Suggestions: Close Park and Camp near Boulder?

[Rezarf]

Howdy-

I want to stretch the legs on my new Roof Top Tent tomorrow night and see how it rolls in the snow... we are supposed to get a few inches.

I was wondering if you know of a local (read not too far of a drive ~1hr.) to set it up and sleep tomorrow night?

Is any national forrest ground fair game?

If anyone wants to jump in the "super cold try out" let me know...

Thanks in advance!

Drew

 

[MDH33]

You could go out towards Ward and Indian Peaks, the Brainard Lake Recreation Area is open in the winter and is almost exactly an hour from Louisville. The Pawnee campground is in the Recreation area and I think it's open year round and has nice drive in camp sites, but won't have running water in winter. See the link below. Easy drive in and not too far away with lots of great scenery nearby. If the campground is closed, there are a lot of forest service roads around there.

Brainard Lakes Recreation Area

Pawnee Campground

Do you have your roof top tent on your 40?

 

[corsair23]

Drew,

What about the resevoirs etc up there? IIRC Bonney Lake (I think that is what it is) is up by you. I know it is not as glamourous as it would be being out of the city but if the campground is open then you would be close to home should the conditions become unbearable.

 

[60wag]

Brainard lake campground is most definitely closed during the winter. The area is open for skiing and showshoing but that's about it. I believe most of the other forest service campgrounds along Peak to Peak highway are closed too, like Kelly Dahl and Peaceful Valley. West Magnolia would be nice - but it also has closed gates during the winter. With the high level of snow up there, I think you might have a hard time finding a place that is remote enough for camping and has been plowed.

 

[Rezarf]

Do you have your roof top tent on your 40?

Yep, setting up there today to give it a run this weekend.

Just called Boulder Ranger District... everything is closed or severly snowed in

The Ranger mentioned Golden Gate State park... but I may just park outside my house like a goober.

 

[nakman]

Wall Mart lets you camp for free, and you can use their bathrooms.

 

[corsair23]

Yep, setting up there today to give it a run this weekend.

...but I may just park outside my house like a goober.

OK, let me be the first to say now that this thread WILL BE worthless without pics

Told you that you would get that RTT on way before me

 

[MDH33]

Yep, setting up there today to give it a run this weekend.

Just called Boulder Ranger District... everything is closed or severly snowed in

The Ranger mentioned Golden Gate State park... but I may just park outside my house like a goober.

Post some pics of the outfitted 40!!!

I was thinking about Golden Gate, but I couldn't recall if their camp sites were drive-in or hike in only.

It's a bit more of a drive, but down near Pine/Buffulo Creek, south of Pine Junction off 285, there are tons of forest roads with good turn outs for car camping and there is usually a lot less snow down there. Probably closer to 1 1/2 hr drive though. I've been meaning to go down there this winter to camp, I cut our Xmas tree there in Dec and noticed a lot of great potential spots.

 

[El Flaco]

How about Switzerland Trail...North Entrance is just a couple miles west of Gold Hill. This is a nice place for a winter camping trip. Road normally stays open all season but is not maintained so Im sure there will be a little snow to traverse. There usually is enough traffic to keep it passable but I havnt been up there yet this season so not sure what it will look like after the last few weeks. Have fun.

 

[Rezarf]

My cross post from Mud:

I can't let all you 60 and 80 guys have all the fun, so here is my Mombasa Tent on my 40 series.

We are supposed to get some snow tonight, and I am planning an overnight trip in the "Louisville, CO Westfield Townhome National Park" (my side yard )... as all of our accessable National Forrest Roads/campsites are snowed in due to our heavy snow fall.

I am planning on adding a thin strip of weather strip down the seam of the two halves, and perhaps tightening up the "bat hole"

I installed a Master Lock coupler pin lock instead of one of the mounting pins.

Here are a few pics... the driveway leans pretty heavy passenger it isn't the weight of the tent.

Rezarf <><

 

[Rezarf]

Here is a few more shots for eye candy. This is a pretty sweet "toy," long term plans are to set it up on an expedition style trailer, and explore our great state, and our neighbors to the west... Utah.

Here is a shot from my second floor window, and of the lock mentioned above. It is a cool little setup, all my neighbors are stoked by it...

One lesson learded a long time ago is to try all new gear... close to home and before you "NEED" them to work for sure, so for the first night out my side yard will work fine

Drew

 

[Rezarf]

Forgot to attach

 

[corsair23]

Drew,

That looks awesome man! Doesn't look near as big on the 40 as I thought it would.

 

[Rezarf]

Thanks Jeff-

I thought the same thing, it looks a bit bigger from the side as it is nearly the entire length of the roof however, side to side it isn't that wide. I got the extra wide Yakima Bars (78" IIRC) so I can add a "space case" box for soft stuff, just in case the trailer takes longer than I want it to.

I have thought about how to mount it to a full cage, shouldn't be hard for summer exploration.

Thanks for the compliments!

Drew

 

[MDH33]

Very cool. Thanks for posting pics.

Does the ladder act as a "leg" and support the weight of the portion that overhangs the side of the vehicle when it's folded out??

 

[Rezarf]

Yeah, it sure does... the ladder is sketchy! But once on a trailer there will be much less drama when I redesign it

Drew

 

[SROR/AKA 2BAD]

scetchy to say the least.
that just does'nt look safe to climb down

on a trailer will be better fo so.

did you sleep in it?

 

[Rezarf]

Jim!

Your right man, as you know I am no skinny minny either, it is quite the climb to the top. I would like to add a couple of braces that triangulate to the center of the tent, that would allow me to angle the tent at a climbable angle.

Drew