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Ouray CO, July 17-22

1K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  Polecat 
#1 ·
I will be arriving in Ouray on the afternoon of 7/17 for a week of Jeeping. I will be staying at the 4J Campground in town while I am there. I'm posting this info in case anyone is going to be in the area and wants to hit the trails together. I don't know exactly what days I will be doing what trails. Now on to the list!

Black Bear Pass (return to Ouray via Ophir Pass)

Imogene Pass (return to Ouray via Ophir Pass or Last Dollar Road to Ridgeway, or back over Ophir Pass)

Yankee Boy Basin and Governor Basin

Corkscrew Gulch to Californa Gulch, to Animas Forks. Picaynue and Placer Gulches. Return to Ouray via Silverton

Mineral Creek to Engineer Pass to Animas Forks. Eureka Gulch on the way back to Silverton and back to Ouray.

If Poughkeepsie Gulch is open I am going to try to fit that in somewhere.


I'm really looking forward to this trip. It will be my 4th time in Ouray and the 2nd with my Jeep. I've never been over Black Bear so that is a must for me. It's been 24 years since I have been over Imogene so I am looking forward to that as well. I have a lifter 06 LJ and there will be another TJ and a Grand Cherokee in the group as well. Both are modified. They may or may not be going with me on all of the trails.

So if anyone is going to be in that area I'd love to have you along. The more the merrier.
 
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#4 ·
Thanks for the report on those three trails. Were you able to go all the way to the end of Yankee Boy? When I was there 2 years ago the trail didn't go past the pit toilets and waterfall. There was a ton of snow.

Any tips on driving Black Bear?
 
#5 ·
First off, the Wildflowers are just SPECTACULAR right now. Take the time to enjoy them. My first tip is to start of early. We are in our 'monsoon' season and rain starts right after lunchtime. While driving off road in the rain isn't that tough, the rains are known for knocking loose rocks and boulders that are above you and the last thing you want is a washing machine sized boulder coming down the mountain at you. We started on the Black Bear trail at 9 am.

The tips for Black Bear. When on the steps, hug the wall. Last week, a truck slipped off of the steps and ended upside down in Ingram Creek. While it is rockier next to the wall, the left side of the trail is slick rock and all you need is some loose gravel, moisture or loose talus and your left front wheel slides off with the rest of your vehicle to follow. While rare, we saw it happen last week.

Next, when you start the switchbacks, make sure you don't try to get fancy and see how close you can get the ledge. A couple of times yesterday, I forgot I was in LOW and moved 2 clicks forward thinking I was in reverse when I was in Drive. Even though I only moved an inch, since I had a couple of feet, my room for error was enough. TAKE IT SLOW AND EASY. You move between gears a lot on the switchbacks so don't use the gas pedal after switching gears. Let the brake off easy and make sure you start to roll in the direction you want before applying any gas and always 'feather' the gas pedal (barely touch it). Also, use 4W Low in low gear on the steeper down hills runs. I have a strong suspicion that the couple from Missouri that died on Black Bear in 2004 was a case of thinking he was in reverse when he was in a forward gear. At the bottom of the steps, where you have to come down in 4L/Low, there is a sharp left turn that requires a pivot. That turn and your next 3 switchback pivots are the dangerous ones. Don't be embarrassed to have to back up a couple of times on each one. My Wrangler only required one back up on each switchback, but I swung wide and then tight. Any wheelbase longer than a Wrangler should make at least two backups, and we saw a long wheel based truck make 5 backups.

On Imogene, you will come across some fairly rocky ground. We had to laugh, someone even spray painted one embedded boulder all red. It was obvious that boulder had left it's mark on more than one 'under belly.' While no real switchbacks on Imogene, there are some pretty severe ledges. The death on Black Bear was in July 2004 and 2 people died in an accident in August, 2004 on Imogene in a Grand Cherokee. Officials think they tried to pull over to let another vehicle pass and fell of the ledge.

The road is open clear up to the Sneffel's and Blue Lake Trailhead. But the last mile is VERY ROUGH. Hit my bumper once, but nothing on the under carriage. Take the correct line, and it is just a challenging rock climb. Take the wrong line and you will bend some metal, hopefully just a skid plate.

Overall, it was a lifetime memory, a great learning lesson and a wonderful time with the family. So just take your time, enjoy the ride and it will be the trip of a lifetime.
 
#6 ·
Polecat, I'm glad to hear that you are going back to CO. Are you also going to Moab this year? I'll also be in Ouray, but about a week later. My brother that lives in CO has reserved me a camping spot at the Ridgway State Park on the 31st as he camps there a lot. It hasn't been until the last several weeks that I've made the decision for sure to go as I had a job change. Fortunately my new employer agreed to give me the time off. :)

Anyway, have fun and let me know how Black Bear treats you. I haven't decided on local trails yet, but Engineer this time for sure.
 
#7 ·
Grogie, I'm glad you are going to be making it out there as well. I know we joked about meeting up up there. So close huh? I'll let you know how the trails were. Black Bear and Imogene were closed last time I was there so I am looking forward to those.

I'll be spending a week over in Moab as well after I leave Ouray. It's going to be epic.
 
#9 ·
Grogie, I'm glad you are going to be making it out there as well. I know we joked about meeting up up there. So close huh? I'll let you know how the trails were. Black Bear and Imogene were closed last time I was there so I am looking forward to those.

I'll be spending a week over in Moab as well after I leave Ouray. It's going to be epic.
Very cool. I wish I had time and the space in my TJ to go into Utah. I'm sure your LJ is nice to have for these long trips! Next summer it's on my list to find a small trailer. You should see the back of my TJ... it's already about stuffed and I haven't left yet. :laugh:
 
#8 ·
Looks like our group is leaving Oklahoma early Saturday Morning (17th), so we should arrive either late Saturday night or if we decide to stop in Santa Fe... mid day on Sunday.

Not sure which trails we will hit yet... but Black Bear is definatly at the top of the list. There will be a Red JK, a Green JK, a 4wd chevy PU, and my orange TJ in the group.

We plan to primative camp several nights... so the report of it being the rainy season will make it a typical event for us. :laugh:
 
#10 ·
I should leave you a secret message stashed somewhere on a trail. Maybe I can pry loose a floorboard in one of the houses in Animas Forks.

:2thumbsup:
 
#11 ·
Got to Ouray about 3:00 on Saturday. Got set up at the 4J campground and then went up to Porphyry Gulch. Not a difficult trail but it had some very narrow parts to it.

Met up with h2ojeep back at camp and also talked to a guy with a Rubi Unlimited with 35's and long arms. We are heading over Imogene Pass today and returning to Ouray via Ophir Pass. Should be a great day.
 
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