October 8/10     132 miles    ESTES PARK, Elk Meadow RV Park     ($31.47)

Under and over the Continental Divide; through the Rocky Mountain National Park on the Trail Ridge at 12,185 ft – the Roof of the Rockies - the day before snow closes it!

Well rested, we drove a little further east on I-70 after filling up with petrol at $3 a gallon (= about 48 pence a litre). Complaining bitterly, no US citizen believes that we pay double that in the UK!

The Interstate rose steadily for 8 miles, reaching 11,167 ft before entering the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel, which runs underneath the Continental Divide. We emerged from it at 10,900 ft in the Arapoho National Forest, by an exit for the Loveland Ski Area.

Descending (gradient 6%) past the workings of the Silver Plume Historic Mine, we paused at Georgetown, 22 miles from Dillon, at 8,500 ft. The town is proud of its Victorian buildings and also has a few motels (including Super 8), fast food and an excellent Visitor Centre (with free coffee, historical video, good map of Colorado, 15-minute free internet access and a nice range of books and gifts – you have to pay for those!) See www.town.georgetown.co.us.

We left the Interstate 5 miles along, at Empire, and drove west for 7 miles on US.40. Then the road turned north to zigzag its way up to yet another crossing of the Continental Divide, over the Berthoud Pass at 11,315 ft (or 11,363 according to our Magellan!) Under another perfect blue sky, we lunched next to the avalanche warning sign, alongside cross-country skiers in search of snow.

Hairpinning down, with early warnings of rock falls and snow slides, we passed the Robbers Roost and other tent camps in the forest (closed), before the Winter Park Resort buildings (Starbucks and all) obtruded at 9,210 ft, 25 miles from the freeway exit. A little lower came Beaver Village (ski lodges and condominiums) and humbler Fraser, with its Safeway supermarket, McDonalds, Super 8 Motel and a cinema at 8,700 ft. It was now down to 61 degrees at 2 pm.

Across 15 miles of cattle ranches came Granby at 8,000 ft, with more accommodation. The wooden Frontier Motel boasted 'Highly Recommended by Owner'! After a tea-break, we turned north-east on US.34 for the final 62 miles to Estes Park, which lay on the far side  of the Rocky Mountain National Park, over the Continental Divide (again) and the Trail Ridge Pass.

Past Lake Granby reservoir, then Shadow Mountain Lake and Grand Lake (with fishing, sailing, tent and RV camping), we came to the Kawuneeche Visitor Centre and entered Rocky Mt NP 15 miles from Granby ($10 per vehicle, or show our 12-month NP pass). This National Park (established 1915) has the highest average elevation of all US Parks and is home, among others, to Black Bear, Mountain Lion and Elk (none of which we saw, though the birdlife was good!) The Trail Ridge road is generally closed from mid-October to June. Visit www.nps.gov/romo.

Snow appeared on the verges as we climbed above 10,000 ft. At 10,600 ft, in pine forest, a sign reminded us we were '2 miles above sea level'! We crossed the Continental Divide again at Milner Pass at 10,758 ft. Here, we walked by a small tarn and learnt that beaver trappers once worked the area, hunting the animals almost to extinction for their fur and trading with the native Indians. This is our seventh crossing of the Divide and we're losing track of where we are: must be the Atlantic (eastern) side.

Strangely, the road climbed higher still, above the treeline at 11,300 ft, past the Alpine Visitor Centre and snack bar at 11,796 ft (highest in the US, already closed and battened down for winter) and across the bleak tundra to reach an incredible 12,185 ft at the highest point on the Trail Ridge, 26 miles into the Park. A little further along, at Forest Canyon Overlook (11,716 ft), we were able to take a short (breathless) walk to survey the canyon – a sea of fir and spruce trees below the tundra (a Russian word meaning 'treeless'). Very little snow, even at this height, though it is forecast for tomorrow.

16 miles below the summit we reached the National Park's eastern exit at Beaver Meadows, down at a more comfortable 8,166 ft. The KOA campground at nearby Estes Park is full tonight, but we found a place on the larger Good Sam park at Elk Meadow, just half a mile from the exit on Highway 66. In the shadow of the Rocky Mountain NP, with good facilities (including free WiFi internet), it closes 'any time soon' when the snow comes. Visit Estes Park at www.tourestes.com.

The snow came next day. We woke to a leaden sky, the mountains quickly vanishing in mist as the morning rain turned to afternoon sleet. A chance to rest, read, write and do the laundry! The following morning (Columbus Day, a national holiday) fine snow was settling, the temperature outdoors 35 degrees, and a severe weather warning on the radio predicted worse to come. We turned up the blown-air heating and decided on another day at Elk Meadows – maybe the animals will even come down off the mountains. With a good WiFi internet link, we can get the BBC news and even listen to the Archers! A two-mile walk to Estes Park's nearest shops was enough outdoor activity.