2009-07-20: I experienced a bit of a mountainside adventure between these two points. This day started well. I found a local business that was a laundromat, car wash, and small cafe, with wireless Internet access and a large television, all at reasonable prices with well maintained equipment. I cleaned some laundry as well as my car, and was off to Salmon Lake.
My GPS receiver told me to exit off of the interstate near a state park named Beavertail Hill. I complied, though this was about 30 miles ahead of where I planned to exit. The paved road (Cramer Creek Road) quickly turned into rutted and potholed gravel and dust. The turn I was to take was around 3 miles ahead, so I made my way slowly down the road. I came to the turn, and found it was a steep upwards slope (I would guess 20% grade), but it was only supposed to be a mile or so until the next turn. I assumed this was a shortcut, and decided to try it out. I crept slowly up the steep road as my engine put all of its torque into hauling me up the dirt path. About a quarter mile in, I came across a locked gate informing me that the road was closed. I did not want to attempt going back down in reverse, so I very carefully turned my Jeep around and went back. It was so steep that I could not use the brakes much, or I would begin to slide. There were, of course, many trees and rocks to collide with. Taking it slowly, I made it back onto Cramer Creek Road and back to the interstate.
I took the exit I had originally planned for and eventually arrived at Salmon Lake State Park. I set up camp and got a shower and went to sleep just after nightfall. I woke up sometime late that night to find the temperature had dropped to around 50° Fahrenheit. I had not been expecting that and I did not have enough blankets. That morning, a friendly Minnesotan camping nearby gave me a cup of much-needed coffee.
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