Highway 9 begins its journey north by northeast at about 5,000 feet in elevation-nothing remarkable in terms of Colorado high country-but rises gently all along its first 47-mile path to reach 8,868 feet at Hartsel. You would be forgiven for missing the cutoff north to Highway 9, distinguished only by a small gas station and coffee shop stop, and a road sign stating “Hartsel 47 miles.”īut for those few who decide to take this route, and for the hundreds more who make it a regular commute to the north, the 47 mile stretch on Highway 9 from Parkdale to Hartsel is some of the most beautiful and serene mountain ranch country in all the west. For most tourists, the only reason to be traveling from Canon City to Parkdale is to take this turn and go visit Royal Gorge. Right at Parkdale, the turnoff to a small county road will take you a few miles south and east to the famous Royal Gorge Bridge. Just past Parkdale, US 50 heads into the winding stretches of the Arkansas River Canyon (for which Canon City was named)-a beautiful stretch of road where you are likely to still see Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep traversing the rocky walls of the canyon. The southern terminus of Highway 9 is near the small town of Parkdale, Colorado, about 11 miles west of Canon City on US 50. Hence the “Highway 9 Journals.” A place for thinking, writing, living and loving down on the clear waters of the Colorado high country. The serenity and isolation make it a perfect place to reflect on all manner of things-and occasionally-to write them down. Now, the Giving Tree has a new home along the winding stretch of Highway 9 north of Silverthorne along the gold-medal trout waters of the Blue River. The Giving Tree Ranch first came to life on 170 acres of the old Rolfe’s place just outside of Fairplay at the end of a long stretch of the highway along the South Platte. Highway 9 has been our home and our refuge, too, for the last ten-odd years. The scenery, always changing in the glorious diversity of Colorado seasons, is indelibly printed on my soul. The twists, turns, potholes and long straight stretches are committed to memory. I have traveled it in snow, sleet, rain, hail and bright sunshine. The old asphalt ribbon represents, highlights, reflects and illustrates this great state like no other stretch of road I know. Every inch of the highway is within Colorado’s borders-well within. Summer High: the July high is around 86 degrees Winter Low: the January low is 13 Rain: averages 16 inches of rain a year Snow: averages 63 inches of snow a year BESTPLACES COMFORT INDEXĬolorado's annual BestPlaces Comfort Index of 6.9 (10=best) indicates it is less comfortable than most states in the United States.Colorado State Highway 9 runs 138 miles right through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. In order for precipitation to be counted you have to get at least. Precipitation is rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls to the ground. The US average is 205 sunny days.Ĭolorado gets some kind of precipitation, on average, 82 days per year. On average, there are 253 sunny days per year in Colorado. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year.Ĭolorado averages 63 inches of snow per year. The Front Range region experiences four distinct seasons, including warm summers and cold winters.Ĭolorado, Colorado gets 16 inches of rain, on average, per year. The majority of precipitation occurs in April through September. Rainfall is light overall, although thunderstorms with heavy rainfall can occur during spring and summer months. Snowfall is common in the mountains, while temperatures during the summer months can reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius). There is low humidity due to the high elevation of the state. Colorado State has a semi-arid climate, with hot summer days and cold winter nights.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |