A Western Odyssey (very photo heavy)

[my_wild_dreams_]

Build thread is here...


Hello folks. This is the start of my full-time overland adventuring.

I've built up a camper van. I've sold my house. I have two days left in my last week of work.

I'll be sharing a lot of pictures and probably some rambling text here.

I've been out in Colorado for a few weeks, and soon I'll be heading north and west with the intention of arriving in Seattle in early-mid August and spending a couple weeks with friends there. I'll then go down to Portland and do the same. After that, life is full of possibilities

Here are some pictures from my first CO camping trip of 2016. I went out near Jefferson.

I camped here the first night. The next day I hiked around the area and found better campsites.

This was the site of choice. I like open spaces and big views.

This is a guy deciding to quit his 'perfectly good' job.

I spent an afternoon sitting on this log, just reading and looking

View from my table/desk inside the van

After a couple days up there, my brother and dad came out for the weekend

We went to Jefferson lake one morning and my dad fished.

 

[GroovyDad]

Beautiful photos, beautiful location. You have an awesome ride ahead of you my friend. Congratulations.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

What beautiful "campfire" sunset pictures.
Thanks for the trip.I am sure there will be many here who will check in on you for updates.
Your adventure sounds great.
This site has a lot of "info" full members,just ask and someone will help.
Have a great and safe ride.
Frank

 

[takesiteasy]

Nice photos! Good luck with your adventure and be sure to post reports.

 

[mitch h]

Sounds like a great time ahead of you. Enjoy and be safe.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Thanks for sharing, that's a beautiful place!

 

[longhorn1]

Great job on the van. Looking forward to following your trip. Thanks for posting. jd

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[Cayuse]

Looks like a great adventure ahead, subscribed!

 

[ski3pin]

Best wishes and hope your adventure fulfills all of your dreams.

 

[Lighthawk]

Some wonderful scenery there! It's great your dad and brother are supportive (I assume) of your lifestyle choice. Leaving your job for a life on the road is something I once did. When one door closed, other options appear.

Keep us posted from time to time and use our friendly members as a resource. There's a vast amount of knowledge and experience available at WTW.

 

[my_wild_dreams_]

Thanks everyone :-D

I'm planning to travel from Denver to Seattle, starting this weekend and taking about 25 days to get there. I'll post my current draft of a route below, and if you have advice on different routes to take or where to camp, I'd appreciate it. I've never been up in these areas (other than inside the cities of Seattle and Portland a bit), so I've made up this route without knowing the areas and without doing much/any research yet.


first part
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Denver,+CO/40.6970511,-105.6850824/41.1467678,-107.1896303/43.2566099,-110.4640612/Moran/44.8782625,-111.602729/46.2138106,-113.8550823/47.6026765,-115.2199433/48.3198065,-116.3627341/48.3025688,-117.5388829/@43.62341,-115.5388587,5.82z/data=!4m22!4m21!1m5!1m1!1s0x876b80aa231f17cf:0x118ef4f8278a36d6!2m2!1d-104.990251!2d39.7392358!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x53525c81015399a9:0x1394ba66212642b!2m2!1d-110.508053!2d43.8416798!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m0!3e0

Second part:
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/48.3025688,-117.5388829/48.6265794,-118.4173255/48.7022535,-120.9717889/Burlington/Seattle/@47.0347145,-122.4099419,6z/data=!4m17!4m16!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x54850d50a6c6744d:0xcf6ee3d7648ad542!2m2!1d-122.3254375!2d48.4756621!1m5!1m1!1s0x5490102c93e83355:0x102565466944d59a!2m2!1d-122.3320708!2d47.6062095!3e0

(Some of the destinations are areas I may want to camp and some are just in there to get the route on the roads I want)

 

[hoyden]

What a fantastic adventure! Have a great time and keep posting up

 

[Foy]

I like "the whole day reading and looking". Looks like a grand adventure.

For the Montana parts of the trip, if you have an extra day or two, once you leave what appears to be an off-highway campsite just west of Quake Lake, there are several routes worth consideration. The Centennial Valley and the Big Sheep Creek Backcountry Byway are each around 50-60 miles in length and are all graded gravel roads, with a single steeper and likely impassible when wet segment some 5 miles in length along the latter. At the north end of the Big Sheep Creek route, MT 324, Bannack Bench Road, and MT 278 and MT 43 will take you on a drive through the Big Hole, thence to MT 569 over the Divide to Anaconda, MT 1 to Philipsburg and on up to I-90 from P'burg. You may also branch west of P'burg on MT 348 to Rock Creek Road (FS 102) and follow Rock Creek for 41 miles to I-90 at Clinton. All graded gravel to the pavement at the 10 mile post, but this is a slow-speed route, so the entire 41 miles will take close to 3 hours.

Looking forward to following along!

Foy

 

[Rdy2Roam]

Enjoy getting away from the rat race! and welcome to Gods country! safe travels and cant wait to hear and see your adventure on here.

 

[my_wild_dreams_]

Thanks Foy!

That route sounds interesting and looks good. It took me a little while just to figure out the roads and turns. If I have enough time to look back at it in detail, I may add it to my plan. (it might be a little too complicated for this trip though.. but I'll be out in the northwest the entire summer next year and this looks exactly like the kind of driving I'd love to do)

 

[ski3pin]

my_wild_dreams -

In Wyoming consider visiting Independence Rock on the California Trail. Walk to the south end and look at the inscriptions there. From there drive to South Pass and visit South Pass City and Atlantic City. From there drive the Lander Cut Off Road along the Wind River Range to Boulder, just south of Pinedale. Consider driving into Green River Lakes north of Pinedale. South of Hobart Junction, drive the Granite Creek Road into Granite Hot Springs. There are moose in the creek bottom lands in the early mornings and evenings, also Bald Eagles.

 

[LuckyDan]

Congratulations on succeeding at something many accomplish only in their minds. Enjoy the venture and thanks for what you've shared thus far. The photos are awesome.


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[Foy]

my_wild_dreams -

In Wyoming consider visiting Independence Rock on the California Trail. Walk to the south end and look at the inscriptions there. From there drive to South Pass and visit South Pass City and Atlantic City. From there drive the Lander Cut Off Road along the Wind River Range to Boulder, just south of Pinedale. Consider driving into Green River Lakes north of Pinedale. South of Hobart Junction, drive the Granite Creek Road into Granite Hot Springs. There are moose in the creek bottom lands in the early mornings and evenings, also Bald Eagles.

Splendid advice here.

From Independence Rock headed for South Pass City, look at BLM Road 2302, aka Hudson-Atlantic City Rd. It's about 30 miles of graded gravel (east end towards US 287 just north of Sweetwater Junction) and clay-based two-track. This road parallels the Sweetwater River and a segment of the Oregon Trail/Mormon Trail, and includes drive-bys of the Rocky Ridge and Willies Handcart Company disaster sites. Headed west, you'll be picking up elevation as you traverse treeless rolling foothills of the Wind River Range at between 7,000' and 8,000' elevation, with 100 mile views all around, especially from the Crow's Nest knoll. It's a good 2 hour drive, with two BLM campgrounds at Atlantic City, a very cool restaurant/bar there, and disbursed camping a short distance up FS 300 from WY 28 at South Pass.

Caveat: Even with the locker, I would not take the van up BLM 2302 when it's wet.

Foy

 

[Rob in MT]

Although it would add miles, I would consider driving Lamar Valley in Yellowstone, then as previously mentioned Beartooth Pass. Then rather the West side, drive along the East side (The Front), through Glacier. If you decide to do this contact me and I can give you some hikes/camping spots, back roads.

No issues at this time, but before you leave check for any smoke issues.

 

[my_wild_dreams_]

I've adjusted the first part of my route out to this:

Ok, I've changed the first part of my route to this:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Denver,+CO/40.6970511,-105.6850824/41.1467678,-107.1896303/43.2566099,-110.4640612/Moran/Cody/Red+Lodge/@42.2266052,-110.9047319,6.55z/data=!4m49!4m48!1m5!1m1!1s0x876b80aa231f17cf:0x118ef4f8278a36d6!2m2!1d-104.990251!2d39.7392358!1m0!1m5!3m4!1m2!1d-110.6789459!2d42.7066748!3s0x875642486cc4baff:0x15c12f31d991560b!1m10!3m4!1m2!1d-110.7444511!2d43.378981!3s0x53533d611aa14e83:0x4edeffaed0309bb3!3m4!1m2!1d-110.7244579!2d43.3202437!3s0x53533c8f61f14e41:0x3711a8ba7d828df7!1m5!1m1!1s0x53525c81015399a9:0x1394ba66212642b!2m2!1d-110.508053!2d43.8416798!1m10!1m1!1s0x534c1ebf215bbe5d:0xba76f4463ccdcc50!2m2!1d-109.0565308!2d44.5263422!3m4!1m2!1d-109.6530646!2d44.8818113!3s0x534ef22a702698e3:0x611054ac1ccbf9c5!1m5!1m1!1s0x534f2a19f746fcf5:0xb58a35f67520d70b!2m2!1d-109.2468211!2d45.1857782!3e0

Then once I get to the end I will either go up to the interstate to go west a bit, or backtrack through the route I took to exit Yellowstone on the west side.

I'll still need to figure out which way to go after Yellowstone. Depending on how much I want to go on back (unpaved) roads vs the paved, I may take some of the routes you guys have suggested. You guys clearly know the area very well and your suggestions look great.

I need to get better at route researching and planning! :-o Google maps is feeling cumbersome (especially when my internet connection is slower).. I'll look through the forum to see if people are using other mapping websites or apps.