| 515 | Summer Stories - Road Crossing |
2011-11-11 |
One afternoon while camped at Moraine Park Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park this last summer, my friend, Jon and I decided to climb a small bump near the campground called Eagle Cliff Mountain. There did not seem to be any trails that went to the top of the obvious peak; but we thought it might be a fun adventure anyway.
Leaving the campground we traveled off trail until we intersected a horse trail. We really were not sure where the horse trail went, but it seemed to be trending east, the direction we were headed. In a short while we left that trail and came to one of the Park roads. It was the busy Bear Lake Road. I made it to the road a bit sooner than Jon and scurried across the asphalt. Jon stood on the other side of the road waiting to cross as vehicles zoomed past.
After a short while, Jon decided to brave the traffic and cross the road in a small gap in the traffic. An oncoming driver had to slow (probably to the speed limit) to allow Jon to cross. The driver wore a scowl as the vehicle passed.
Okay, we were crossing the road and needed to yield to the vehicles; but there were no crosswalks, stop signs, or traffic signals in our area. We were in a Park, in the woods, trying to cross the road to enter the woods on the other side of the road and we didn't understand the snarl.
That same driver would have probably slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the vehicle to take pictures of a deer crossing the road. Traffic would have stopped in both directions and Rangers would eventually have to come to the area to move the traffic along.
Jon and I talked about the traffic crossing incident as we climbed Eagle Cliff Mountain. If he had carried a small set of antlers with him, perhaps the drivers would have been kinder. They might have even stopped to take his picture!
A few Park road crossing tips ...
Always carry a set of inflatable antlers in your pack.
If walking in a group others might be assigned to carry flares, cones, and flags to help direct traffic.
It would be preferable to wear a brown jacket.
Put the antlers on and bend at the waist looking at the traffic from the shoulder of the road
Stare at the headlights. That is what deer do.
When traffic stops, bound across the road.
If the driver gets out of the car to take pictures, bring out the flares, cones and flags to maximize the photo opportunities for Park Visitors.
Even with the antlers, there is no guarantee that vehicles will stop, be careful.
If the drivers seem calloused to the deer outfit; try renting a bear costume. It always works!
After safely crossing the road, take your costume off and resume your hike.
Happy safe road crossing trails