HMS Beangle

For our 33rd wedding anniversary, we decided to head out for a four day weekend. Our goal destination was Jefferson Lake, a high altitude reservoir lake about an hour and a half from our apartment. For the first time ever, we left for a popular area with nothing more than hope. There was a single site listed as First Come First Serve for the whole weekend, amongst four campgrounds, so we drove with fingers crossed. If all else failed, we could try to find a boondocking spot on one of the Forest Service roads.

Luckily we arrived early enough to snag that lone FCFS site, but we were about 3.5 hours too early for check-in and the gate warden was a stickler for time, so we drove straight up to the lake — reservation in hand.

The water was wonderfully clear and, as we learned later while crossing several inlets at the farthest end of the reservoir, cold. So cold. Jeff was happy to see that fish were jumping everywhere. Kayaks and stand up paddle boards made infrequent bright pops of color across the reflective surface. The quiet and relative solitude was a welcome relief.

While we waited for the clock to strike two, we hiked slowly around the lake’s rocky perimeter, watched the fish rise, tried not to twist an ankle, dodged small waterfalls gurgling down from the peaks, and then drove back down the mountain to check out the numerous beaver dams along Jefferson Creek.

At a small side pullout along Jefferson Creek, we had a light snack and Jeff caught his first small river trout of the weekend. He was kind and released it quickly, so no proud photo I’m sad to say.

We pushed our luck, rebels that we are, and arrived at the campground 20 minutes early. By check in time, we were fully set up. Our site had a pretty significant tilt to it, so we ended up with one leveling block on Jeff’s side and four (!) on mine.

Lunch and an afternoon thunderstorm, normal for the summer at elevation. A nap for him and some reading for me (Trust by Hernan Diaz). A quiet dinner while watching a legion of chipmunks scurry around the campsite and the rest of the campground fill up. All in all, it was a lovely start to our long weekend.

We learned that we need to do some research on how best to stake out and set up out 23Zero Peregrine 180º awning. It tended to catch and pool the rain we had, not ideal. We’re questioning how often we’ll end up using the awning’s walls. It’s a lot of work to set them up, cumbersome to repack, and they take up a good bit of space in the store box. Like a lot of things, there’s plenty to sort out and learn along the way.

Jeff went to bed early and I followed not too long after him. He always falls asleep quickly on the first day of a trip. I think it must still be a lot of mental effort pulling the trailer.

After enduring several weeks of extreme temps on the Front Range, the weekend’s highs in the mid-70s felt like nature’s gift. The sleeping temps at 10,000 ft felt downright cold at times. My favorite way to sleep as anyone that has stayed with us knows. I’m sure it contributed in large part to us not waking up until after 8 am each morning.