Good points. I know that a couple of very experienced Jeepers got killed when their Jeep was washed off BB in a downpour a few years ago.

That's a phenomenal loop, Mineral Cr-Cal-Hur-Cork. Corkscrew clay is for real.

And, yeah, 550 ain't exactly the least dramatic road! I have seen people drive all the way into the opposite lane on the exposed section around the Mineral Creek TH.

I've done that loop a couple of times. First time was about 30 years ago in a 1984 Suburban. A real beast on the trails, but a bit unwieldy to say the least! Three and five point turns coming down Corkscrew!

Went back and did it a few years ago in my slightly lifted '06 4runner. Much easier!

Both times were in dry conditions, so I can't speak to the clay on Corkscrew, but looking at the soil there I can imagine it could get pretty slippery.

I get more nervous on 550 in Uncompahgre canyon than I do on a one-lane 4wd shelf road. Something about the higher speeds means that things can go really wrong a lot quicker.

^^^^This. We go up there every year. Black Bear isn’t hard, if you know what you are doing. It is unforgiving. I think social media plays into this as well. Gotta post Black Bear pics (or insert other famous trail) on The Book of Faces or Snack Chat to be one of the cool kids.

Do it for the gram right? Lol. Sometimes I really hate the book face. The amount of shit, hate and discontent it causes. It makes people (women especially) think shits better than it really is.

Seems to be a regular thing. Super boojie overland stuff that never sees dirt. Spouses that spew all kinds of bs about all the great shit they do 2 weeks before they get divorced……. Clownish. Absolutely clownish I tell ya.

Then the social one up’ing happens. Local group ride happened the other day. Had a semi famous personality on it. Me being the FNG to the formal group, but knowing the area they were going like the back of my hand from 30years of it being my playground, I asked where they were going.

They couldn’t tell me where, just that i needed 35” or better and lockers……. Damn I’m thinking, these guys must know a kickass spot, holy hell…….. newp……. I couldn’t make the ride, but the video dropped………. And much to my angst (I looked like chris Farley pulling his hair while watching almost the whole time ) they took quite literally the easiest road across. Like I would have driven my awd sienna…….. in fact I was up there 2 months ago and a lost elderly couple was there with an effing rascal scooter on the back of their CUV……FML. Here I am shopping for crazy sas setups, long travel, and how to fit 35’s stuff for my 3rd gen thinking my rig isn’t capable enough to hang…..

Moral of the story, things aren’t always what they seem. Flexing on others for points is a real thing, even if it’s stupid. And, many of these localles that people talk up to be real man eater spots, don’t quite live up. Reality is stupid kills and you can flip over anywhere doing dumb stuff.

There are spots that are just safer on 35s but can be done on 32s. For me, the flex/articulation is what makes the traction way better with all 4 wheels on the ground so I run a Wrangler. My 4th Gen would need a lot of work to get there, and prob never could unless I did a solid axle conversion. I'll go up Poughkeepsie without a winch pull though tires play a part too an my MTRs are great on rocks....they slip far less than my DuraTracs and KO2s at the 10-12 PSI range...sidehill or straight up/down.

I think people get in over their heads without know or realizing it. I have seen them do some pretty stupid stiff. I have a small toddler and I support my older and unwell parents so I can't, even if I were dumb enough to try some of the stupid off-camber crap I see people do, knowing that the vehicle is right at the edge already.

You guys are right- equipment increases the safety margins and capability but experience can't be beaten. I don't know anywhere near as much as some of the guys who have been exploring different terrain here for 30-40 years. I like learning from them when I do run into them. I off-road less now...too many people out there. It may be time to start doing this more in the winter.

Your right about the solid axle being more planted. They just are is the reality. Almost on all roads/trails, a good line and a good spotter address it, but there’s no doubt that solid axles do better there.

I’m in the same boat. Having to wake up and be somebody does change the decision matrix when risk is involved. People do get in over their heads and it shows most of the time. There’s something to be said for experience in all walks of life.

Just ran across this pic from Black Bear:

Interestingly enough, this ain't the first one I see in that spot. Not sure what makes them climb on the driver side. It is neither that tight or rocky or whatever. The spot prior to the rocky switchback, I get it for it requires some experience, but this one I don't.

Nuts

What the……. Why? Just why were they trying to go up that wall? They had to been way up there to get tipped over that high to the driver side……Shesh….

The pic doesn't do it justice. the road is steep downwards and slopes towards the drop off it only takes a a foot or sô of climb on the wall for a flop.
Jeep rolls on Black Bear Pass 2014 - YouTube

I mean, it is a lot milder than the two spots before the switchback. Looking at that Jeep video, there are 3 things I can think of:

1/ complete inexperience/failure to judge width of trail, know where wheels are (driver side, no less!).

2/ Eyesight issues causing the above.

3/ And most likely, the exposure gets to some people.

I have never seen videos of Mineral Creek rolls, for example. So either I have missed on that action or maybe it is exposure that gets in one's head.

I agree. I think the driver was calm in the video and lost focus. I am assuming his rear driver side tire climed up a rock that stick out from the side of the canyon wall . You can see him correct right before the roll but a little late. Mineral creek shelf is treacherous but the canon walls are pretty perpendicular to the road. At black bear the walls slope into the trail making it easier for the tire to climb over.

Pictures and video rarely do justice for sure.

I know I’m over simplifying the whole thing. I look at that video though and I just think to myself how could you not feel that before it happened? He wasn’t even close to the edge?

Maybe it’s my 35 years or so of driving/piloting experience of everything from bikes, to jet skis to sleds to cars to pickups to quads to semis to tractors and airplanes. I only have about 8 hours in Cessnas, but in my mind it’s all objects in space, and you put it where you need to.

He’ll pay more attention next I bet though. Gotta respect the stuff that can kill you.

My 1st time going down black bear. Kind of top heavy here, but took lines that seemed 'logical' and screwed around until I got to Telluride for breakfast.

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