Jeep-CJ.com Colorado Trail Ride

[BusaDave9]

We are in the early stages of planning a Jeep-CJ.com trail ride. It will be in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado and let me tell you: this is Jeep Heaven.
The purpose of this thread is to get feedback and opinions that will help us plan the event.
Here are my tentative plans:
We will take our Jeeps into the San Juan mountains of SW Colorado. It will take place about the week of July 22, 2011. We will visit the towns of Telluride, Ouray, Silverton and Lake City. Our starting point will be either Ouray or Silverton. The trail rides will be on weekdays to avoid the crowds. Breakfast and dinner will take place in one of the above towns. Maybe restaurants or you can bring a grill. Jeepers will bring sandwiches with them on the trail as a lunch.
All trails will be passable in a stock or slightly modified Jeep CJ. There has been a lot of interest in Black Bear Pass. If you have read my thread "Black Bear & Imogene Passes" you might be hesitant to try this trail. Let me reassure you this trail is not as bad as it sounds. If people really don't want to do this trail Ophir Pass can be an alternate.
I am also thinking of taking the Alpine Loop. To do this right without rushing it should be a 2 day trip. What that means is we would leave Ouray mid mourning and take our jeeps over Engineer pass or Cinnamon pass. Both of these are long four-wheel drive trails. In the afternoon we will arrive in Lake City. This will be too late to head back to Ouray or Silverton so we would have to stay at cabins in Lake City. Would this be acceptable or would people have a camper or motor-home back at Ouray they would want to spend each night at? These are the issues I want to go over.
I need feedback on how you plan on spending the nights:
1. In a motel or cabin in town.
2. Camping in a tent.
3. In a camper or motor home left at one location

If you want more information on these trails check out some of my posts:
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f63/black-bear-imogene-passes-6540/

http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f49/what-did-you-do-your-cj-today-753/index76.html#post57601

all of my photos were taken in the San Juan Mountains.
http://www.jeep-cj.com/gallery/browseimages.php?do=member&catid=&imageuser=1671&searchid=&orderby=title&direction=ASC&cutoffdate=-1


Edited date for Busa - CJ

 

[Sasquach]

Dave, I can not commit at this point but if things fall into place I can make it. The first strike against me is my wifes vacation time for next year is already set and does not fall into this time frame, not the end of the world as I'm allowed to go out on my own but can I get away for 3 vacations next sumer? have to wait and see.
I would probably be in a camper but would go with the flow so no worries there.
If I drive to colorado to do this I would not want to do a tour that could be done in a station wagon and would think getting into tight spots and getting some help out would be what it's about.
I know it's still a ways off but that's the were I'm at for now.
Thanks for taking this on!

 

[IOPort51]

I am working toward this, there are two things that I would like to do, just for the sake of conversation, Black Bear, and spend the night in "bear town" on the alpine loop. I have been told this is a challenging trail as well.
8 months seems like a long time now but but July will be here before you know it. I am like everybody else, I know better than to swear a blood oath that I will be in Silverton on the 11th but I AM going to give it a DAMNED good try. The alpine trail was' very possibly, the most fun I ever had, with my cloths on.
Looking at my GPS the stony pass way point is about 700 miles as the crow flies. unfortunately I have never seen a crow carry a CJ 5.

 

[Jet]

I may have a tough time getting time off in the middle of the summer, mid to late September would fit better, but i'll give it my best. I'd be packed to camp.
I've had my Cj for just less than a year, put a lot into her, & have blown off other things that maybe i should'nt have. She's in good shape for a trip like that now, but who knows.
I'd sure like to meet you who've taken me in on this site.
There's always new friends to be made, & boy the stories we would create together would last a lifetime.

 

[BrockGrimes]

I and the family could prob make it, if not maybe me and the boy.
Those trails family friendly? Would be a first for the family.
Hey maybe I could bring both jeeps, wifes and mine.
Hopefully I can get my re-gear done before then, lol.

 

[BusaDave9]

Those trails family friendly?

for the most part, yes.
Bring your kids, Brock. Although I said these trails are passable in a stock or slightly modified CJ they still require careful driving. We will be going over Lower Engineer Pass trail. It is very rough and rocky. At times it is off camber, tilting your jeep to the downhill side. Not overly difficult, just use 4 wheel low, take it slow and you'll be fine.
There are also cliffs and high drop-offs. If we go over Black Bear Pass that will be the worst. I find young kids take that stuff better than wifes. Just tell your passengers "I always sweat like this when it's almost 70 degrees". Seriously, it's not that bad.
The majority rules when it comes to deciding what trails we will go on.

 

[Old Dog]

The wife just woke me up from my dream world by reminding me that our daughter is getting married next sept. So that means, no money for a jeep trip next year.
I would really like to do this, but next year won't be the time for me.

 

[CJKrawler]

I am still tryin to convince my wife to either go, or let me go. I won't be in a CJ, though, I would have to take her Liberty, which I would have no problem doing so. If you guys won't shame me too bad, that is. As far as where to stay, I would be in for tent camping. This is definitely something I want o do, but like Old Dog, I may have to put it off for 1 more year

 

[BusaDave9]

If you're going to bring the family there are lots of other things to do in SW Colorado. After the Trail Ride is over you can take a step back in time and ride an old steam locomotive from Silverton to Durango. It goes through rugged mountains and once you are in Durango you can stay in the Stater Hotel. This is a cool hotel built over a hundred years ago and they still have it filled with antique furniture. Even the bar, restaurant and lobby downstairs all look like they are from the early 1900's.
Check out these links:
Home | Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train
Durango Colorado - The Historic Strater Hotel

 

[CJ]

I'll send anyone going a JEEEP-CJ.com windshield banner like this one -->>

 

[derf]

The annual FSJ invasion in Ouray is a couple of weeks after this. I was already planning on taking my J10 to that event so 2 Colorado trips 2 or 3 weeks apart is probably not going to happen for me.

 

[IOPort51]

that would be fun, tow my CJ behind the J-10.

The annual FSJ invasion in Ouray is a couple of weeks after this. I was already planning on taking my J10 to that event so 2 Colorado trips 2 or 3 weeks apart is probably not going to happen for me.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

I'll send anyone going a JEEEP-CJ.com windshield banner like this one -->>

how would i get my hands on one of them even if i don't get to go? are you selling them cj?

 

[derf]

that would be fun, tow my CJ behind the J-10.

Once I get the CJ done, I'm going to put some work into the J10 so I can do just that. It'll be fine for getting around here since there's no real mountains. I'm not sure it would work so well going out to Colorado though.

 

[BusaDave9]

I'll send anyone going a JEEEP-CJ.com windshield banner like this one -->>

Thanks CJ!

 

[Mr Twisty]

I usually make it down there twice per summer, once on my Ducati and once in the CJ; best of both worlds, sweet trails mild to wild for the jeep and the million dollar highway for the bike. I'm pretty sure the family and I can make it; the wife will mandate that she sleep in a motel I'm sure. If all goes well with putting in a T-18 over the winter I will be there itching to try out the granny gear.

 

[rotordoc11]

I would love to be a part of this. I am in Durango, CO and just getting the CJ bug really bad. My 84 is not a modified rock crawler as I have to drive it back and forth to work. I will do some of the moderate trails.
I would most likely do the motorhome/ camping thing. Let me know if you need some help as it looks like you are in Durango also.

 

[BusaDave9]

Hey, someone else on this site from Durango!
Hi Rotordoc11, no modified rock crawler needed for this trip. I think most of the attendees will want to take moderate trails. Not too hard but not too easy either. I'm thinking of trails like Hurricane Pass, Corkscrew, Cinnamon Pass and maybe Black Bear.

 

[54cj3b]

So when exactly is this run The 3b may not Be ready but Probably get one of the other rigs up an running
I'll just tape oversized cj posters on sides

 

[BusaDave9]

This will take place next summer. We have several people interested so it may be hard to change the date now. It looks like the trail rides will take place July 11th to 15th 2011. I'd love to see your CJ 3B but if not you can bring what ever you want.