed ourselves. We finished up with some wine tasting at Orfila vineyards.
The only thing that worried me more is that for some reason I drove up the grade in "D". Usually I select 1 or 2. The auto-tranny-fluid-is-too-hot light came on and might have been on for a while. I was checking out the surroundings on the way up. When I would switch from park to drive or back and forth from reverse to drive, even after the light wen out (I pulled over and gave it some time to cool), the tranny would slip the first time I tried to get the truck to move and was fine thereafter. When we were kicked out, the truck had cooled enough and all of those slipping antics ceased. I'm going to get the fluid changed tomorrow just to be safe.
On to the pics!
These are from I15.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate1.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate3.jpg
Now from Highway 76.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate4.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate7.jpg
Farther down 76.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate8.jpg
On NHG.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate10.jpg
Getting above the snow line.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate11.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate12.jpg
Surrounding mountains.
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate13.jpg
Is this not perfect for a Christmas card?
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate14.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate15.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate18.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate19.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate20.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate21.jpg
http://sdori.com/eventimages/nate22.jpg
Frank