9th Annual Jeep-CJ Trail REPORT

[Posi]

Wednesday we ran Silver Mt trail and stopped at the Silver Mt Mine and Lost Day Mine.
We continued on Corkscrew, Hurricane, Pass, Placer Gulch, Picayune Gulch, and Gladstone area. We stopped at Midnight Mine, Carbonate King Mine, Mogul Mine, Bride of Bonita Mine, Adams Mine, Gold King Mine, Silver Ledge Mine, and Lead Carbonate Mill. Its possible we visited a couple of these Mines on Thursday not Wednesday.

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[Posi]

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[JR74CJ5]

That was a cool mine camp to explore. Sent my little cousin inside for some photos too.

 

[JR74CJ5]

This was when there was a thought to be all wheel but really only 2 wheel drive van blocking the trail, Posi went to assist, and the guy that was riding my bumper down the trail (not in our group) and I exchanged a few words about older vehicle brakes, and low gearing...

Ended up the poor guy was a local just trying to make it to Silverton in time to get his lady a funnel cake before they closed. I told them I'd rush them through ASAP to get that cake! We let them pass as soon as we were clear of the avalanche area and the trail widened back up.

We got to the end of the trail and seen the van all beat up parked there, and another group showed us a video of part of the avalanche wall starting to slide down on him, wasn't serious but from the video perspective it could have been and he was prepared to push his partner through the trail to get out of the path. Was funny at that point, but could tell he was amped up from the situation earlier still. A large piece of "ice-snow" had fallen on the hard top right over his wife I believe. Not terrible damage, but was thankful he was not in a soft top.

- photos to come still...

 

[Posi]

^^^^




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[BusaDave9]

Thursday August 8th

We split up into two groups. I led one group and Posi led the other.
I led my group up Kendall Mountain. This trail goes up the mountain overlooking Silverton. Along the side of the trail is this old rail car.



on the way up the mountain Loyd broke a rear axle shaft.



JR and others from California helped Lloyd as he limped back to town.
Before reaching the top we encountered this snow field preventing us from going the last little bit to the end of the trail.



With a smaller group we decided to meet up with Posi's group.
I was not able to contact Posi until we drove up high over the Gladstone mining complex.



After reaching Posi via radio we joined his group.
Posi led us up Prospect Gulch to the Lark Mine.







As we were leaving Lark Mine Posi got a flat and had to change out his tire.





My jeep was making a bad noise only when I would activate the front axle. The rest of the group continued to the top.



I broke a couple of teeth off the ring gear in my front axle but I was able to drive in two wheel drive.
Despite our problems we were all able to come back to Ouray.

To be continued ...

 

[Posi]

The below pic was taken from AMC 150 -200 yrds from the peak of Red Mt 3.






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[BusaDave9]

Friday August 9th

With a broken ring gear I decided not to take my jeep in two wheel drive.

Instead I hopped in PistolDave's CJ7 . Posi lead us on a trail that went into the Ouray amphitheatre . Most amphitheatres are places for open air entertainment such as music festivals but the amphitheatre near Ouray is call an amphitheatre only because the mountains curve around like an ancient Greek amphitheatre. There is a campground in the amphitheatre but we went on a trail that did not go through the campground.

We went up to the Portland Mine. I haven't been there in years.



There was still a lot of snow that was covered in avalanche debris.



Here's a closeup



Next Posi led us back onto highway 550 south to the Red Mountain Mining district.











This is the Yankee Girl Mine, a deep vertical mine.







Next we went to Black Bear Pass. We knew this was closed but we were curious how far we could get.

We encountered some sheep on the trail.

We got past the spot that snow blocked me 10 days ago. I saw a few places that people when off the trail onto the delicate tundra grass.
Then we got to a fork. The easy way is to the left and the hard way is to the right. This year the hard way looked impossible but Bobbie and Posi wanted to give it a try.



The rest of us took the easy way. Here's the same view but from the top of the hard section.





At the summit we found another snow field.





There is a legal fork that bypassed the snowfield. It was easy to come down the snowfield but no one was able to go up it.



We headed back to Ouray. This ended the 9th Annual Jeep-CJ Colorado Trail ride.

 

[Posi]

Looking down mine shaft

https://youtu.be/XUtIO0J8TUY


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[BusaDave9]

There's been a lot of accidents in the mountains this year. A woman was swept away when her jeep failed to cross Pole Creek. A jeep rolled over it's driver on the Kendall Mountain trail and just yesterday a jeep rolled down an embankment on Imogene pass.

The two occupants are hospitalized.

 

[coldair]

There's been a lot of accidents in the mountains this year. A woman was swept away when her jeep failed to cross Pole Creek. A jeep rolled over it's driver on the Kendall Mountain trail and just yesterday a jeep rolled down an embankment on Imogene pass.

The two occupants are hospitalized.

Dang so glad we didnt have problems like that.

 

[Belizean]

Thats a steep embankment. If you hear more about this and what went wrong, I would be interested. Always good to learn from others miss steps and mistakes and what not to do. Thanks

 

[BusaDave9]

Thats a steep embankment. If you hear more about this and what went wrong, I would be interested. Always good to learn from others miss steps and mistakes and what not to do. Thanks

The photos and this quote are from the San Miguel Sheriff's Office.

A multi-agency technical rope rescue with threats of rockfall was required to rescue a couple who rolled their Jeep approximately 450 feet down steep terrain off Tomboy Road near Royer Gulch on their way to Telluride. It’s believed the incident occurred some time before the wife was able to place a call to 911. More than 35 people including Telluride Fire Protection District EMS and Fire personnel, San Miguel Sheriff’s Deputies, San Miguel County Search and Rescue and willing bystanders participated in the nearly five hour mission. The Montrose couple, both 72yrs-old, sustained multiple, critical injuries, and were transported by Telluride EMS to the Telluride Medical Center and then flown by medical helicopters to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction

This road is between Telluride and Tom Boy townsite.

 

[Belizean]

450 feet ! Amazing they survived and the jeep looks that good.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Thats a steep embankment. If you hear more about this and what went wrong, I would be interested. Always good to learn from others miss steps and mistakes and what not to do. Thanks

Pure speculation, but there are so many areas there that are too small for 2 way traffic, and depending on the size of oncoming rigs etc, sometimes people still do pull to the side to allow another to pass vs the dangerous potentially backing up.

I could easily imagine pulling too far to the edge and either soft ground gives way to slide the jeep, a tire blows initiating inertia over the edge, or a bump from passing rig unexpectedly nudged them over.

I expect the full story would be something along one of those lines, if not just pure driver error...

Hope they make a full recovery!

 

[BusaDave9]

Black Bear pass is now open although it's too late for us.

 

[coldair]

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[TnCJ]

Thanks again all for the pics they were great.
One question...........did you see any "critters" Deer, Elk, Pronghorn, bears? Looks to be some great wildlife habitat.

 

[Posi]

Thanks again all for the pics they were great.
One question...........did you see any "critters" Deer, Elk, Pronghorn, bears? Looks to be some great wildlife habitat.

Plenty of Mule Deer, one year I counted over 15 heading back on 550 to Ouray from Silverton. Their smart, they look both ways before crossing and wait for you to pass.
Plenty of black bears, but I've only heard them at night in the dumpster and garbage cans looking for food. Moose, hawks, eagles, marmots, squirrels, and elk.
I know there is mt goats, big horn sheep, and cougars, but I haven't been lucky enough to spot one.

 

[JR74CJ5]

I have a couple blurry photos of a deer we snuck up on (with fender well headers and a V8... lol).

More than likely she was just waiting for me to pass too. Was just on the side of the trail a jeep width away from me then when I stopped to grab the phone for photo, she took off into the trees a bit.

I took a few photos of her, then started to move again and she dissapeared. Next thing you know she (assume same one) jumped across the trail to the other side about 20 yards ahead of me.

probably thinking "I was going to let you pass but you're on your phone dumb CA driver..." or something to that effect... lol