The boys and I did a quick overnighter backpacking trip in the Russian Wilderness. This campsite was epic, as we were perched overlooking a lake basin set due west so we had an amazing sunset. Big Blue Lake was a great campsite. Albert lake was full of fish! Kai caught his first trout on the tenkara rod! Such a fun 2 day adventure.
When do the roads close? First snow storm or Nov 1st. If it's a warm Nov. think about going that first weekend and cycling around.
| Closing Dates in Recent Years | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | North Entrance & West Rim Drive | East Rim Drive |
| 2021 | October 22 | October 21 |
| 2020 | November 1 | November 1 |
| 2019 | November 1 | October 17 |
| 2018 | October 29 | October 29 |
| 2017 | November 1 | October 13 |
| 2016 | October 14 | October 14 |
| 2015 | November 1 | November 1 |
| 2014 | October 28 | October 27 |
| 2013 | October 28 | October 1 |
| 2012 | October 23 | October 23 |
| 2011 | November 1 | November 1 |
| 2010 | October 24 | October 23 |
| 2009 | October 27 | October 13 |
Spring opening process - https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/spring-opening1.htm
| Opening Dates in Recent Years | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | North Entrance & West Rim Drive | East Rim Drive | Winter Snow Total |
| 2021 | May 28 | June 25 | 25 feet |
| 2020 | June 9 | July 11 | 30 feet |
| 2019 | June 15 | July 11 | 36 feet |
| 2018 | May 25 | June 16 | 29 feet |
| 2017 | June 22 | July 21 | 48 feet |
| 2016 | May 27 | July 13 | 38 feet |
| 2015 | May 14 | June 11 | 16 feet |
| 2014 | May 23 | July 1 | 21 feet |
| 2013 | May 15 | July 2 | 30 feet |
| 2012 | June 11 | July 17 | 33 feet |
| 2011 | June 24 | July 22 | 56 feet |
| 2010 | June 7 | July 9 | 34 feet |
| 2009 | June 1 | June 30 | 39 feet |
| 2008 | June 20 | July 11 | 48 feet |
| 2007 | May 24 | June 29 | 36 feet |
| 2006 | June 14 | July 14 | 48 feet |
| 2005 | June 10 | June 29 | 30 feet |
| 2004 | June 17 | July 3 | 46 feet |
Car free weekends - Ride the Rim usually two saturdays in Sept.
Strava
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| Typical scene in the car |
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| The boys cheering Kimbo on. She'll need an ebike to keep up with Kai. |
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| This was a bad idea in bad weather... but we went for it anyway. |
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| we were like a frog in boiling water... except the opposite |
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| After a freezing night trying to sleep in the soaking rain, we called it and went back using a shorter route. We'll have to go back and tackle this beast again. |
