Got to this small lake and thought....
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So, to get back on track chronologically...
We got to this lake shy of Bolam Pass and decided we'd head further up the pass to camp on our own.
Made a couple of switchbacks no problem.
Made it through a couple of snow patches (thanks to an early Spring trailblazer) no problem.
Made it to a slightly larger snowpatch and had enough doubt that I decided I'd get out to walk the trail to see if sun exposure was better up higher on the trail.
Nope.....really, really big snowfield ahead which stopped the early Spring trailblazer.
It was getting late and I knew we needed to head down so I decided I'd turn around while I still had some daylight instead of doing it in the morning. When I walked the trailblazer's tracks, they were firm. there was a nice flat, wide spot free of snow just ahead. I'd just get turned around and camp out in place and then head back down to the lake in the morning.
As you're probably expecting, I made it within inches of clearing the snow patch and my differentials decided to take a snow nap. They nestled in while my wheels swam in the sugar.
Rowed the big stick, worked the pedals and rocked the truck...no dice.
Obviously, I was a little too heavy to float over the snow like the early trailblazer did in his vehicle. However, it was sugar snow and still loose from the day's heat so I thought nothing of it.
"Not to worry" I communicated to the wife with a nod of confidence like Mr. Bean. I anchored my winchline to a large and lovely Rocky Mountain boulder which was handily lined up for a nice, efficient tug. Engine was warmed up and idling joyfully with a 13.4v reading on my ScanGuage. With a smug, bobbly-headed smile like Mr. Bean, I hit the thumbswitch on my brand new Warn M15000 and took up the slack.
Repeat yet another Mr. Bean smile as I mashed the thumbswitch for the glorious, impending extraction followed by.....bzzt....spark.
Hmmm, sparks...that's not normally a good thing.
Fuze is good. Coupla more mashes with the thumb and I got zero response.
Well, crap....a brand new Warn and I didn't even get an inch of tug out of it. Hmmmm...hafta check into that once I get to the Front Range.
I wrapped the winch line around my aux lights old school style and raised the camper to settle in for the night. My wife made a spectacular dinner, we split a bottle of wine and put jigsaw puzzles together with our daughter.