Jeep Trails over Silverton CO

[BusaDave9]

Yesterday I took my CJ5 to the trails near Silverton. I haven't been up Burns Gulch in a while so I decided to head that way. To get there I needed to cross the Animas River.

I asked my spotter to get out and inspect the crossing.


This trail is not used very much.



At the higher elevations snow covered part of the trail.

Niagara Peak

Here's a view back down Burns Gulch.
​

Next I headed up Picayne Gulch. As I climbed higher I took this next picture of Burns Gulch and Niagara Peak. I was just up that valley an hour ago.


In Picayne Gulch I came across Treasure Mountain Mine. It's been abandoned for years.

I continued on. Here's the view from the top.

From here Picayune Gulch leads into Placer gulch. Placer Gulch then dumps into California Gulch. There was a lot of snow in California Gulch but a bulldozer cleared the trail.

Here's Koda at the top of California Pass



From California Pass it wasn't far to Hurricane pass. Then I started to descend into this valley. Storm Peak is in the background.

There was still time before the sun would go down so I headed up Prospect Gulch. Here's another view of Storm Peak from the top of Prospect Gulch.

It's been a long day but I covered a lot of trails.

If you would like to come to Silverton join us for the 3rd Annual Jeep-CJ Trail ride. Click here for details: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f100/announcing-3rd-annual-colorado-jeep-cj-trail-ride-17972/
Actually none of the trails I rode on are going to be on the Trail Ride. There are countless trails in these mountains.

 

[BusaDave9]

Oh, and one more pic of my '79 CJ5 at the top of Prospect Gulch.

 

[Torxhead]

Love your pics Dave, that is great Jeep country! Who does the road repair? like on the side hills, since they were not designed to be permanent.

 

[BusaDave9]

Who does the road repair? like on the side hills, since they were not designed to be permanent.

The county maintains these trails.

 

[BusaDave9]

These trails are the main tourist attraction to this county. This is a small county. The entire county has a population of 688 and all most all of them live in the small town of Silverton.

People come to ride these trails with their jeeps and/or ATVs.

 

[BusaDave9]

There's less snow that previous years.
Here's yesterday:

and here is June 11th 2011

 

[BusaDave9]

The above pictures also illustrate another thing I love about Durango.
If you like winter, just go higher in the mountains.
If you like summer stay in the lower elevations.
In Durango it's been 80°. When I was up in California Pass I ran accross some back county skiers. That were skiing down the mountain side. Dont ask me how they got to the top. Some back country skiers drop each other off with snow mobiles but I didn't see any. Some get dropped off by a helicopter but I don't think that was the case since they had a suburban truck. Some just walk but in this case that was a long way up the snowy mountain side.

It was cool in the higher elevations but no where was it close to freezing. Snow was melting everywhere.

 

[CJ]

Damn! Nof said!

 

[Bowbender]

Very scenic country! Thanks for giving us a peek.

 

[TroyaCantrell]

Very nice, glad your spotter knows his stuff.


Troy Cantrell
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Build thread - '66 CJ6 :
http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15075

 

[Old Dog]

Great pic's Dave.
I never get tired of them.

 

[CJ]

Very nice, glad your spotter knows his stuff.


Troy Cantrell
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Build thread - '66 CJ6 :
1966 CJ 6 build - Jeep-CJ Forums

Spotter??

 

[BusaDave9]

spotter??

...

i asked my spotter to get out and inspect the crossing.

:d

 

[CJ]

Koda!!

 

[WSS]

Absolutely Beautiful! Thanks for posting the photos.

Solo trips have a sense of freedom that you captured brilliantly.

 

[Niedhogg]

I swear, this is all I would do if I lived out your way!