A month in the life: Homestake Road

Homestake Road, White River National Forest //

The morning is sunny with temps in the high 60s.  Our campsite is surrounded by aspens and pines with a clearing that overlooks the Eagle River valley several thousand feet below us.  Wildfire smoke hangs heavy over the mountains and the many layers of terrain on the opposite side of the valley are nearly imperceptible.  Ideally, we would sit still today, but my head is throbbing and is likely a result of yesterday’s elevation gain.  This camp sits at 9,800’, a 4,000’ gain from where we came the day prior.  That kind of gain takes us a few days of acclimatization.  

Acclimatizing to altitude is a tricky thing.  It can take a week or two to adjust and only a few days to lose it once you return to a lower elevation.  In the past, we’ve spent our entire summer at an elevation of 8,000’ or higher, and once we adjust, we have no issue with it.  But this summer is different in that we’re moving around the state so much that we’re constantly going up and down in elevation; in and out of being acclimatized.  And every time we return to 9,000’ or higher, I feel it by way of headaches and sleepless nights.

With my head throbbing, my vote is to pack up camp and look for somewhere lower to stay.  Mark is onboard, even though neither one of us has much of an idea as to where we’ll head from here.  After packing up, we descend the mountain via a rocky twelve-mile ribbon of dirt that hugs the cliffside and eventually returns us to pavement.  

After acquiring groceries and preparing some lunch in a parking lot, we both do a quick mental scan of the wide variety of camping options we have to choose from.  In this neck of the woods, there are few national forest roads we have not been on, so it’s just a matter of picking one and pointing the truck in that direction.  By process of elimination, we land on the road that will give us the best shot of finding a campsite at a lower elevation than the 9,800’ we just came from.  

An hour after leaving Eagle, we turn down Homestake Road in White River National Forest.  This is a popular destination for campers, so we don’t get our hopes up that we’ll find a vacant spot.  As we make our way down the narrow dirt road, we’re surprised to find many spots available.  Due to its popularity, the forest service appears to be keeping a close eye on the area’s use, which means campers can’t lay claim on a campsite for weeks or months on end.  While all public land has a stay limit (usually 14 days), if a place isn’t being regulated, campers will often take advantage and stay as long as their heart’s desire.  We find it important to abide by the rules because breaking them is what gets beautiful places like this shut down.  

We end up selecting a campsite nestled between tall pines and bordered by jagged rock outcroppings.  A small clearing offers a peek of the river valley and the mountains that frame it to the east.  The trees create enough of an obstruction for our Starlink that our internet connection isn’t great, but we can certainly deal with the inconvenience for the single night we plan to be here.

While making dinner inside the camper, thunder roars in the distance, and rain begins tapping loudly on our aluminum roof.  The temperature drops to a cool fifty-seven degrees, and for the first time in months, we enjoy the sensation of feeling chilly enough to put on a coat.  It’s been a hot, dry summer thus far, and the rain is welcome.  

Our goal of finding camp at a lower elevation was only a slight success, but the 800’ we lost is enough for me to feel hopeful for a better night’s sleep.  In two days’ time, we’ll be spending the day working at 11,500’, so I can only hope my body gets around to acclimatizing quickly.