While many visitors got a little extra time in the High Country two weekends ago as snows rendered Interstate 70’s passes completely impassable — nothing says vacation better than a night on a school floor in Kremmling — I opted to take a New Year’s Day voyage that was a bit peculiar, even for me.

You see, I was stuck in the Front Range with the absolutely fabulous Mercedes-Benz ML550, nowhere in particular to go, and the velvet hammer of enormous automotive power couched in total luxury ... so I headed into the canyons just southwest of Denver, seeking the legendary Bucksnort Tavern in the equally mysterious Sphinx Park.

That place turns out to be as hard to find as Brigadoon and, after completely missing it by about 15 miles, I opted instead to drive up 285 a bit and try another previously unexplored stretch of road, that being the South Park area county road linking the Tarryall Reservoir with Lake George and Highway 24.

A largely snow- and ice-covered but totally passable County Road 77 was a great test track for a wonderful journey in a capable, good looking and advanced automobile that’s totally cut out for any conditions you’d like to throw at a vehicle.
Last year, Mercedes’ M class celebrated its 10th year in the United States and the Tuscaloosa, Ala.-built machines have recently stepped things up a considerable notch. A new 382-horsepower 5.5 liter V8, cranking out 26 percent more power than last year’s V8, is a fantastically powerful, higher-end offering.

The M class lineup also includes gasoline and diesel V6 models; wheel-roasting purists can opt for the considerably more expensive ML63 AMG, which packs a 503-horsepower 6.3 liter V8.

The $68,000 (as tested) 2008 ML550 brings with it a dimpled grille and running boards and custom wheels borrowed from that top-of-the-line AMG family of super-Benzes, brightening and toughening the 550’s looks.

In my tour of the hinterlands and a bit of freeway on the ride back home to Denver, the 550’s whomp of V8 power seemed more than adequate for chucking all 4,800 pounds worth of car around — and will still get you to 60 in 5.5 seconds, or a limited top speed of 135 mph, all of which is nothing to sneeze at.

You’ll never find yourself at a loss of power, even up the steepest hills, and the resonating, big-bodied sounding engine makes the ML550 sound like a muscle car. The inevitable tradeoff is limited mileage, but I generated in excess of the 18 MPG highway figure the EPA has suggested for the Benz while cruising comfortably.

An advanced, full-time all-wheel drive system with four-wheel traction control, 19-inch wheels and an adjustable Airmatic suspension system also imbue the ML550 with serious poise both on and off the pavement, although I’d recommend winter tires with slightly more bite than those I sampled for a fuller experience in snow and ice.

In-cabin controls include an off-road mode switch, downhill speed regulator switch and a comfort/sport switch which drops the automobile into a lower, stiffer position. Just remember not to use this mode while crashing through deep snow drifts, as I discovered — articulate the suspension 3 inches to its highest setting instead, giving the Mercedes more than 10 inches of clearance.

You may initially find yourself grabbing for the non-existent gear lever to slow things down, especially when hitting bad patches of weather — the old lever has been replaced by a tiny, steering column-mounted selector (up for reverse, down for drive) and the tremendously adaptable seven-speed transmission is controlled by wheel-mounted buttons. That transmission will imperceptibly jump up to three gears for immediate acceleration needs.

The AMG upgrade to the ML’s now-classic wedge shape provides a quantifiable kick in the pants, and the vehicle’s curved look, aerodynamically extruded tail lamps and angular, side-illuminating bi-xenon headlamps still make it one of the most attractive variations on the SUV theme.

Cabin finishings and fixtures are excellent, as always. Climbing into the deep-bottomed sport seats does require a bit of a sashay and a leap, especially over the running boards, but once you’ve planted yourself, the heated leather seating is very comfortable and supportive.

The interior is otherwise organically and aesthetically pleasing, with polished walnut trim (on the wheel, as well), bright chrome door pulls and door sills (blue metal inside the liftgate), plus aluminum-edged instruments and vents. The complex but incredibly detailed instrument-level trip computer offers seemingly infinite information, all accessible via a couple of steering wheel-mounted buttons.

I was very happy with the satellite radio-ready harmon-kardon stereo system but in my tester the system would only take one CD at a time and required the entire stereo/navigation screen faceplate to be electrically motored in and out of place to do so. My assumption was that the pair of DVD monitors, mounted on the backs of the front headrests, also required motoring the head unit faceplate out of the way to insert DVDs – a six-CD changer in the glove box is an available option.

The navigation system is better than most (operated with a small pointer knob) and the screen turns into a backup camera when the ML is put in reverse; a set of distance-sensing lights on the dashboard and on the back of the cabin also help in delivering the vehicle into small spaces.

There’s been some complaints about the clicky, plastic feel of the temperature dials on the heating controls, but the system certainly works and is easy to control, even in a three-zone mode.

A remote-controlled power liftgate also contributes to easy loading of all your stuff, with more than 72 cubic feet of carrying space and cargo managing rails, tiedown points and even a tonneau cover to secure the load.

Now, if I’d only had the ML550 instead of a Ford Focus for my actual heinous and frightening journey to Sunlight Mountain last weekend — but more on that in the future. The ML would certainly have been a better choice.

Price as tested: $67,800

Powertrain: 382-horsepower 5.5 liter V8, seven-speed automatic transmission, 4Matic all-wheel drive

Includes: 19-inch alloy wheels, AMG style bumpers, grille and running boards, Comand audio and navigation system, multifunction steering wheel, air suspension, infrared glass, glass sunroof, corner-illuminating bi-xenon headlamps, roof rails, tire pressure monitoring system

EPA figures: 13 city, 18 hwy