A couple of weeks ago, while the high mountains were in less than ideal condition for skiing and the local trails were too soupy from snowmelt for mountain biking, I headed up into the network of gravel roads in the Arkansas Hills for some random exploring.  

The county line between Chaffee and Freemont country is on a high ridge northeast of Salida.  I figured I’d ride up the road until I reached the county line or hit snow, whichever came first, then turn around and come home.  Simple.  It’s an area I’ve ridden many times before.

Starting from the house I headed up County Road 175.  I was pleased to see that county maintenance and several days of sunshine had cleared off all the snow.  The road surface was well-packed and slightly tacky under my tires.  It was a pleasant spin all the way up to around 9,500 feet.  I only saw two cars and one other gravel rider the whole way up.  

Less than a mile from the county line, at precisely the last driveway in Chaffee County, the road went from dry and clear to two wet, muddy ruts between melting banks of snow.  Clearly the point where Chaffee County maintenance ends.  End of the road for me.  

I turned around to start my descent but paused for what I think is the most spectacular view I’ve ever seen of the southern Sawatch range and surrounding mountains.  I’ve seen this view many times before from this exact spot and it’s always impressive but I’d only previously seen it in the summer or fall. 

In the spring, the white of the snowcapped mountains contrasted against the scruffy browns and greens of the nearby landscape made it even more striking.  I stood there for several minutes taking it all in.  

I took a short video to capture the moment and for whatever reason, also decided to identify the mountains I was seeing.  It’s remarkable how many and how downright beautiful they are.  As the crow flies, that’s about 40 miles of mountains from north to south.  

At any rate, I thought I’d share.  Here it is, your video postcard from Colorado.