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Coloradoans, I Need new EV owner Vaca Advice!!!!

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Peelz

Budding EV fanatic.
Apr 10, 2021
383
543
SE Iowa, the armpit.
looking for advice...

Not sure if this is a good spot for this BUT.. We've had our Y for a bit over a month now, and its a budding love affair. Usually this time of year wed just be boating. But, its our oldest sons last year as a "kid" starts college this fall and my youngest isn't young anymore lol (14). I wanna go on one last whole fam road trip, at the same time, and excited to check the box of experiencing the Tesla on a long ride. Estes park(for example) is 15.5 hrs with SC stops. easily doable with 3 drivers. So I imagine, anywhere along the eastern side of the Rockies is great.

Looking for anywhere within a one day drive. and, Mountains sound great! We went to Yellowstone 10 yrs ago when kids were littler, and loved it, and to CO back before kids. I don't even care where we go. My wife LOVES her car but has a smidge of range anxiety when travelling to NEW places, so pre planning will help her to chillax. Also, help us get the most out of the week with the small unknowns. We havent even decided which town. :)

well have 3-4 days DURING THE WEEK wherever we stay, so not a giant sightseeing trip. Id like advice on where to stay, and what do while there to get in the most fun.

trip missions:

-white water rafting(great memories of that)
-mountain peak visit. snowball fight in July, another great memory
-scenic drive with help of autopilot :)
-general coolness-i'm a fan of lesser known attractions


any advice is appreciated, thanks!
 
One of the problems with visiting "the eastern side of the Rockies" is that it is adjacent to Denver/Boulder metro area and, therefore, crowded. (In Colorado-speak, the metro area on the high plains, from Fort Collins in the north to Pueblo in the south, is known as the "Front Range" because it is next to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The mostly mountainous area west of the Continental Divide is known as the "Western Slope.")

Any visit to places easily accessible from the Front Range, population over 4 million, figures to be crowded, especially this year when so many are on road trips. Given your time constraints, getting farther into the mountains likely isn't practical — the real scenery is over my way in SW Colorado — so you will need to make do.

If you want to visit Rocky Mountain National Park you will need to make a reservation now. In my view this is a good thing because the crowds in the most popular national parks are reducing the quality of the experience. For more information:


If you can nab a permit that includes Bear Lake Road, there are some nice hiking trails around Bear Lake and to Emerald Lake. In general, if you can get out a mile or two on a trail you will find fewer people. Assuming that you can get a permit for the park, I'll recommend driving from Estes Park over Trail Ridge Road (12,000+ feet elevation) to Grandby and back.

I can't help with places to stay since I always camp on road trips. However, fellow road-trippers at TMC say that hotel prices are sky-high this year, so be prepared for "sticker shock." The problem will likely be finding space anywhere — it's a crazy year!

For whitewater rafting, you could try the Cache La Poudre River east of Fort Collins. It is a designated "Wild and Scenic River" and the drive from Fort Collins to Cameron Pass along the river is scenic. Here are a couple of outfits that do rafting trips:
I'm sure that you can find many others.

If Rocky Mountain National Park won't work, you could stay in Boulder and hike the trails there. Or visit Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Those are cities, however. For mountains you could try Allenspark, a town fifteen miles south of Estes Park. Both national park and national forest trails are available from that location as well as the highways that connect Estes Park and Nederland (in the mountains above Boulder).

Just some suggestions; I expect that the Front Range locals here will have other, better, ideas.

Be aware that wildfires could necessitate a change in plans.
 
One of the problems with visiting "the eastern side of the Rockies" is that it is adjacent to Denver/Boulder metro area and, therefore, crowded. (In Colorado-speak, the metro area on the high plains, from Fort Collins in the north to Pueblo in the south, is known as the "Front Range" because it is next to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The mostly mountainous area west of the Continental Divide is known as the "Western Slope.")

Any visit to places easily accessible from the Front Range, population over 4 million, figures to be crowded, especially this year when so many are on road trips. Given your time constraints, getting farther into the mountains likely isn't practical — the real scenery is over my way in SW Colorado — so you will need to make do.

If you want to visit Rocky Mountain National Park you will need to make a reservation now. In my view this is a good thing because the crowds in the most popular national parks are reducing the quality of the experience. For more information:


If you can nab a permit that includes Bear Lake Road, there are some nice hiking trails around Bear Lake and to Emerald Lake. In general, if you can get out a mile or two on a trail you will find fewer people. Assuming that you can get a permit for the park, I'll recommend driving from Estes Park over Trail Ridge Road (12,000+ feet elevation) to Grandby and back.

I can't help with places to stay since I always camp on road trips. However, fellow road-trippers at TMC say that hotel prices are sky-high this year, so be prepared for "sticker shock." The problem will likely be finding space anywhere — it's a crazy year!

For whitewater rafting, you could try the Cache La Poudre River east of Fort Collins. It is a designated "Wild and Scenic River" and the drive from Fort Collins to Cameron Pass along the river is scenic. Here are a couple of outfits that do rafting trips:
I'm sure that you can find many others.

If Rocky Mountain National Park won't work, you could stay in Boulder and hike the trails there. Or visit Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Those are cities, however. For mountains you could try Allenspark, a town fifteen miles south of Estes Park. Both national park and national forest trails are available from that location as well as the highways that connect Estes Park and Nederland (in the mountains above Boulder).

Just some suggestions; I expect that the Front Range locals here will have other, better, ideas.

Be aware that wildfires could necessitate a change in plans.

clear and concise. brilliant post. I appreciate it. And yes, I'm aware of the crowds- what can you do?! :)

I spied superchargers in Silverthorne. Outside breckenridge. Might make that area a "home base" a launch pad so to speak. Iv'e been over that way before(20+yrs ago). I also would like to stop by red rock, kids will dig that, and its on the way.

thank you again.

if it was me, and I had the time, Id be doing it on the bike and hitting your side and not stopping LOL. :) First trip out with the EV well remain cautious.
 
I just returned from a trip (from Denver) to Montrose, to visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (a number of short hikes (< 2miles) within the park) and one ~5 mile hike (Curecanti Trail) down the canyon to the Gunnison River. Then, several days in Leadville to do some additional hiking, including a 14er (Mt Sherman). While it's doable, I did NOT take my Tesla, but took my Toyota SUV. I was concerned about the US50 detour taking me through a charging desert. In retrospect, I'm glad, as I wouldn't have wanted to drive my Model S on the dirt roads to get to the trailheads.

In any case, it was a very nice trip. BCotG NP is fairly uncrowded because of its remote location from population centers.
 
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I just returned from a trip (from Denver) to Montrose, to visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP (a number of short hikes (< 2miles) within the park) and one ~5 mile hike (Curecanti Trail) down the canyon to the Gunnison River. Then, several days in Leadville to do some additional hiking, including a 14er (Mt Sherman). While it's doable, I did NOT take my Tesla, but took my Toyota SUV. I was concerned about the US50 detour taking me through a charging desert. In retrospect, I'm glad, as I wouldn't have wanted to drive my Model S on the dirt roads to get to the trailheads.

In any case, it was a very nice trip. BCotG NP is fairly uncrowded because of its remote location from population centers.
yeah not quite ready to take it on that level of adventure either lol

I went rafting on the gunnison way back when. SO beautiful down there.
 
clear and concise. brilliant post. I appreciate it. And yes, I'm aware of the crowds- what can you do?! :)

I spied superchargers in Silverthorne. Outside breckenridge. Might make that area a "home base" a launch pad so to speak. Iv'e been over that way before(20+yrs ago). I also would like to stop by red rock, kids will dig that, and its on the way.

thank you again.

if it was me, and I had the time, Id be doing it on the bike and hitting your side and not stopping LOL. :) First trip out with the EV well remain cautious.
You could make Breckenridge, Dillon (Keystone), Frisco or Copper Mountain a home base. There are two Supercharger Stations in Silverthorne, the new one is V3, so faster charging for your Y than the old one.

Colorado has a fair number of Supercharger Stations for two reasons: getting across the mountains in winter (stations are spaced closer together than the Plains states) and because Colorado has long had EV friendly policies (to reduce air pollution in the Denver metro area) so Teslas are quite common here.


I haven't checked but I believe that the ski areas have summer activities for families, such as ziplining and alpine slides. If you are still interested in rafting, the center of whitewater rafting in Colorado is the Arkansas River, located about 60 miles south of Breckenridge. There are a plethora of rafting companies located along US 285 from Johnson Village to Salida. Means a bit more driving but it is on relatively fun non-freeway mountain highways.

If by "red rock" you are referring to the Red Rocks Ampitheater, you will likely get to your mountain lair via I-70, if making that side trip. You mentioned doing your trip mid week and that will help. Please do not drive I-70 westbound from Denver to Silverthorne on Friday afternoon/evening or Saturday morning, nor eastbound on Sunday afternoons. Heavy traffic = not fun.

As an alternative to I-70, either coming or going, I'll suggest an alternate route. You could head north from Silverthorne to Kremmling Supercharger Station, then drive to Walden, take CO-14 to Cameron Pass (10,276 feet) and follow the river down to Fort Collins. That stretch from Cameron Pass to Fort Collins is scenic (although last year's fires may have left burn scars — someone local in Fort Collins would have to say). You could then charge in Loveland, Brush on I-76, and get to I-80 that way. Or go north to Cheyenne, WY and pick up I-80 there.

Or you could drive from Kremmling to Laramie, WY and pick up I-80 there.

Both of these routes are easy to do in your Y but the car may want to route you differently on the Kremmling to Fort Collins route. Kremmling to Walden, Cameron Pass, Fort Collins, Loveland Supercharger Station is 176 miles and you will use much less than that in "rated range" because it is on slower mountain roads.

Kremmling to the Laramie Supercharger Station is a trivial 125 miles.

Both of these routes avoid the Denver metro area.
 
Good info on the reservation system for National Parks. I hadn’t heard about that. I’ll be in Estes Park next summer and will visit RMNP for a day hike. I’ll remember to check if they are still doing that next summer.

You’ll get the hang of road tripping in an EV pretty quick. A couple highlights on suggestions for your first trip.
  • Fastest road trips are done by only charging up to about 50%, assuming the next Supercharger stop is within that range. I typically drive ~100 miles, make a 10-15 stop, and repeat on road trips.
  • The faster you drive, the lower the efficiency. If you are at all concerned about making the next charging stop with your current battery charge, slow down at the beginning of the leg. Once you are certain you will make the next stop, speed up as desired.
  • With driving in the mountains, expect to consume an extra 7 miles of range for every 1,000’ you climb. If you climb 1,000’ over 6 miles, expect to consume 13 miles of rated range.
  • Similarly, expect to recoup about 5 miles of range for each 1,000’ you descend . If you descend 1,000’ over 6 miles of road, expect to only consume 1 mile of range. This benefit is only there when using regenerative braking, so ignore that if you use the brake pedal (the physical brakes), but you also want to avoid the brake pedal for long descents to keep from overheating brake pads and rotors.
  • With a bunch of folks in the car, you’re not going to be able to do a 10 minute charging stop. Having a longer charging stop isn’t a problem, just enjoy the time with your family on the rod trip!
 
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You could make Breckenridge, Dillon (Keystone), Frisco or Copper Mountain a home base. There are two Supercharger Stations in Silverthorne, the new one is V3, so faster charging for your Y than the old one.

Colorado has a fair number of Supercharger Stations for two reasons: getting across the mountains in winter (stations are spaced closer together than the Plains states) and because Colorado has long had EV friendly policies (to reduce air pollution in the Denver metro area) so Teslas are quite common here.


I haven't checked but I believe that the ski areas have summer activities for families, such as ziplining and alpine slides. If you are still interested in rafting, the center of whitewater rafting in Colorado is the Arkansas River, located about 60 miles south of Breckenridge. There are a plethora of rafting companies located along US 285 from Johnson Village to Salida. Means a bit more driving but it is on relatively fun non-freeway mountain highways.

If by "red rock" you are referring to the Red Rocks Ampitheater, you will likely get to your mountain lair via I-70, if making that side trip. You mentioned doing your trip mid week and that will help. Please do not drive I-70 westbound from Denver to Silverthorne on Friday afternoon/evening or Saturday morning, nor eastbound on Sunday afternoons. Heavy traffic = not fun.

As an alternative to I-70, either coming or going, I'll suggest an alternate route. You could head north from Silverthorne to Kremmling Supercharger Station, then drive to Walden, take CO-14 to Cameron Pass (10,276 feet) and follow the river down to Fort Collins. That stretch from Cameron Pass to Fort Collins is scenic (although last year's fires may have left burn scars — someone local in Fort Collins would have to say). You could then charge in Loveland, Brush on I-76, and get to I-80 that way. Or go north to Cheyenne, WY and pick up I-80 there.

Or you could drive from Kremmling to Laramie, WY and pick up I-80 there.

Both of these routes are easy to do in your Y but the car may want to route you differently on the Kremmling to Fort Collins route. Kremmling to Walden, Cameron Pass, Fort Collins, Loveland Supercharger Station is 176 miles and you will use much less than that in "rated range" because it is on slower mountain roads.

Kremmling to the Laramie Supercharger Station is a trivial 125 miles.

Both of these routes avoid the Denver metro area.

Were basing ourselves just south of Silverthorne. VRBO.. ski lodge with no skis. lol

we are heading west as far as us and tesla dare Sunday. Maybe make Denver. not sure. So west route will be monday. Tesla Nav takes us from 80 to 76. Though 76 is a snooze, I'm not sad about being able to jump from 80 sooner. Headed back east Friday long before it is bad I hope. I will make note of your route.

I figured out from an old photo, where we went rafting the last time we were there. It was out south of breckenridge....Im sure well have a good time.
 
Good info on the reservation system for National Parks. I hadn’t heard about that. I’ll be in Estes Park next summer and will visit RMNP for a day hike. I’ll remember to check if they are still doing that next summer.

You’ll get the hang of road tripping in an EV pretty quick. A couple highlights on suggestions for your first trip.
  • Fastest road trips are done by only charging up to about 50%, assuming the next Supercharger stop is within that range. I typically drive ~100 miles, make a 10-15 stop, and repeat on road trips.
  • The faster you drive, the lower the efficiency. If you are at all concerned about making the next charging stop with your current battery charge, slow down at the beginning of the leg. Once you are certain you will make the next stop, speed up as desired.
  • With driving in the mountains, expect to consume an extra 7 miles of range for every 1,000’ you climb. If you climb 1,000’ over 6 miles, expect to consume 13 miles of rated range.
  • Similarly, expect to recoup about 5 miles of range for each 1,000’ you descend . If you descend 1,000’ over 6 miles of road, expect to only consume 1 mile of range. This benefit is only there when using regenerative braking, so ignore that if you use the brake pedal (the physical brakes), but you also want to avoid the brake pedal for long descents to keep from overheating brake pads and rotors.
  • With a bunch of folks in the car, you’re not going to be able to do a 10 minute charging stop. Having a longer charging stop isn’t a problem, just enjoy the time with your family on the rod trip!
yes the shorter, but more frequent stops at first put me off. Nav shows 8 stops in 17hrs. In my ICE car id shoot for MAYBE 4, but expect 5. But well embrace it.

My son will bring a soccer ball, and we can practice in the parking lot. :)
 
Had a stellar vacation with the Model Y. 2100 miles round trip. Favorite part besides cost savings of 240 dollars vs the SUV..watching that battery percentage climb on the way down Mt Evans and Loveland lol Also, the Y is a seriously comfortable car.

Loved the charging experience. The tesla proved itself.

Now plotting when I can get a second EV.