Silverton Trails July 2019
BusaDave9
Always Off-Roading Jeeper
- Posts
- 8,244
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- 81
- Location
- Durango, Crawlarado
- Vehicle(s)
- 1979 Jeep CJ5 with 304 V8, T18 Transmission, Dana 20 Transfer case with TeraLow 3:1 gears, 4.88 axle gears, Detroit Locker up front and Ox Locker in back with 1 piece axle shafts, 36" SuperSwamper SX Tires, Shackle reversal, MileMarker Hydraulic winch, MSD 6A ignition.
I took my Jeep to the trails around Silverton CO. These are the same trails we'll be on in a couple of weeks for the 9th Annual Colorado Trail Ride. I didn't want to call the thread "Ouray Trails" because I didn't go to Yankee Boy Basin, Imogene Pass or the other trails that are considered Ouray Trails.
Here's a GPS map of my route:
https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1eec95d1e09016f4f0&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes
There's been a tremendous amount of snow and avalanches this year.
A lot of mature trees were taken down by avalanches.
![48319491756_3b1e965155_b.jpg 48319491756_3b1e965155_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96516-9b47def88727d121848d7922d8ab80df.jpg)
First I headed up Hurricane pass.
![48319611477_f886da3124_b.jpg 48319611477_f886da3124_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96517-0614d8cae0baef83f321bda8b2cc0a67.jpg)
![48319491206_98abd5d398_b.jpg 48319491206_98abd5d398_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96518-ce8e3a61d2a91facab1debdca482096a.jpg)
![48319490946_e859848fcf_b.jpg 48319490946_e859848fcf_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96519-836d06c6e25904a337f7b939d44fa06a.jpg)
At the top of Hurricane pass I took this next picture of Poughkeepsie Gulch. Parts are dry but many parts are blocked by snow. They don't use the bulldozers on Poughkeepsie Gulch. That is Lake Como still frozen in July.
![48319610697_ac3a23b322_b.jpg 48319610697_ac3a23b322_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96520-e67a91f43a0dcfe4b9b9340ae36f3992.jpg)
Then I headed over California Pass and down California Gulch.
![48319610447_2672515653_b.jpg 48319610447_2672515653_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96521-8c46858045b6653f8a56881c38832ba6.jpg)
Animas Forks Ghost town has very little snow.
![48319610147_56e8ac4018_b.jpg 48319610147_56e8ac4018_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96522-6aa2473eb534dd667fd1b2847f2158b5.jpg)
I had to take this indirect route to Animas Forks ghost town. This next picture is the road that goes directly back to Silverton. As you can see their is a large avalanche that is still blocking the road. Our Jeep-CJ trail ride will be in 2 weeks. I hope they have this road open by then.
![48319489841_d7c96c91b4_b.jpg 48319489841_d7c96c91b4_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96523-d84ce40aba9196c6b94952f085c0b4eb.jpg)
I went as far as I could and parked my Jeep. The avalanche came from behind me. It continued in front of where I now have my jeep. YOu can see a lot of trees that the avalanche knocked down.
![48319489606_662165ef39_b.jpg 48319489606_662165ef39_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96524-c4cbd639ca968ce9db01efbd5eebf7fa.jpg)
This next picture is looking to where the avalanche came from.
![48319609182_c1f91f336b_b.jpg 48319609182_c1f91f336b_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96525-dc593cbd699a788dc8bf0a0ba29b870c.jpg)
I turned around and headed past Animas Forks Ghost Town again.
![48319488836_09da5c733c_b.jpg 48319488836_09da5c733c_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96526-f33855ed63884c58832104ad3d08221c.jpg)
Next I headed for Engineer Pass. I heard it was still closed due to an avalanche but that turned out to be wrong. It was open and I took it all the way down to highway 550.
This next picture is of Poughkeepsie Gulch.
![48319488571_7a57527d75_b.jpg 48319488571_7a57527d75_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96527-4e6760e32ef33f2435178e84b3f6decd.jpg)
![48319622857_b39f98bdd6_b.jpg 48319622857_b39f98bdd6_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96528-ca5f2f73c7fa387c804310cd9d81dae5.jpg)
![48319502611_0d62ebe61c_b.jpg 48319502611_0d62ebe61c_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96529-a67796246c9498c0de9d619922dc782d.jpg)
There was a Toyota Convention going on. I often had to wait till the trail was clear so I could continue.
![48319502271_dc1563e8fd_b.jpg 48319502271_dc1563e8fd_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96530-8bd7c68b9403a3d387b1f515f688a2eb.jpg)
![48319621707_934a89a897_b.jpg 48319621707_934a89a897_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96531-c5bd08bd38afa4e62469bd0b188c5e59.jpg)
Next I wanted to head to Black Bear Pass. I knew it was still closed but I wanted to see what kind of shape it was in.
To be continued ...
Here's a GPS map of my route:
https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1eec95d1e09016f4f0&hoursPast=0&showAll=yes
There's been a tremendous amount of snow and avalanches this year.
A lot of mature trees were taken down by avalanches.
![48319491756_3b1e965155_b.jpg 48319491756_3b1e965155_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96516-9b47def88727d121848d7922d8ab80df.jpg)
First I headed up Hurricane pass.
![48319611477_f886da3124_b.jpg 48319611477_f886da3124_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96517-0614d8cae0baef83f321bda8b2cc0a67.jpg)
![48319491206_98abd5d398_b.jpg 48319491206_98abd5d398_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96518-ce8e3a61d2a91facab1debdca482096a.jpg)
![48319490946_e859848fcf_b.jpg 48319490946_e859848fcf_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96519-836d06c6e25904a337f7b939d44fa06a.jpg)
At the top of Hurricane pass I took this next picture of Poughkeepsie Gulch. Parts are dry but many parts are blocked by snow. They don't use the bulldozers on Poughkeepsie Gulch. That is Lake Como still frozen in July.
![48319610697_ac3a23b322_b.jpg 48319610697_ac3a23b322_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96520-e67a91f43a0dcfe4b9b9340ae36f3992.jpg)
Then I headed over California Pass and down California Gulch.
![48319610447_2672515653_b.jpg 48319610447_2672515653_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96521-8c46858045b6653f8a56881c38832ba6.jpg)
Animas Forks Ghost town has very little snow.
![48319610147_56e8ac4018_b.jpg 48319610147_56e8ac4018_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96522-6aa2473eb534dd667fd1b2847f2158b5.jpg)
I had to take this indirect route to Animas Forks ghost town. This next picture is the road that goes directly back to Silverton. As you can see their is a large avalanche that is still blocking the road. Our Jeep-CJ trail ride will be in 2 weeks. I hope they have this road open by then.
![48319489841_d7c96c91b4_b.jpg 48319489841_d7c96c91b4_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96523-d84ce40aba9196c6b94952f085c0b4eb.jpg)
I went as far as I could and parked my Jeep. The avalanche came from behind me. It continued in front of where I now have my jeep. YOu can see a lot of trees that the avalanche knocked down.
![48319489606_662165ef39_b.jpg 48319489606_662165ef39_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96524-c4cbd639ca968ce9db01efbd5eebf7fa.jpg)
This next picture is looking to where the avalanche came from.
![48319609182_c1f91f336b_b.jpg 48319609182_c1f91f336b_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96525-dc593cbd699a788dc8bf0a0ba29b870c.jpg)
I turned around and headed past Animas Forks Ghost Town again.
![48319488836_09da5c733c_b.jpg 48319488836_09da5c733c_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96526-f33855ed63884c58832104ad3d08221c.jpg)
Next I headed for Engineer Pass. I heard it was still closed due to an avalanche but that turned out to be wrong. It was open and I took it all the way down to highway 550.
This next picture is of Poughkeepsie Gulch.
![48319488571_7a57527d75_b.jpg 48319488571_7a57527d75_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96527-4e6760e32ef33f2435178e84b3f6decd.jpg)
![48319622857_b39f98bdd6_b.jpg 48319622857_b39f98bdd6_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96528-ca5f2f73c7fa387c804310cd9d81dae5.jpg)
![48319502611_0d62ebe61c_b.jpg 48319502611_0d62ebe61c_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96529-a67796246c9498c0de9d619922dc782d.jpg)
There was a Toyota Convention going on. I often had to wait till the trail was clear so I could continue.
![48319502271_dc1563e8fd_b.jpg 48319502271_dc1563e8fd_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96530-8bd7c68b9403a3d387b1f515f688a2eb.jpg)
![48319621707_934a89a897_b.jpg 48319621707_934a89a897_b.jpg](https://jeep-cj.com/community/data/attachments/96/96531-c5bd08bd38afa4e62469bd0b188c5e59.jpg)
Next I wanted to head to Black Bear Pass. I knew it was still closed but I wanted to see what kind of shape it was in.
To be continued ...