Black Bear Pass Co

[TucsonMike]

Hey All,

Next week I'm taking my 4runner up to Colorado to do some 4weeling in the Ouray area. We're planning on going on the Imogene trail and possibly Black Bear or others. I have a 2000 4runner with 5speed that's pretty much stock except with 265 75 16 tires and a 2in lift. My question is do I have enough clearance to handle the steps on black bear. I have looked at many videos of this pass but dont have a good feel of the steps part of this trail

Appreciate any advice if anyone's been on it recently in their 4runner

Thanks

MikeM

 

[Kirk_B]

I have the same setup as you and have done both Black Bear and Imogene (as well as Engineer and Cinnamon) twice in the past two seasons with zero issues. I dont have sliders or skid plates either, and didn't need them.

The biggest issue I have run into are extremely inexperienced drivers clogging the trails. These are not technical trails at all, just keep your wits about you and you will be fine.

 

[TucsonMike]

Thank you for the feed back. I appreciate the response.

MikeM

 

[JohnMc]

Neither are particularly technical, I guess Imogene is a bit tougher in a few spots? Not quite a gravel road with a view (like Ophir) though.

Black Bear does change yearly, lots of erosion happens in the snowmelt season, the road crews patch it up pretty good, but it changes. There's one diagonal ledge before you get to the notch that seems to be steeper/deeper every time we go (it's been a couple of times since we last did it). I've seen a few pics where people flopped their trucks going over that by taking a bad line (i.e. straight over the diagonal, instead of hanging to the uphill side, then turning sharply down it).

Other than that, the other issue might be backing up on the top two switchbacks. They're loose gravel, fairly steep, and most trucks will need to do a multiple point turn. Which means backing up a steep off camber gravel slope. You don't have to have a locker/LSD, but it would help. For fun, the edges of the trail there are soft as well (gravel/dirt, not rock).

Perhaps the best scenery in Colorado? I'm not sure if there's a better looking trail. The view of Telluride down below from the notch, those switchbacks, Bridal Veil falls, it's just awesome.

Imogene is neat too, the worst part we've ever noticed about that are the swarms of rental Jeeps driven by people who don't know what they're doing. Going INCREDIBLY slowly. Barging down single lane sections where there are no places to pass. And the all time worst, some lady driving who was scared of the edge(?) and forcing people to drive on the wrong side of the rode to get around her. That's mostly on Imogene, though.

 

[TucsonMike]

Thanks for the additional info. Regarding Imogene what R the tough spots? Videos I saw didn't look too bad at all. We also might do Ophir pass as well. I have an e-locker as well so that should help

Thanks MikeM

 

[BorotHex]

I think the biggest issue is people parking near the falls and trying to go up the one way. It can be a mess. Last time I was there I had to back down from the falls because there was nowhere to turn around from *******s parking where it says no parking repeatedly.

 

[JohnMc]

Imogene has a few slightly more technical spots over the top on the Ouray side. But I'd say that most of the sketchiness there is needing to pull over on narrow turnouts for descending traffic, with a sheer drop inches from the wheels.

And one time we went up it, above the Tomboy mine it was socked in pretty heavily. Kind of eerie driving up a narrow mountain road with very little visibility. And get to the top and... you can't see anything... Lol.

 

[spartacus]

Go on Tuesday or Wednesday. less traffic always makes it better.

 

[Endlessblockades]

On the bucket list. 2" lift and 32s can do more than the 4X4 Aftermarket Industrial Complex wants you to believe!

 

[cl4Rk]

On the bucket list. 2" lift and 32s can do more than the 4X4 Aftermarket Industrial Complex wants you to believe!

Hear, hear!

 

[Romeo1]

Hear, hear!

Yeah, that’s been my experience also. It’s actually a bit comical how capable a set good 32”s air’d down, good 2 inch lift, (bilstein 6112/5160s has been what I’ve used can’t comment on the rest), duro bumps and a locker will do.

Places I would have thought I’d gotten hung up on have never even been close. You have to get into some really gnarly gnarly terrain to have to tap out. Steepness is almost always the biggest issue unless your just going over a straight up Boulder garden.

The thing is, at that point you probably need a legit rock buggy/jeep. I’m going over some stuff that I thought was really questionable with my family. Afterwords it really was no big deal at all. It really comes down to driver skill/spotter and good decision making.

The one time we descended into part of the canyon rim around here, it was a good 30° tilt sideways while rock crawling over all kinds of lava rock. Most pickups would have had no chance. But being narrow, light, and nimble it made short work of it. It’s not a keep TJ, but it’s not terribly behind it either. Rear departure is the biggest issue by far in my experience.

That all said, I’ve never done the Rubicon, that one looks like it would be quite a bit of work. The south loop of fins and things and hells revenge weren’t an issue at all and kept up with a JL sport without question. Now to be fair, I didn’t do hells gate, or the escalator. Hells gate was clearly just picking the right line. Put the wheels in the right spot and it’s easy Peezy from the looks of things. Screwup and you pay dearly.

I’m sure it would do it, but the risk/reward for me just isn’t there. i’m just there for a good time, not looking to see if I can flip my rig over.