March 3, 2016, Vail Pass

Pulled into Vail Pass at about 8:30 AM en route from Loveland to Aspen. These Colorado people seem to have a nice habit of dedicating the one side of a highway to sleds and the other to human powered.

There was a sunny parking area, and given that the day fee was only $6, I uncharacteristically filled out the forms and went legal. The terrain looked moderate with a brief skin in the trees at 10,400 with multiple moderate angle objectives. I passed a couple of splitters and headed up a windswept knoll that look safe if a bit unpleasant on the up. Sastrugi central it was.

I came upon a solo spliter and paired up until we gained a ridge at about 11,800 and followed that on up to 12,000 where there was a large open bowl facing SE. We took that down to a very pleasant gladed araea, regained the track, and headed back to the parking. Snow on the down was wind packed pow, and/or 2-3" of settled pow on a hard base.

Got back to to the truck, and a forest service ranger rapidly demanded proof of payment. I showed him that, and he said, I see your camper is popped, did you spend the night....what time did you get here. I said abt 8:30, 9:00 AM. He said, "you know, you can not camp here" I said what is camping? He said no overnight parking. I said fine, I will be pulling out in a bit after I set my lawn chairs and drink a Rainier. He said fine.

Then the dude comes back with his Android cell with a grainy webcam grab at 6:30 AM and says, "sorry to call you on this, but I see your camper was here at 6:30 AM"; I said, that was someone else's rig. I was asleep in my pals condo at that hour. I eventually wore him down. Lesson learned, Vail pass and the entire I70 corridor is DIRTBAG HOSTILE. On to Taos....