Written by guest writer, Jeremy Abraham
If you are an avid reader of the DCC blog you may have seen a previous post about exploring Colorado’s Scenic byways. There are 26 of them in total, 20 have been electrified with fast charging stations at each end and spaced adequately in between. These electric byways are fantastic resources for anyone traveling with an EV. But the remaining byways are also incredible, and very approachable with an EV even without fast charging. One byway in particular is the Cache La Poudre: North Park Byway that winds from Fort Collins all the way up the Poudre Canyon, past countless whitewater and fishing areas, hiking trails, picnic areas, cozy cabins, and even a concert venue. The byway goes all the way up and over Cameron Pass, by the imposing Nokhu Crags through State Forest State Park and glides through the wide-open plain of North Park reaching its end in Walden, the seat of Jackson County Colorado. While there are many charging options on the Front Range, options through the byway and in Jackson County are non-existent, until just recently.
Blue Lake is one of many beautiful areas accessible by the trails along the Cache La Poudre: North Park Scenic Byway
ROA Energy, a DCC member company, deployed their mobile EV charging station to a host location in Walden for a free month-long trial. The station has fully grid-independent power for a Level 2 charging speed and was available at no cost to drivers to help them keep going where the adventure takes them. The company is looking to rent these stations to host businesses and event organizers for temporary and seasonal charging needs, as long or as short as needed. The host business in Walden was the Caribou Crossing Motel which can now boast the first public charging sessions ever in Walden. The host also owns the nearby restaurant Zirkel Mountain Pies which also benefitted from the charging station, which got users staying for dining and for lodging as well.
ROA Energy’s SunPlug station deployed at the Caribou Crossing Motel in Walden, CO
The station did not stay, and even still a Level 2 station does not count towards electrification of a Byway by the standards. But it is a start, a beginning of the wave of electrifying everywhere so that people can adventure anywhere. Drive Clean Colorado is happy to have member companies help support initiatives that help make clean transportation more accessible while connecting people to the places that make Colorado unique. Thank you to ROA Energy for highlighting this example of non-traditional transportation electrification.
Learn more about ROA Energy’s innovative work by going to their website here
Visiting Cache la Poudre- North Park? Learn more here