12-15-2003, 07:30 PM
Take care, check the weather and the driving conditions, and always carry safety equipment with you. I had a good scare last night that made me think to remind all of you. We were lucky to get out in one piece, and I want to make sure all of you stay that way too.
As most of you know, Utah was hit with a good storm yesterday. I had the misfortune of having to make a trip to the Strawberry visitors center and back, leaving Roosevelt at 6:00p.m.
The roads were dry and clear all the way to Fruitland. There the snow started blowing and sticking to the roadway. We decided to trudge along and make our appointed rounds. The roads got worse and visibility was reduced to near zero. At one point a semi-trailer passed us and almost sent everyone around off the road. He kicked up so much snow that noone could see an inch for about 20-25 seconds. Everyone hit the brakes and slid back and forth across lanes trying to stop. I'm amazed that there was not an accident.
As we approched the turn off for the visitors center, we noticed that there had not been one snow plow on the road yet. Then we noticed that there were no vehicles other than the ones right with us either. We figured that they must have closed the road behind us at Currant Creek or Duchesne, and ahead of us at Heber. One plow finally passed us as we turned into the visitors center. He went to the equipment shed at Chicken Creek and got off the road. I should have taken this as a sign of what was to come.
For the next hour and a half, I travelled at about 10 m.p.h. not being able to see two marker posts ahead to make sure of my tragectory. At times, I could not see one foot past the hood. The snow was starting to drift over the road, narrowing to one vehicle width of drivable area in some places, at least two feet deep in others.
We came across another vehicle that was having a little more trouble staying on the road than we were. He stopped and asked us to go ahead so he could follow my lights. Since I had noticed his tracks going back and forth across the road, I agreed, and we continued.
He followed us to Current Creek where we found a Bronco off the South side of the road with the headlights pointing straght up into the night sky. I stopped and checked, but there was noone inside the vehicle. We continued to the gas station where the highway patrol had indeed closed the road. We made sure that they were aware of the Bronco (the occupants were in the patrol car) and that we were the last people off the mountain. As my better half added "At least we hope so" and I couldn't have agreed more.
I drove by the lake four times over the weekend, but only saw it twice. Ice is starting to form in the shallow bays that can be seen from Hwy. 40. It should only be a few more weeks, weather depending, before the lake has fishable ice. The bay at the Soldier Creek dam turnoff is almost completely frozen.
As you venture out on your ice fishing adventures, keep this in mind. You can't post your fishing report if you don't make it back. Be safe, then have fun.
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As most of you know, Utah was hit with a good storm yesterday. I had the misfortune of having to make a trip to the Strawberry visitors center and back, leaving Roosevelt at 6:00p.m.
The roads were dry and clear all the way to Fruitland. There the snow started blowing and sticking to the roadway. We decided to trudge along and make our appointed rounds. The roads got worse and visibility was reduced to near zero. At one point a semi-trailer passed us and almost sent everyone around off the road. He kicked up so much snow that noone could see an inch for about 20-25 seconds. Everyone hit the brakes and slid back and forth across lanes trying to stop. I'm amazed that there was not an accident.
As we approched the turn off for the visitors center, we noticed that there had not been one snow plow on the road yet. Then we noticed that there were no vehicles other than the ones right with us either. We figured that they must have closed the road behind us at Currant Creek or Duchesne, and ahead of us at Heber. One plow finally passed us as we turned into the visitors center. He went to the equipment shed at Chicken Creek and got off the road. I should have taken this as a sign of what was to come.
For the next hour and a half, I travelled at about 10 m.p.h. not being able to see two marker posts ahead to make sure of my tragectory. At times, I could not see one foot past the hood. The snow was starting to drift over the road, narrowing to one vehicle width of drivable area in some places, at least two feet deep in others.
We came across another vehicle that was having a little more trouble staying on the road than we were. He stopped and asked us to go ahead so he could follow my lights. Since I had noticed his tracks going back and forth across the road, I agreed, and we continued.
He followed us to Current Creek where we found a Bronco off the South side of the road with the headlights pointing straght up into the night sky. I stopped and checked, but there was noone inside the vehicle. We continued to the gas station where the highway patrol had indeed closed the road. We made sure that they were aware of the Bronco (the occupants were in the patrol car) and that we were the last people off the mountain. As my better half added "At least we hope so" and I couldn't have agreed more.
I drove by the lake four times over the weekend, but only saw it twice. Ice is starting to form in the shallow bays that can be seen from Hwy. 40. It should only be a few more weeks, weather depending, before the lake has fishable ice. The bay at the Soldier Creek dam turnoff is almost completely frozen.
As you venture out on your ice fishing adventures, keep this in mind. You can't post your fishing report if you don't make it back. Be safe, then have fun.
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