Planning the 7th Annual Jeep-CJ Trail Ride

[mriplaybass]

We are happy to announce that we are adding another person to the list of trail riders! Our youngest son is going to fly into Montrose Wednesday night and join us for the Thursday and Friday rides.

 

[powdertwoplanker]

Good morning all, I have a little bit of bad news. I am going to have to drop out of the tail ride. It seems life always has plans for you. Nothing to terrible, but I won't be able to get my new radiator in and tested before the ride. This is because of all the other things going on. It's a little disappointing cause I was looking forward to meeting you all. Hope you, well I know you all will have a great time and I plan on coming again next year if it happens.

On another note, I have a tent only reservation at the Amphitheater campground in Ouray. Its Monday the 14th to Sunday the 20th and is site 14. Thought I would see if anyone would like the site before I request a refund. I'm sure we could figure a way to change the name on the reservation.

Scott

 

[BusaDave9]

We are happy to announce that we are adding another person to the list of trail riders! Our youngest son is going to fly into Montrose Wednesday night and join us for the Thursday and Friday rides.

I'm looking forward to meeting him

I have a little bit of bad news. I am going to have to drop out of the tail ride.
Scott

Sorry you can't make it. Maybe next year.


So now it looks like we have 16 Jeeps and 30 people:
007 (2 people)
MrIPlayBass & OldJeepLady (1 jeep /3 people)
BillD (2 people)
BusaDave9
Posi (2 people)
Shooby
JR74CJ5 (Two jeeps, 4 people)
Bobby and Blacky (2 people)
WhatRoad (2 people) (Just trail riding Tuesday and Wednesday right?)
Hagar (2 people)
DJohnbb62 (2 people)
Benjammin713
PistolDave
Joe (2 people)
Todd (2 people)

Joe and Todd are coming to help lead the trail rides. We will have 2 trail rides each day (not 3 as previously planned) Joe may attend each day. Todd will show up for the Poughkeepsie Gulch ride Wednesday and also Friday.

 

[BusaDave9]

Since we're down to 16 Jeeps and 30 people we no longer need 3 trail rides per day. Two will suffice. That will average 8 jeeps per trail ride. (actually I think we'll have 17 jeeps and 34 people if Kathryn and her family attends. I'll get confirmation in a day or 2)
It is still not possible for us to all go on the same trail ride each day. Ten vehicles on any one trail ride is still the limit.

I have been going over the 9 trail rides I have listed. Below is the new schedule for each day of the week.

Thursday still has a choice of 3 trail rides. One of these will most likely be cancelled unless someone else wants to lead a trail ride. Either trip 2 or 8 will be cancelled for Thursday. This was the only day either of these trail rides would have run. If it were up to me I think we can do with out trip 8. Trip 2 is over Corkscrew Pass and I always get participants saying how cool that trail ride is.

Here's the trail rides:
Trip 1: Engineer Pass trail starting from highway 550 all the way to the top of Engineer Pass. We've never gone any further than the lookout (also known as OH Point!). We might continue on. Next we will head back to Animas Forks Ghost Town and on to Silverton.
Warning: Lower Engineer Pass Trail (also known as Mineral Creek trail) has some rock crawling.

Trip 2: Corkscrew Pass. Then we will go over Hurricane pass and California Pass then down to Animas Forks Ghost town. From there we'll go up over Cinnamon Pass to American Basin. The group will then head to Silverton and take the highway back to Ouray.

Trip 3: Minnie Gulch and Maggie Gulch. We'll drive to Silverton and head north to Minnie and later to Maggie Gulch.

Trip 4: We'll take the infamous Black Bear Pass (trust me, it's not as bad as its reputation). We'll head into Telluride and come back over Imogene Pass.
Warning: Black Bear pass may be intimidating for those with a fear of heights.

Trip 5: Beartown site. We'll take the highway to Silverton and then go over Stony Pass, cross the Rio Grande River. We will pass by Beartown site and continue to Kite Lake. Then back the way we came.

Trip 6: Poughkeepsie Gulch.
Warning: This is a more difficult trail. You need lockers to take your jeep up "The Wall". If you don't feel you are up to it you can watch the others and then take the bypass.

Trip 7: Brooklyn Trail and Clear Lake. From Red Mountain Pass we'll turn off highway 55 and climb US Basin 4x4 Road. If you thought highway 550 was high we'll be far above 550 looking down at cars that look tiny. US Basin road turns into Brooklyn trail as it descends. We'll get back on 550 for a few miles before we get on gravel and then onto Mineral road and then up the 4x4 trail to Clear Lake.

Trip 8: Velocity Basin. We'll take the highway to Silverton then head NW to the Gladstone Mining complex and we'll use Corkscrew Pass to get back "home" to Ouray.

Trip 9: Ophir Pass. We'll leave Ouray and go over Imogene Pass the opposite direction we go during trip #4. In Telluride we'll get on the highway for a few miles and then go over Ophir Pass.

Monday the choices are trips 1 or 3
Tuesday the choices are trips 4 or 7
Wednesday the choices are trips 5 or 6
Thursday the choices are trips 8, 1 or 2
Friday the choices are trips 6 or 9

 

[Posi]

I like the trail choices paired to the days in this lineup.

 

[007]

I like the trail choices paired to the days in this lineup.

I agree.


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[oldjeeplady]

I like the trail choices paired to the days in this lineup.

me too

 

[Posi]

8 days until I land in CO.
I'm coming from sea level to 7-8000ft, then bouncing up to 11-14000 daily.
It takes me 3 days to get adjusted to the altitude.
I've been doing 5-10 miles daily since December
I know it doesn't help with altitude sickness but I'm hoping to cut down the recovery time.
Last year I almost died when my draw bar dug into the ground at the wall and I had to shovel it out, haha!

 

[mriplaybass]

8 days until I land in CO.
I'm coming from sea level to 7-8000ft, then bouncing up to 11-14000 daily.
It takes me 3 days to get adjusted to the altitude.
I've been doing 5-10 miles daily since December
I know it doesn't help with altitude sickness but I'm hoping to cut down the recovery time.
Last year I almost died when my draw bar dug into the ground at the wall and I had to shovel it out, haha!

5-10 miles a day? I've been trying to get in at least 20.
Altitude sickness?? I thought the Jeep you bought had EFI!
Hopefully you don't have a draw bar to worry about on your new CJ.
Wait a minute.........
Your not talking about a Jeep, are you....
Running? 5-10 miles?!! A day?!!!!!
I'm worn out just thinking about it! Can I just put big tires on the coaster wagon from when my kids were little and have you pull me around next week?

 

[Posi]

Lol, pull you in Ouray?
A couple years ago in Ouray an 80+ lady blew by me going up a steep grade because I had to stop for a break.
I typically run every other day, but not over 5 miles. I walk at least 5 to 15 miles a day.

Good to hear your son will be coming this trip I look forward to meeting him.

 

[BusaDave9]

Joe says he won't be able to lead Monday or Tuesday. He won't be arriving until Wednesday. Todd was always saying he wouldn't arrive until Wednesday. So I don't have anyone to help lead at the beginning of the week. Some of the participants will have to lead.

Monday the trail ride choices will be
1. Engineer Pass
2. Minnie and Maggie Gulches

Both of these are easy to find. I can lead whatever trail rides no one else wants to lead.

 

[JR74CJ5]

Joe says he won't be able to lead Monday or Tuesday. He won't be arriving until Wednesday. Todd was always saying he wouldn't arrive until Wednesday. So I don't have anyone to help lead at the beginning of the week. Some of the participants will have to lead.

Monday the trail ride choices will be
1. Engineer Pass
2. Minnie and Maggie Gulches

Both of these are easy to find. I can lead whatever trail rides no one else wants to lead.

I bought the book and map you mentioned earlier in this thread and have a lot of experience spotting through difficult trails if needed.

I'll be wanting to run Engineer Pass, so if needed I don't mind running point position. With the maps and all our minds together, we should be able to navigate the trail correctly, or have fun getting temporarily lost

All joking aside, I'll be in town all day Sunday so I can meet up with you Sunday and plan it out with you or pre-run the trail or whatever to be the "lead" for it.

If anyone else has already run that trail and wants to lead, I'm happy to follow as well.

 

[Posi]

As mentioned, I'll be available if needed. I was planning trail 1 on Monday as well.

 

[BusaDave9]

You guys will do just fine on trail number one but here's an overview:

Trip 1 (Engineer Pass) - From Ouray you'll head south on highway 550. After 3.5 miles you'll turn left onto Lower Engineer Pass trail (also called Mineral Creek Trail). After leaving Ouray there aren't any other left turns you could take before this trail head. Even after you get on the trail you can't go wrong because there are signs. Today you'll want to go pass Poughkeepsie Gulch (although this is a good place to stop for a break). Later there is a turn for Mineral Point but there is also a sign there too. After you are high above the tree line you will meet another fork. The sign will say go right to Silverton or left to Engineer Pass. Turn left to the lookout at Engineer Pass also called "Oh Point". Come back down to the sign pointing to Silverton. On the way toward Silverton you'll want to stop at Animas Forks Ghost Town.
As a reminder we'll be using CB channel 16. The two groups might meet up on the way back to Silverton. Due to the mountains we'll probably be within sight of each other when we are within CB range.

Monday I'll be leading the trail ride to Minnie Gulch and Maggie Gulch.

 

[hagar]

Dave, please don't stress out over this.
Many of us have been over these routes many times before.
I have a collection of FS maps of the areas over the years.
We will find our way.
My concern at this point is what if on one day, only 2 rigs want to go on one trail and 14 want to go the other ?

Yep, there's no stress at all when organizing trail rides.

 

[mriplaybass]

Agreed. Pretty much any of us that have been coming for the past several years would be capable of leading with the help of a map. As far as too many people wanting to do the same trail, I too have thought of this, but I am sure we are all there to first and foremost have a great time, and meet all the "new folks" We just have to be flexible on our personal choices.

 

[BusaDave9]

Dave, please don't stress out over this.
Many of us have been over these routes many times before.
I have a collection of FS maps of the areas over the years.
We will find our way.
My concern at this point is what if on one day, only 2 rigs want to go on one trail and 14 want to go the other ?

Yep, there's no stress at all when organizing trail rides.

Thanks Hagar. I'm not stressing over this. There are several participants that know these trails. Well, in all honesty, I guess I am stressing out a little over this, just a little. I've done this for 7 years. Participants have come from all over the US. My planning for these trail rides is actually me planning other people's vacations. The fact that people come year after year give me satisfaction knowing they enjoy these trail rides.

These trail rides are Limited to about 10 rigs per trail. Everyone at the bottom of the sign up list will have to take the other trail. These trail rides will be done more than once. For example Engineer Pass (Trip 1) will also be done Thursday.

 

[Posi]

Correct me if I'm wrong,

Rigs per day,

Monday 13, out - Whatroad, Joe, Todd
Tuesday 14, out - Joe, Todd
Wednesday 16, Full
Thursday 14, out - Whatroad, Todd
Friday 14, out - Bobby Bluerocket, Whatroad

Please post up if your leaving early, or will be absent any days.

 

[007]

Correct me if I'm wrong,

Rigs per day,

Monday 13, out - Whatroad, Joe, Todd
Tuesday 14, out - Joe, Todd
Wednesday 16, Full
Thursday 14, out - Whatroad, Todd
Friday 14, out - Bobby Bluerocket, Whatroad

Please post up if your leaving early, or will be absent any days.

I'm out Friday so that's 13 then.



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[Posi]

Rigs per day,

Monday 13, out - Whatroad, Joe, Todd
Tuesday 14, out - Joe, Todd
Wednesday 16, Full
Thursday 14, out - Whatroad, Todd
Friday 13, out - Bobby Bluerocket, Whatroad, 007

Please post up if your leaving early, or will be absent any days.