Colorado BS Thread

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/black-bear-pass
"Most of the trail is easy to moderate. The difficult rating is based on a mile-long stretch of dangerous switchbacks above Bridal Veil Falls. Your vehicle should have low-range 4WD, good tires, good brakes, excellent articulation, and a fully functional emergency brake."

 

I've seen pics of this trail. No way I would do in a Tundra. Looked scary as it was in a Taco.

 

Yeah that's one of the sites I read too. Seems easy enough if you just pay attention and don't take the danger lightly. Just wondered if any locals had done it already.

Added to the trip planner for now.

 

Maybe some guys in TW.

 

Last part dropping into telluride is sketch in a long Tacoma. Don't think I would ever want to take the Sequoia on it and it's shorter than a tundra. But anything is doable!

 

The Telluride side will give you trouble with a long wheelbase. Several very tight switchbacks that lean out over the edge into nothing will leave you with a permanent seat crease.
The Silverton side is entirely doable as long as you turn around at the top. The one way status is on the Telluride side only.

 

Thanks!

As I've been researching it, I've come across pictures of Hummer H1s on the switchbacks and other fullsize, but I also know trail conditions can change pretty quickly.

I found this site that seems to have the most current and accurate info on the passes.

https://soajeep.com/trail-maps-conditions/trail-conditions/

YANKEE BOY BASIN – Easy to Moderate.OPEN to Yankee Boy Mine.

OPHIR – Easy to Moderate. OPEN. May be slushy and icy over summit.

LAST DOLLAR – Easy to Moderate. OPEN. Conditions are likely to be muddy.

CORKSCREW – Moderate to Difficult. OPEN. Expect muddy areas in the lower section and ice and slush on the upper switchbacks.

ANIMAS FORKS – Easy to Moderate. OPEN

ALPINE LOOP – Moderate. The Loop is now cleared over Cinnamon to Lake City, and back via Engineer to Mineral Point. Note: The rugged and technical west side of Engineer is still closed! You must come down through Mineral Point into Animas to exit. Expect heavy snow melt to cause deep trenches on the downhill portions from the Cinnamon summit.

ENGINEER PASS – Moderate to Difficult. The trail is OPEN and passable from Animas through Mineral Point and down into Lake City, but NOT from the Ouray side. A large rock slide on the shelf road about a mile up from HWY 550 has the Ouray side CLOSED. This rock fall will take considerable work to clear.

GLADSTONE – Easy. Open to Corkscrew entrance.

RED MOUNTAIN TOWN LOOP – Now OPEN. Conditions may still be slushy and/or muddy.

BROWN MOUNTAIN GULCH- Moderate. Just Opened! Conditions may still be icy and muddy in the shaded areas.

OWL CREEK- Easy. OPEN. Conditions may still be muddy.

PLACER/PICAYUNE – Moderate. Expect icy and snow in some areas.

HURRICANE – 6/23 News!!! OPEN

CALIFORNIA – 6/23 News!!! OPEN

• CURRENTLY CLOSED TO 4X4 TRAFFIC:

BLACK BEAR – Expected opening by July 10th

IMOGENE – In Progress. Expected to open by July 3rd.

STONY – In progress. Reports suggest you can make it to the summit from Cunningham Gulch. Pole Creek may be impassable to due high water levels.

SKYLINE

GOVERNOR BASIN

POUGHKEEPSIE

Please visit Facebook for current trail pictures and updates at .

–Our information comes from being up on the trails ourselves or updates from those that have been on particular trails in their own vehicles. So, as with any high mountain terrain, be CAUTIOUS! If you start up a trail and you are uncertain, don’t go any farther. The adventure lies in exploring the beautiful scenery and not necessarily the destination. Take water, layers of warm clothing, and maps. And allow plenty of time.

 

Considering a family trip to Estes Park via YMCA lodging. Been to the park before and loved it. Anyone use the YMCA lodging? I'll be going with my wife and 2 kids (3 and 1.5). Will be driving the Tunny from Illinois. Suggestions for another place/area where it would be conducive for some family fun are appreciated.

 

I believe @ColoradoTJ has been there and says it's top notch. I've stayed in bungalows with wife and at the Stanley Hotel in Estes.

 

@ColoradoTJ has used it and my daughter's school counselor said she takes her family there a couple times a year. I was going to send my daughter this summer but she's already headed to 3 camps and couldn't squeeze that one in.

Let me know how it is. I'd be interested for next year

 

Let's do it! Tundra get together at Estes Park.

 

I'm in!

 

I say we crash @PMG s family affair!!! We could all go streaking through the quad......

 

Estes and the park are awesome. Very family friendly. Make sure to check out the Stanley hotel and Boulder. If it's open then Trail Ridge Road is absolutely stunning. Just don't climb Longs Peak unless you're seasoned outdoorist. Too many people die or get stranded up there

 

Yep boulder is awesome if you like getting your ass beat by hippies asking for money. Nothing creates a family memory like running from hippies

 

I'd be down for that, haven't been to Estes since freshmen year of college.

 

Boulder... Sometimes I wish that place would just disappear. I have to work up there quite often. Traffic sucks, parking is a nightmare, bicyclist think they own the road, getting your ass beat by hippies asking for money... Last summer, I even had a homeless dude in a McDonald's parking lot on Baseline pee on my work van's back bumper while I was sitting in it. I drove away from him really quick while he was relieving himself, leaving him completely exposed in the middle of the parking lot.

 

Did he look like a deer in the headlights?

 

Haha! He kinda ran (very awkwardly) to the back of the parking lot for cover, leaving a pee trail behind him. Seeing that made the unexpected trip to the car wash worth it.

 

The first time I ever went to Boulder, I saw a guy walking down the sidewalk, when it's pouring rain, wearing work boots and a bathrobe. Fuckin surreal.

 

Thanks, yes we loved Estes Park when we visited 10 yrs ago in a rental pt cruiser; trail was closed so I couldn't test out its mettle.

Which cabin was the "2nd place" @ColoradoTJ?

Seasoned outdoorsman? I go outdoors winter, spring, summer and fall; I should be good.

 

Anyone heading to this??

 

I'm out of town.

 

Is it any good?

 

What he REALLY wants to know is if there are booth babes. Gotta read between the lines with Mark.

 

Then I'm not driving down for that. If there was a chance I could find a cheap leaf pack I might do it