Alpine Loop (Sept 1-6 2016)

[K0nfusion]

So me and a few buddies are going to head up to Alpine Loop. Leaving Tucson AZ to go explore. He has a Tacoma with a lift and off-road tires. My Runner is still stock. We will be camping out there the whole time. Anyone have any suggestions for me? Will my stock Runner be ok? I don't plan on doing anything crazy.

 

[HOJeepster]

So me and a few buddies are going to head up to Alpine Loop. Leaving Tucson AZ to go explore. He has a Tacoma with a lift and off-road tires. My Runner is still stock. We will be camping out there the whole time. Anyone have any suggestions for me? Will my stock Runner be ok? I don't plan on doing anything crazy.

Your stock 4runner will be fine on the AL. It's mostly NF, so you can camp whereever, however, you'll want to look for below treeline areas since summer months bring storms. Check out Lake City, Animas Forks, Ouray, and if time, Silverton and Telluride. You can't really go wrong in the San Juans.

 

[K0nfusion]

Thanks! What about supplies? Should we bring plenty of fire wood? What about extra fuel for the excursion? I'm all ears, and very excited. This is what I bough the Runner for.

 

[Jeremy556]

No need for extra fuel, you'll never be far from a gas station in Ouray, Silverton, or Lake City.

Stock 4runner will have no trouble with any trails in the area except for Poughkeepsie Gulch

 

[B984rnr]

Keep in mind there are a lot of fire restrictions in Colorado right now.

https://csfs.colostate.edu/wildfire-mitigation/current-wildfire-information-fire-restrictions/

Sent from my Galaxy S7 Edge using the Tapatalk app.

 

[CoolMax]

I'm headed there this weekend..will definitely report back.

I'm basically stock, with BFGs & 5100s, and I'm going with a guy who has a stock 2014 TE with Nitto terragrapplers off a TRD Pro.

 

[InspectahDeck]

That said, if there aren't fire restrictions in the area, you are unlikely to need firewood. Just scavenge some from deadfall. The beetle kill trees are tipping all the time.

 

[High_Country]

Ditto checking the fire restrictions and ditto not needing to bring your own if you don't mind scavenging a bit.
I'd give props to the town of Creede and the old mines up above town and Kips Grill there in town. Great place, great people, doesn't feel quite as 'commercialized' maybe as Ouray or Lake City. Lots of fishing focus too.
Take it nice and slow. Of course, I would probably use this trip as an excuse to upgrade tires from the OEM dunlops. Just in case you need an excuse. : )

 

[theMayor]

Alpine loop is only 60 miles long and only takes about 4.5 hours to run... Check out TrailDamage for some other fun trails. That area of CO is beautiful.

 

[InspectahDeck]

Also, popping over from
Ouray to Telluride or the reverse for lunch or a beer is also a pretty sweet way to spend part of a day. Ophir and Imogene will get you there.

 

[Stangboy]

Heading that way myself in a couple of weeks. I figure Imogene, Ophir, Yankee Boy Basin, and Hurricane Pass. Then I'm heading to the Leadville area and Weston Pass. Then Great Sand Dunes and try Medano Pass and Hayden Pass. Make a big loop and head back to the Texas heat...

 

[InspectahDeck]

West pass may disappoint, but it's fine if you want to go from
Leadville to FairPlay. They both get you south to 285 though. You could go from the Blue Mesa area to Gunnison to Taylor park over cottonwood or some others. Not that Weston is terrible, but it's not a lot different than most gravel roads in the Midwest.

 

[K0nfusion]

Thanks for all the info!

Really look forward to [MENTION=110041]CoolMax[/MENTION] reporting how it went.

 

[gm350reratliff]

Your stock 4runner should be fine but I would at least recommend some better than OEM tires on it for the trip. I was on alpine loop a couple weeks ago and it seems rockier than last year. I would also recommend black bear pass if you are going to be in the area but do that in the middle of the week. Both black bear and Imogene pass get super crowded on the weekends. The whole alpine loop takes more like 6-8 hours but if it's crowded like it was when we were there and someone in your group has vehicle issues, then it's at least 12 hours. There's a pretty good bbq place in Lake city called Southern Vittles. Take plenty of water and be sure to drink it even when driving up there. I would also recommend you spend a night somewhere on the way up there that's about 7k in elevation to help acclimate your body to the elevation.

 

[K0nfusion]

What about fishing in that area? Any recommended spots to set up camp and fish?

 

[HOJeepster]

Your stock 4runner should be fine but I would at least recommend some better than OEM tires on it for the trip. I was on alpine loop a couple weeks ago and it seems rockier than last year. I would also recommend black bear pass if you are going to be in the area but do that in the middle of the week. Both black bear and Imogene pass get super crowded on the weekends. The whole alpine loop takes more like 6-8 hours but if it's crowded like it was when we were there and someone in your group has vehicle issues, then it's at least 12 hours. There's a pretty good bbq place in Lake city called Southern Vittles. Take plenty of water and be sure to drink it even when driving up there. I would also recommend you spend a night somewhere on the way up there that's about 7k in elevation to help acclimate your body to the elevation.

I would not recommend Black Bear Pass on stock tires or novice driver. That trail is not to be understimated by "tourist" offroaders.

 

[InspectahDeck]

I would second that. I haven't done it for precisely that reason. I have done Ophir and Imogene though.

 

[MeefZah]

I believe the 'Alpine Loop' is just Engineer and Cinnamon; between 550 and Lake City and back.

Either is doable in a stock rig but I personally think the section of Engineer between Animas Forks and 550 is rough in a stock, non lifted truck. Certainly possible, but you need to take some time a pick a good line. It's very rocky.

 

[K0nfusion]

I drive off-road all day, everyday at work. You'd be surprised what I've taken a lifted Tahoe up. So I think I should be fine in the Runner, and it is a great excuse for fresh and upgraded rubber!

Any word on the fishing though?

 

[MeefZah]

Any word on the fishing though?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Gold_King_Mine_waste_water_spill