This is the Perry family Camp Journal.
In February 2000, Tree some friends and I went up to the local mountains to camp in the snow, just to see if we could do it! We drove up to the campground but there was no snow, so we decided to find snow as that is what we came for. The road was closed just past the ski area. And there was snow.
So lacking any sense, we decided to pitch our tents right there 40 feet past the road-closed gate. Many cross-country skiers warned that a storm was coming. Even the Ranger wasn't sure what to do with us as "No one has ever pulled this one before!" He let us stay, but went away shaking his head.
Sure enough, at about 4:30 p.m. the storm rolled in. Our clear sky disappeared under a dark juggernaut of fog and clouds. We brought up food that just needed to be heated. We quickly heated our dinner and made a fire to keep warm and dry. We were sort of warm but the incessant drizzle was making our lives unhappy, so we went off to bed. Tree and I played cards till it hurt to hold ourselves up by our elbows and then went to sleep to the not so rhythmic sound of wind and rain.
By morning (which took forever and a day to arrive) our tents were covered by a layer of ice and snow. All we could do was try to get the heck out of there, which was quite comical in itself. We ran about trying to fold up a tent that is masquerading as an ice cube. Sleet was blowing so hard that any exposed body part got sand blasted in the most painful way possible. The boys tune had changed from "This is the best camping trip ever!" to "I'm never going @#$@# snow camping again!"
Finally, with our gear frantically shoved in the cars, came the tire-chain fun. While we struggled to get the chains on, a snow plow came and I glanced up (hoping for some sympathy and maybe a bit of help) but all he would offer was a frantic signal with his thumb pointing down the road, and he was gone. Chains on, we scraped a peep hole in the ice-covered windshield and proceeded home.
Here are some pictures of our "Snow Camp" adventure!
Our camp at the end of the road!
A view toward our camp.
Our camp fire.
It snowed!
Lets get out of here!
