TR: Wolf Creek, 2/11

**rvski** · 02-13-2007, 01:12 PM

Ok, here goes the first tr. My apologies in advance for my camera being broken.

With the disclaimer out of the way, this trip start off leaving durango at 7:00 am to a mix of rain and snow. This is a new record for getting myself, so, skis and snowboard into the van and on the road. Things are going well so far. In the choice between 2 evils, wolf creek wins out over purg (like duh). however, this trip was not meant to be all happines. The notorious pagosa spring death slush has come out this morning along with all of the yummy powder. Sure enough, it lives up to its name and sends the car sliding off the road into a ditch. And things were going so well. Luckinly, nothing was hurt, damaged etc, except for the cosmetic finding that barbed wire is stronger than the plastic of my bumper.

Later, it takes over 2.5 hrs for the tow truck driver to get to me, and informs me that I am his 5th pull out of the morning. Also the one with the least damage. There was carnage around pagosa springs that morning. The final count was 10 cars and 2 tractor-trailers. The state patrolman had almost finished dealing with a car that slid down the pass and into one of the tt's and was going to come make a report of our scene. However, he came across 3 or 4 more accidents on his way to me and did not make it. Dispatch cleared the tow truck to pull me out because I was the only car involved and all of the property damage (the fence) was hwy dept property. Thanks to CO's redunkulous fenced out law, the hwy facing fence is treated the same as a guardrail.

Once I get pulled out and finished with the tow company, the driver kindly tells me that a tt rolled over between here and durango, so getting back is next to impossible. There is one choice left....GO SKIING.

After inspecting the car, it is drivable and off we go. By this time, CO DOT has finally gotten on the ball and cleared the road, so it is smooth sailing over the pass.

We arrived at Wolf creek just in time for the half day pass to start. Note to self, just sleep in. The boot to mid thigh deep pow was just what the doctor ordered to relieve the tension. There were plenty of amazing lines still availible. It was definately another epic storm day. The only poling to be had all day was on the top of the ridges. Good times.

Finally, time for the trod back to town. Thankfully I decided to go skiing because they finished clearing the tt rollover at 530, right before I went by.

Vibes to everyone else who was off the road that morning.

Oh yeah, and if ne1 is going up for locals day tomorrow and has 4 wheel drive, leaving from the Durango area, let me know.

~Rickey