The Ouray/Silverton area is quite mild in terms of surface. There is one actual obstacle in the entire area and I think a legal bypass was recently built (the Wall on Paughkeepsie Gulch). The difficulty there comes from the narrow shelf roads and the sometimes extreme traffic. Certain trails must not be driven in rain.

Also, there is a new edition of the Charlie Wells Colorado 4-Wheel Drive Trails guide in the works. Wait for late spring, it should be out by then. Great guide. The Latitude 40 map of the area is the best I have seen.

If you are getting that lift to get further offroad, maybe worth considering a 1.5-2" lift? And you are already 0.8 up in front. I don't plan on anything beyond 1.5 and even that 1.5 won't have any bearing on what I drive (but yes I am fully armored except for that rear diff skid). I am happy to discuss specific trails, but here in AZ, in UT, and in CO there is a very clear line between regular difficult trails and extreme trails with very few in the grey area in between. I would drive any regular difficult trail in the area in mine with 1.5 lift or less, if any (but no tight brush, thanks!). An SR5 will need more clearance to compensate for the lack of locker (or an ARB locker). A tiny lift always helps, but the closer to stock the better the dependability and the balance between up and down travel.

Let me know what you think of the FJ Summit

I once let a Summit column pass my Outback while climbing the rockier, east side of Cinnamon. Considering that the 6 cyl OB was a proficient climber and that the column turned out to rival BNSF trains in length, I regretted it

But yeah it is a phenomenal area, gotta be one of the best places on the entire planet for both scenery and 4x4. Have fun and be safe.

Thanks for all of that info. I'm looking so forward to going. I'm especially looking for to getting out there with my son. He just turned 6 so this will be his first real offroad experience.

I've decided on the Fox COs with the adjustors. I'll be going with about a 2.5" lift. I like the look as well as the add ability. I also tend to overdue everything. It's a sickness. LOL

I live in Northwestern Kansas. please post pics after you have been to Western KS for off roading.

I would like to know where would it be

My older one was not a fan for years until finally becoming one thanks to the 4Runner. My little one has always been a fan.

I would put him in the middle seat in the rear so he can see well. Rear seat comfort rules. Airing down, whatever it takes. Plus enough fun time outside. My little one has a Tonka truck that has been offroaded in 6 states between the Mexico and Canada borders. I have no idea how we have not yet lost it. It would be cool to take it abroad, actually, come to think of it!

You will have heaps of good time. Especially if you drop the Summit trains and do some of the fun trails that see little traffic just with your son. I am a big fan of Porphyry Gulch. Amazing drive and short but spectacular hike at the end to a lake. It is very narrow for extended distance which makes it off limits to big groups. A bit more out of the way but also very narrow and quite scenic is Governor Basin (nearby overcrowded Yankee Boy is not as interesting, though I have not done it to the end). The good news is that all trails there are short yet most are truly spectacular. This helps with the family. The road between Ouray and Silverton can take a lot longer than the mileage may make you think, especially during Summit time, so that's good to plan for. The last section of the Silverton to Animas Forks dirt road from which many trails start is among the most annoying anywhere. Please report on how comfy the Fox 2.5 is there!

Good for you on the quality lift (new UCAs, I guess, too).

If you cannot stop, maybe get quality brake pads With low range the 4R is fine, but I suppose that good brake pads will still make a difference there.

I'm thinking he's going to love it. He seems up for adventure. Middle seat seems like the best bet. I'll have the 285s on by then and will take them down to about 20psi.

Well from what I'm hearing I hope I make the summit at all. People are saying all of the spots will filled last year in less then a minute. I guess they keep the numbers low for a better experience. I've been doing a lot of trail research and have looked at all of the ones you listed, plus Black Bear. Not sure what I'll do if I don't make the Summit. Definitely not making that trip alone.

I'm worried about the Fox Suspension at this point. Mainly due to one persons nightmare experience with fitment and their customer service. Not sure if this was an isolated case with the 5th gen or not. His pics was pretty scary. Confused at this point. Also looking into the King suspension as well.

Yes I'll be doing the SPC UCAs.

Thanks again for the info.

We have been there three times alone in our H6 Outback. We have driven 18 "4x4" trails with 6 left and 1 partially driven. Plus, we have also driven several dirt roads. I was thorn about Black Bear but while doable it was not sensible in the Outback so that's one of the six left. I think 3 people rolled on Black Bear last summer in a mellow area on separate occasions. Apparently there was an eroded spot and they were not paying attention. Not sure.

In addition to those 25 trails, there are also a couple spurs and then other trails in the nearby areas that are more typical mountain trails and not the unique Ouray/Silverton stuff.

I am not sure when we will make it back in the 4Runner, but the goal will be to do those we have not yet driven or finished to the end. We are always alone except sometimes around Moab where we have friends.

If I were closer then yeah I wouldn't mind being alone as much. It's a 22 hour drive each way for me. I'd love to do it with a smaller group with someone that knows the area. I'm a novice when it come to the rocks and mountains. Don't get much of that in South Louisiana. LOL

1. Moab in a week
2. Badlands/Snowy Range WY June
3. KS Tuttle creek run in August
4. San Juan mountains in September (engineer, alpine look and a few more)

Wasn't really offroading just down dirt/gravel roads to Kansas's highest point and out to Monument Rocks.

I don't like wheeling goals and I think in terms of seasons, but since desert season is over for us, I can tell you how that went.

Desert season for me=Nov-Feb when temps are fine and the snakes are not out in droves. In reality, it does not work quite that way for us, with Nov, Feb, and Mar being the better months for day trips.

My main goal was to explore KOFA near California and Quartzsite and more generally the central section of Western AZ. There are 17 or 18 trails in/to KOFA, depending on how you count them. Eleven of these are combined into 10 trails by Massey and 4 into 2 by Wells. The other trails are not described.

The southern section of KOFA has 4-5 trails that are just far enough from home to be too much for me with the kids on a day trip. The 3 main trails total 65 miles, and consist of two easy trails and a dirt road. The 1-2 remaining ones are unknown. But they are legal 4x4 roads on the refuge map. The southern section connects to the northern section via one trail.

The remaining 12 trails are in the northern section. Of these we drove 1 moderate trail with lots and lots of brush over a 6 mile section, 4 easy trails, and 4 dirt roads. We have two unknown condition trails left and 1 dirt road left.

So, I would say that KOFA went very well for us, but not great. The problem is that Quartzsite has no good camping and the only nearby camping cabins are too pricey for what they are and for being just 2hr from home. So that is a limiting factor with the kids.

The best trail we drove was actually just to the north of KOFA. It features a very long hogsback and a fantastic stretch of Sonoran desert. We had it to ourselves. It was gorgeous.

Other than those 10 total trails in/around KOFA, we also drove Harquahala Mountain, a trail where the conditions had defeated me in a stock Subaru Tribeca on street tires 10 years ago. I had also turned back in my Outback after seeing two rattlesnakes one after the other on the road itself. Spring is the wrong time! This year it started no better as I aired down my P metric tires against my own advice and promptly burst a sidewall. So, it was fourth time the charm. It is funny how an easy trail can find a way to fool around with you!

We also drove a trail that offered great scenery in the same area. Near home, we only drove Crapshoot. I drove Crapshoot just because it is rated difficult but it is really one spot that is borderline difficult. Crapshoot is a long, two-section hill, very loose. But only the very bottom is difficult as it is severely eroded and an IFS rig can flip if not careful.

Other than desert trails, we also drove some Sedona trails back in November, including two difficult rated ones, one of which is really just upper-end moderate for a short while, and yesterday we went back to finish the last major Sedona trail we had not yet driven.

Also in November, we drove Backaway to Crown King just because everyone is supposed to have driven it lol. We went on a Saturday which was a terrible mistake as the trail is severely overcrowded. There was one nasty spot where I dragged a slider and a big step where I dragged the skids. The scenery is not bad, but the traffic really diminishes the experience.

All in all, it was a great winter season. Thanks to the 4Runner, we drove more in a winter than ever before.

I have to say that the locker and MTS for uphill (as well as crawl control for descending bad spots) make a world of difference. A-trac alone is okay but not all that great. And 4L alone is pretty bad on any hill, at least in AZ conditions.

Unpaved places I'd like to go by car in 2019:
1. Hollister Hills SVRA -- off-road driving course
2. Martis Peak, Tahoe
3. Blackwood Canyon, Tahoe
4. Other random roads above North Lake Tahoe

- weekly trips to mountains or beach (I live in North Carolina so only about two hours east or west)
- every other month to a different state
- cross country trip to the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Utah and Colorado in August

- learn more about my 4Runner on maintaining and fixing things myself, also doing preventative maintenance
- absorbing every tip about off roading from people

Starting this month I want to go on a monthly trip. I want to explore more of the Ozarks and find better camping spots there. I also want to start exploring the Ouachita NF and Sam Houson NF (try to find some offroad trails and primitive camping).

Other things I want to do are drive my 4runner to see the Grand Canyon and Mt Rushmore. Debating a trip to Mt rushmore over Memorial day weekend, it would be cool to do a little offroading in the area but I may not have a lot of time since it is only a 3 day weekend.