Help me prep for my trip to Colorado!

[MENTION=78909]alexb[/MENTION] I never heard how the trip went.... or did you start a new thread? It may have gotten lost in all the Pro Bro threads if so. I'm interested to hear how it went and what you saw/did. I am planning something similar for 2017 and plan to come back to this thread to plan. Pictures?

I posted up some pictures and stuff in my build thread. Trip went great. Ready to get another one on the books for next year and try out some more passes.

We spent 2 separate days on the trails. First on California then Imogene. Spent 1 day fly fishing, another doing the DSNG Railroad, and another just exploring around Durango.

Definitely want to get a more camping, wheeling based trip in next time. I've been a huge lazy ass and still have tons of pictures to go through. I got all the critical 4Runner pics up in the build thread though.
 
I used this thread as well to help with my trip. I was a little intimidated hitting the trails by myself so we tagged along (more like was adopted), with a couple of Fj's. Doing that helped gain the confidence I needed to tackle any obstacles. The 4 runner did outstanding! I was still learning the crawl control, but once I figured it out, easy as pie. Walked up every obstacle.
You will want to learn to handle it without crawl control, so that when you eventually hit technical trails...
 
You'll have a blast out there! I drove my 2010 TE from Florida to Ouray and spent two weeks there. The only modification was 275/70 Cooper Discover S/T tires. (Noisy!)
Recovery gear was the usual, shovel, ax, recovery straps, shackles, & hi-hlift jack (can use if you have a trailer hitch or as a hand winch) On board, I always had a couple of gallons of water, some snacks, and a couple of rolls of toilet paper:)
As others have noted, the 4Runner is quite capable and easily handled the trails.
Have fun and we look forward to the pix!!
 
now THIS is how you use a 3rd row...

one kid, chillin in the mid section, with the 40% seat down as her own tabletop

the other kid in the waaaay-back, as he calls it, with a row all to himself

with an iphone set up as a mobile hotspot...so everyone has connectivity...
i LOVE this truck

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and my daughter trying to be funny... :-P

THIS is how a road trip is done...
 

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OP sorry I missed this thread man. I am from Durango and actually my house is just up the road from where you stayed, on Old Lime Creek Road. Wish I would have seen this, as there is not a single dirt road, or offshoot in that area that I am unfamiliar with. I'll bump over to your build thread to check out your pictures.


And here is another account of what happened. https://outdoorx4.com/main/2015/08/04/rollover-on-black-bear-pass-during-100s-in-the-hills/

Sounds like the lazy sheriff of 35 years needs to be kicked out of office. Maybe he has been on the gravy train too long. Lord knows Telluride has some money flowing. At least they could be equipped for a simple rough terrain rescue... The entire story makes no sense to me. The area must have backcountry EMS type calls all the time. Something is not adding up.

Dude...Those are some harsh words, and some pretty heavy assumptions for someone that is unfamiliar with the area and the situation. "simple rough terrain rescue" Do you have any idea how sheer and Exposed the San Juans are? There is absolutely nothing simple about hauling someones rolled vehicle out of even the smallest of terrain traps up there. Telluride is extremely isolated, they don't have the personnel and equipment to mobilize a task force every time some geriatric fat ass from out of town rolls his side by side (I hate them too) off the cliff and causes a serious traffic problem in the high country.
That incident backed traffic up all the way to the summit, which is over 5 miles by the way. Think about that for a minute. 100s of cars hundreds of people more or less stuck because of one idiot. What if weather moved in? what if someone else got hurt up there? It is a tiny town, in some of the most rugged terrain in the country. Easy to arm chair quarterback that one and say the Sheriff is on some kind of vendetta against off roaders, which isn't the case, though I can't say that I would blame him if he were. Seeing the way the *******s from NM and Arizona come up and treat my state I often ashamed to be remotely associated with them. But I just bring extra trash bags on the trails and pick up what I can.

I'm not attacking you here man, Just please know that there are two sides to every coin.

I have spoken with Bill Masters. Two friends and I got lost skiing in Bear Creek on day. We slogged 1500 vert in tits deep snow back into ski area bounds aroun 930pm where ski patrol and SAR was looking for us. When we got to town Sheriff Masters had some choice words for us, as did the director of ski patrol and some others. He is a good man, and he has a lot on his plate.
Now I will be the first to agree that Telluride has more tools than Home Depot, but he isn't one of them.


Sorry for the windy bump of an old thread, this topic just kind of struck a chord.

And for the record, Black Bear Pass is extremely unlikely to be shut down anytime soon. The amount of revenue it brings to the town and the area is quite high, but anything can happen. It isn't the first time he has called for it.
The best thing to do is when you go, please clean up after yourselves, pack out more than you pack in and be respectful to the area.
 
Take a trip to the Springs. It's beautiful here. Colorado springs that is, if your not familiar with the lingo lol not Steamboat springs

I know this trip is probably long past, but for anyone contemplating a similar trip in the future, ignore the above and bypass Colorado Springs; Steamboat is a much finer choice on many levels.
 
Help Please :)

I've did some massive searching and we are doing some massive scrambling if you had a second to read my latest post under my adventure/build thread. I didn't think of it till literally today about Colorado Requiring a OHV permit. Now the following link
Colorado
OHV Requirements
talks about everything but a plated off-road aka 4Runner till you scroll down it says plated. But up further said non plated, so as someone who would rather buy one when entering versus a ticket I would appreciate some brighter minds than mine for clarification. Thank you

That's the guys who have been to Colorado and live in that glorious state :)

Thank you,
 
:whipping2
I've did some massive searching and we are doing some massive scrambling if you had a second to read my latest post under my adventure/build thread. I didn't think of it till literally today about Colorado Requiring a OHV permit. Now the following link
Colorado
OHV Requirements
talks about everything but a plated off-road aka 4Runner till you scroll down it says plated. But up further said non plated, so as someone who would rather buy one when entering versus a ticket I would appreciate some brighter minds than mine for clarification. Thank you

That's the guys who have been to Colorado and live in that glorious state :)

Thank you,

Last month, going up Engineer pass, there was a patrolman in a side by side sitting at the fork that goes up to Engineer and down to Animas. He was checking permits for everyone who was on a side by side. Us being in a vehicle (4Runner of course) he just simply waved us on by.
 
:whipping2

Last month, going up Engineer pass, there was a patrolman in a side by side sitting at the fork that goes up to Engineer and down to Animas. He was checking permits for everyone who was on a side by side. Us being in a vehicle (4Runner of course) he just simply waved us on by.

Thank you. The information I keep reading is almost hazy and I appreciate it very much. How was the trip?
 

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