Colorado Adventure

[Guest]

the 3-4 times I've driven straight thru to the Telluride area: 12-14 hours; that included gas stops and quick lunch/potty stops.
I'd leave at 5am and arrive there by 6:30pm.
This was driving the Jeep and pulling the Bantam as well.

Not bad! Great pics. Wouldn't mind going there.

[jpflat2a]

Great pics. Wouldn't mind going there.

you'll be hooked once you go...
my first trip was 1972
my last trip was 2006
in between, 4 other trips
itchin to go again....

[Dezertdog]

My daughter has been living in Flagstaff for several months. Are any of these pix nearby. Just bought a towbar so I can pull my Jeep behind my truck.
Haven't been out to see her yet. Now I'm gettin axious!!!

Scott

[FishPOET]

How long did it take to get to Colorado? Curious.

We took 2 days. We spent Saturday night in Flagstaff AZ. It is approx 800 miles from Norco to Silverton.

My daughter has been living in Flagstaff for several months. Are any of these pix nearby. Just bought a towbar so I can pull my Jeep behind my truck.
Haven't been out to see her yet. Now I'm gettin axious!!!

Scott

The first pic is in the Coconino National Forest just North of Flagstaff.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/rec...er-hills.shtml

[nwoods]

Great trip report Doug

[FishPOET]

Friday July 31 we boarded a bus in Silverton at 7:45am that took us down to Durango. The bus driver was an older gentleman and he narrated for us the whole history of Silverton and Durango on the 1-1/4 hour trip. It was quite interesting. We arrived in Durango at 9am, had breakfast and boarded the Durango & Silverton coal fired narrow gauge steam train for the trip back to Silverton. The ride took 3-1/2 hours and paralleled the Animas River most of the way. It was an outstanding experience. We were back in camp at 2pm and after a quick lunch it was back out on the trails. First up was Eureka Gulch. Next was Minnie Gulch. Then on to Maggie Gulch. And finally Arrasta Gulch. Back at camp at 6pm.

The train in the Animas Gorge


Aerial Tramway Station in Eureka Gulch


Saturday August 1 we met back up with Russ and his friend Woody.at Corkscrew Gulch at 9:30am. We ran Grey Copper Gulch and Brown Mountain trails. We went up Corkscrew Gulch and over Corkscrew Pass. Over to Hurricane Pass and then California Pass, down to California Gulch. Next was Placer Gulch then Picayne Gulch. We made a brief stop at Animas Forks and then we climbed to Cinnamon Pass. We turned around and headed back down Cinnamon and over to Engineer Pass. We did not climb Engineer Pass. Instead we headed down Mineral Creek Trail to Poughkeepsie Gulch Trail. We saw a bear! We had heard that Poughkeepsie Gulch had one tough obstacle and we wanted to give it our best shot. I made it up. Russ gave it several valiant tries before we winched him up and Woody got hung up on his attempt and we had to lift his right front tire and stack a few rocks under it before he could make it up. We went up and over Hurricane Pass and down to Gladstone, on to Silverton where we had dinner at the Bent Elbow. For the first time all week it did not rain.

The Poughkeepsie obstacle


Top of Corckscrew Pass


Sunday August 2 we ran Cunningham Gulch and Stony Pass. We crossed the Great Divide and saw the headwaters of the Rio Grande. We had lunch at 1pm and packed up camp headed for Ouray. We are set up in the 4J+1+1 RV park right on the Uncompahgre River for the next 4 nights. Some friends from San Diego are in the area and we had dinner with them at The True Grit in Ridgway. 2 days in a row with no rain.

Top of Cunningham Gulch aka Top of the World


Headwaters of the Rio Grande


You can track us on SPOT
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...ankbnmchkLZCiG

[sarah]

Wow, Doug! I think we have all the same pictures from our trip - minus Russ

Rick and I really really love that area. Although it always seemed like I was facing down-cliff! Thanks for the awesome trip report and photos.

[Mitch]

Doug,

That is some beautiful county. That little pitch that you went up looks rather steep! Good job. Russ and winch are not normally used in the same sentence. Awesome.

Mitch

[FishPOET]

Monday August 3 we ran the Alpine Loop with the San Diego Geocachers. We went up Mineral Creek. Up Engineer Pass. Over to Lake City. We took a side trip to American Basin and then down Cinnamon Pass. We stopped in Animas Forks. We headed back for the Mineral Creek Trail and out to Ouray. 3 days in a row with no rain. Now the dusty trails are becoming a problem!

Engineer Pass


Broke dam near Lake City


Tuesday August 4 we ran with the San Diego Geocachers up Mineral Creek, up Poughkeepsie Gulch, up to California Pass, down California Gulch, up to Placer Gulch, down Picayne Gulch, through Silverton to Hwy 550. We went up Ohpir Pass and through the town of Ophir. We went to Telluride on Hwy 145. We took Last Dollar Rd to Hwy 62 back in to Ridgway. We had dinner at River's End. 4 days in a row with no rain!

Group shot at Lake Como


Last Dollar Rd


Wednesday August 5 we ran Black Bear Pass and Imogene Pass. What a treat both trails are. We had been waiting to run these two trails since we got to Colorado and they did not disappoint. We had a few afternoon thundershowers.

Black Bear Pass


The switchbacks coming down Black Bear Pass


Imogene Pass 13,114'

[nwoods]

The switchbacks coming down Black Bear Pass

That's cool! I've never seen it from that perspective, and I've been there!

Here is a different perspective of Black Bear Pass

[headhunter]

I really need to get out there. It's just beautiful.

Of course, I've definitely got to replace my carburetor with fuel injection before I go to 13,114'!

The devil is in the details.

Christian

[Mike]

Broke dam near Lake City

Okay, I gotta ask... was it called 'Lake City' BEFORE the dam broke?

Great stuff! I'm looking forward to more pics. Colorado just got bumped way up on the touring list!

[sarah]

Wow, Doug, you really did do it all! Black Bear Pass was closed last we were there (darn!! ) - are all the rumors and scary stories true?

[Russ Chung]

Black Bear Pass

The day before I met up with Doug, I ran the Black Bear Pass Trail with a group from Arizona.

Approaching the tree line enroute to Black Bear Pass:



Ziggy and I posing for a picture at the pass:



Descending the Steps on the Black Bear Pass trail (just before the switchbacks). I think that this section of the trail is more nerve wracking than the switchbacks because it is narrow, off camber, steep with loose rocks and a dropoff:



Bridal Veil Falls:



The Switchbacks (not as bad as I had been led to believe):





Bridal Veil Falls:

[brokenujoint]

ok I'm officially moving to Colorado now!