Ouray, CO in late June 2014

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

We were in Ouray, CO the last week of June. It was an early season trip which is always a calculated risk on snow and open passes but hey, it’s hard to get in 2-3 trips a year if you don’t start early. :nod:

We’ve been running these trails for over 20 years and every trip is a little different. Even though some areas had deep snow, the trails were the driest and dustiest I’ve ever seen. It was like talcum powder in places.

I was very excited to see how my new (under 5,000 miles) 2014 Trail Premium with BFG AT T/A KO's 265/70-17 and zero lift would do. My previous ride was a 2003.5 V8 Sport. In stock mode the ‘03 was too low and I had to add a 3” lift just to get by. It also had the same BFG tires and I’d wheeled it over 20 times on these same trails so I had a great basis for comparison.

With the same tires and everything else stock, the 2014 TEP out performs the 2003 Sport out of the box. The TEP has better stock clearance and a great locker. Also I loved the variable speed downhill assist in the TEP. With the ‘03 it was either on or off which was nice but overkill at times. I loved being able to speed it up or down on the fly. When you’re in REAL steep and rough places that vary along the way, the variable DAC is a great feature.

We typically start out with a few moderate trails the first day to get warmed up. Basing out of Ouray, we started with Yankee Boy, Governor Basin, Imogene, and then a run to Kendall Mountain above Silverton. Day two was a run up to Crested Butte and Ohio pass, Kebler Pass, Gothic and Slate road and paradise Basin area. Day three we ramped it up with an early start on Mineral Creek up to Engineer pass over to Lake City then Wagner Gulch, American Basin, and Cinnamon Pass. Day four was much tougher with Maggie Gulch, Minnie Gulch, Eureka Gulch, Picayne Gulch up to Hanson Peak to California Gulch and California Pass, over the saddle above Lake Como to Hurricane Pass. Day 5 was spent running trails around Engineer and Cinnamon passes.

Pics are not great but here goes with a few Yankee Boy posers.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

Imogene was not open but you could get to 12,800 feet just below the pass on the Ouray side.

The last pic is from Kendall Mountain at 12,880 feet looking down at Highway 550 above Silverton.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

This is the difficult Mineral Creek trail near the top at the shelf road. The rest of the pics are at a very hard spot on Mineral Creek that the pics do no justice to whatsoever. Tire placement and line selection was crucial (as it usually is) because there was a series of closely spaced problem spots for each tire as you inched along. Miss one tire position and the other three were toast. The pics just don't give this spot any respect at all. I almost didn't post them. It was a spot that if done wrong, you were going to stay hung up for a while.

This is on the way to Engineer Pass from highway 550 towards the upper part.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

Engineer Pass 12,800 ft

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

This is a group of "civilians" that got hung up coming down from Cinnamon pass. The guy in the while mall runner Jeep led them over the pass from Animas Forks. At the top of this switch back is a 5 foot tall vertical ledge (next to the canvas back Jeep coming up) that they could not get back over. It was apparently too difficult for them to go down towards American Basin so they were just sitting there and would not accept any help from anyone. There were not there two days later. The dark vehicle is a Ford Explorer 4x2, both with Colorado plates.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

Minor avalanche we saw below Cinnamon Pass. That chunk of snow at the bottom left is the size of a 2 story house.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

Maggie Gulch and 4 shots of Picayne Gulch. Yeah, the snow was THAT deep. The snow shot with no vehicle was taken with the camera sticking out the top of the sun roof.

The lower 1/2 of Picayne Gulch has gotten a bit harder than it used to be. The rocks are fist size, and have gotten deeper and are all loose making for an interesting 1 mile long steep, loose climb. Fun and sphincter tightening all at the same time.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

1. California Gulch headed up to the pass (the 1/4 mile below the pass in this pic was blind. It was just opened the day before and the snow on EACH side of the single track was 15-25 foot tall. You could not see or hear anyone coming) I don't have pics while driving this section because it was too dangerous to stop or slow down. The saddle above Lake Como between California Pass and Hurricane Pass was even worse from the no visibility point of view.

2. California Pass
3. Hurricane Pass
4. Hurricane Pass looking towards Silverton

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

Airing back up heading home.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

Can't leave this guy out . . . you should see him in high resolution. He was 5 feet from my door and didn't budge.

There were lots of deer with new fawns, elk, red fox, chipmunks, and squirrels. Always a good trip.

DesertDog · Jun 30, 2014

Awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing!

Did you make it up to Paradise Divide/Lake near Crested Butte? Also, were you able to get all the way to the top of American Basin (the trailhead)? I'm debating between those two areas for camping over the 4th and have heard mixed info about snow blockages...

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

DesertDog said:
Awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing!

Did you make it up to Paradise Divide/Lake near Crested Butte? Also, were you able to get all the way to the top of American Basin (the trailhead)? I'm debating between those two areas for camping over the 4th and have heard mixed info about snow blockages...

No. Paradise was still snowed in and the slate river road leading to it had an avalanche flow across it right below Paradise basin where you are next to the river headed north and you make the very first switchback South to go up the hill. You also can't get there via Gothic route because of the pic below.

Paradise Basin is one of our favorite lunch spots. I don't know what the road was like above this very low altitude area blockage. There was lots of snow this year and I saw no evidence of the county clearing that area. This spot might be OK by the 4th but I don't know how far up you can get.

American Basin was good only just a little ways past the stream crossing. The American basin camp areas just before the stream crossing were blocked by deep water and mud in that very rutted low area. The camp area was dry but good luck mudding and getting over to it.

PS, I posted all of this info on Bushducks.com each day there and they never posted any of my updates. Screw that, I'll just create a trail condition thread here next time.

Also, see this thread http://www.toyota-4runner.org/off-roading/172378-october-crested-butte.html

JB. · Jun 30, 2014

Good stuff! Thanks for the pics.

It feels like history could be repeating itself one decade later. Your pics may the tipping point for another trip out there.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

JB. said:
Good stuff! Thanks for the pics.

It feels like history could be repeating itself one decade later. Your pics may the tipping point for another trip out there.

Thanks JB.

LOL, I certainly hope so.

leftyguns21 · Jun 30, 2014

looks like a great trip/pics thanks for sharing.

not sure I would challenge myself to drive that terrain

02SE · Jun 30, 2014

Great pics.

I need to make another trip to the San Juan's.

ToyotaDoodz · Jun 30, 2014

leftyguns21 said:
looks like a great trip/pics thanks for sharing.

not sure I would challenge myself to drive that terrain

Thanks. It's a different animal in July and later. There are a LOT of trails suited to all levels of experience and difficulty. We always start easy and work up on every trip.

The Charles Well's book(s) go with us on every trip and have for years. They have the trail difficulty ratings. Check them out.
Home - FunTreks Guidebooks for Jeep Trails, 4 Wheel Drive Trails, and back country roads

02SE said:
Great pics.

I need to make another trip to the San Juan's.

Thank you. We love it.

Desert Dawg · Jul 1, 2014

Awesome pictures!

I used to live in Ouray and have been to most of the places you show! I worked at the Revenue Virginius Silver Mine back in the early 80s. Had lots of "fun" driving experiences driving the old full-sized Broncos and Jeep CJ-7s there especially during the winter months...lol.

HOJeepster · Jul 1, 2014

Very Nice. I plan on doing a similiar trip in July.

ToyotaDoodz · Jul 1, 2014

Desert Dawg said:
Awesome pictures!

I used to live in Ouray and have been to most of the places you show! I worked at the Revenue Virginius Silver Mine back in the early 80s. Had lots of "fun" driving experiences driving the old full-sized Broncos and Jeep CJ-7s there especially during the winter months...lol.

Thank you! I'm sure you have been to them, many times. Winter in Ouray is something I have not experienced, being that I don't ice climb.:bounce:It's always interesting to see what shops and restaurants are "still" there the next year and haven't closed. No more Beer Garten. Great outdoor seating, large dark beers, high altitude . . . It's closed and for sale.

It used to be, only one place opened at 7am for breakfast for years. Now there are three! Daylight's burning, got to hit those trails early to beat the rentals and ATV's. We still like Cimarron Cafe in Ridgeway for breakfast the best. It's gone by many names over the years. Right at the NW corner next to the gas station and not to mention the Ridgeway gas is about $0.50 - $0.75 cheaper per gallon than Ouray with multiple pumps and no rental Jeeps in line. They also have a "cheap" car wash rather than the one in Ouray that's a minimum of $3.25 for the first 5 minutes. Yepperrrr! Nothing here you didn't already know . . .

I know where the Revenue Virginius Silver mine is and am sure you're glad you were not still there in Nov 2013.

HOJeepster said:
Very Nice. I plan on doing a similar trip in July.

Thanks. I hope you already have reservations.

Our second day, we drove to Crested Butte from Ouray. All along the way to Montrose, we kept passing bicycles headed South. LOTS and LOTS of bikes. When we returned to Ouray around 5pm, they were ALL camped in the park near the hot springs pool. 800 of them. There was a 5 day ride going on. They headed to Durango the next morning. We passed a ton of them the next morning when we headed South to Mineral Creek.

This week, it was going to be some kind of large motorcycle rally there.

Ouray, CO in late June 2014

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