Sixth Annual Colorado Jeep-CJ Trail Report

[Bill D]

Day 4 (Actually day three of trail riding.)

Tuesday was Lady’s day. I think all three of our ladies had wheel time and did a right creditable job of it. Carol was a bit apprehensive at the beginning but quickly proved that she is as good as me (if not better) behind the wheel. This wasn’t an easy day either – they drove Engineer Pass and Lower Engineer Pass Trail as well as Animas Forks Ghost Town.

Lots of pics. I had nothing better to do. Now if I can just figure out how to post them.

 

[shooby]

At some point on this day, I was kindly informed that I needed lower gears in my Dana 20

 

[mriplaybass]

[FONT=&quot]Tuesday 16th[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Animas Forks Ghost Town[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Engineer Pass[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Lower Engineer Pass trail[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Oldjeeplady taking on the mud[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Posi climbing a rock[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]OJL following[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Bass and Posi just having some fun. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sorry, I just couldn’t resist having a little fun with this video!
[FONT=&quot](Must be viewed in[FONT=&quot] full screen. [FONT=&quot]Click the "VIDEO" [FONT=&quot]link to go directly to YouTube[/FONT][/FONT])[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Shooby showing us how it’s done with Posi’s help[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]On top of the world[/FONT]



Edited by CJ - embedded videos

 

[Posi]

Video Of Bass

 

[BusaDave9]

Day 4 - Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Hurricane Pass, California Pass, Placer Gulch, Picayune Gulch, Cinnamon Pass, American Basin

After we had breakfast we headed north. There are two ways to head out the north end of Silverton. Yesterday we went North-north-east. This morning we headed northwest. The first couple miles were two wheel drive. At the Gladstone mining area we locked our hubs and shifted into four wheel drive. We passed the turnoff to Corkscrew pass and started up Hurricane pass. We passed this mining shoot:

The climb was steep. The Transmission temp light on Ben's pickup came on and he stopped to let it cool down.
I shot this picture of the direction we came from. Corkscrew pass is visible on the distant mountain.

After a short delay we continued to climb

From the top I took another picture back the direction we came from

This next picture looks forward down Poughkeepsie Gulch. We won't be going down there today. Instead we head to the right (east).

Another view down Poughkeepsie Gulch:



This next picture is at Hurricane Pass


Here's Chuck's "new" 1969 Jeep CJ5 :



After Hurricane Pass we headed down into California Pass.

From Hurricane Pass we continued on to California Pass. It's not far between these 2 passes and we can still see Lake Como in the background.

California Pass

Arriving at California Pass

Lake Como
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8540/29015560702_39f80bd2c5_b.jpg[/img][/url]
My 1979 CJ5 at California Pass
https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8404/29088212646_0bd42bda6f_b.jpg[/img][/url]
Break at the top of California Pass

Lake Como from California Pass



From California Pass we looked down California Gulch. This is a textbook example of a glacial (U shaped) valley.

Lake Como (again)
​

We descended into California Gulch and I took this next picture looking back to California Pass.


We turned out of California Gulch into Placer Gulch

There was this mine in Placer Gulch.


We stopped for lunch at another mine at the top of Placer Gulch.





We could see rain coming up Placer Gulch and decided to head out.

After heading over the top of Placer Gulch we headed down Picayune Gulch and it started to rain.

It stopped raining. After Picayne Gulch we went past Animas Forks. In this next picture you can see Califonia Gulch in the background behind Animas Forks Ghost Town.

Then we climbed Cinnamon Pass. It looks like the rain might start up again in this next picture.

We stopped at the top of Cinnamon Pass

Then we continued down the other side

Then we turned off into a spur that lead us into American Basin

Phil's, I mean Shoobie's 1978 CJ5
​

After American Basin we headed back the way we came, over Cinnamon Pass



Map of today's route: Spotwalla Trail Map

 

[007]

Wednesday we headed out of Silverton a different way and went around Gladstone Mountain, a beautiful trail I’d never been on. From there we dumped out near Hurricane Pass then on to California Pass. We had lunch at Placer Gulch then headed on to Picayune Gulch where we ran into some rain and sleet.

We came back to Animas Forks where it was time for a restroom break. I went in and made sure to not let my phone slip off my belt and into the nasty depths. Before I sat down, I set it on the handicap rail where it was safe. It was very safe there, so safe that someone else found it hours later! While we were at dinner in Silverton that night, I got on my wife’s phone and did a Find My iPhone and sure enough, it showed up in Lake City. I set it up to alert the finder and to have them call me – and they did right away. He mailed it out and it showed up at my house several days later. SO happy!

Anyway back to the trip – after leaving Animas Forks, we then took Cinnamon Pass over and down to American Basin where we turned around and headed back.

 

[mriplaybass]

[FONT=&quot]Wednesday 17th[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Hurricane Pass, California Pass, Placer Gulch (Lunch), Picayune Gulch (rain), Cinnamon Pass, turned around in American Basin[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]L to R: Ben, Shooby, Bass, Posi, BusaDave, Rad, 007, BillD[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]Sheep on the hill side. Hard to see, but all the little white dots in the distance are sheep[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Sheep herders tent[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]Ben[/FONT]

 

[Posi]

Sheep

 

[Bill D]

Day 5 (Or Day Four if you count like the others do.)

Just another lazy day in paradise. We drove three passes, Hurricane, California and Cinnamon. Two gulches, Placer where we had lunch and played some Jeep games, and Picayune where it rained on us. We also went to American Basin which we had not visited previously.

Read more: http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f63/s...-trail-report-26627/index3.html#ixzz4ImAqcpkV

 

[007]

Thursday was my last day, but it was my wife’s first time at the wheel of my CJ – ever. We took US550 out of Silverton to the head of Brooklyn Trail. This is a little 45minute up and down that takes you over Red Mountain Pass at about 12,800 or so. It’s a P E R F E C T beginner trail and I must say my wife did an excellent job. She was nervous at first, but she listened and nailed it!

When we got done we drove on up US550 to the head of Corkscrew Gulch (one of my favorites). We took this trail up and back in to the basin behind the Red Mountains. We found a perfect camping spot (for next year) around treeline. We took this trail (and a few others) and wound up back in Silverton

Here’s a quick video of us heading back to Colorado Springs on US50 on Friday between Salida and Canon City…love this stretch of road…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLuPHY-LruI

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[BusaDave9]

Day 5 - Thursday, August 18th, 2016
Brooklyn Trail, Corkscrew Pass

Thursday morning after breakfast we headed out onto highway 550 for a few miles before locking our hubs and heading up Brooklyn Trail. This trail starts off very steep but levels out at higher altitudes.

Carol arriving at Brooklyn Mine with Bill as a passenger

Khara arriving at Brooklyn Mine with 007 as a passenger

We took a quick break at Brooklyn Mine

Posi's 1969 CJ5

MrIPlayBass and OldJeepLady's 1979 CJ7


We did a little exploring of the old mine.






Bill noticed a noise from his undercarriage as we arrived at the mine.​

A strap for Bill's rear drive shaft came loose. This was a mild trail so Posi helped Bill remove his drive-shaft so he could continue in front wheel drive.

It wasn't much further to the top of the trail.

We passed a Sheep Herders tent on Brooklyn Trail



After Brooklyn Trail Bill went back to town to find some bolts to fix his drive-shaft. The rest of us continued on to Corkscrew Pass.
As we climbed Corkscrew Pass we came across a shortcut. I turned left but used my CB to tell the others that going right was the easy way and turning left was a very steep climb. We would meet back up at another fork ahead. I didn't know who was following me and who took the easy path. I didn't want to delay in reaching the next fork or else some may loose the rest of us.

I then realized everyone took the steep path with me.

Corkscrew Pass goes over the Three Red Mountains. They are red from the iron that oxidizes.

OldJeepLady arriving at the top of Corkscrew Pass

From Corkscrew Pass we could see Storm Peak

Group Shot at the top of Corkscrew Pass

Posi and Rad descending Corkscrew Pass

Another shot of Storm Peak​

As we went down the east side of Corkscrew Pass we encountered a few jeeps. We turned off onto a spur to avoid them.

Chuck and Rad

MrIPlayBass and OldJeepLady​

After we arrived at Silverton we all helped Bill repair his drive-shaft.

Posi and Bill's 1980 CJ5

MrIPlayBass brought all kinds of tools, even an impact wrench
​

Map of today's route: https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1210a57c1a508a332e

 

[Posi]

I enjoyed going up Cork Screw Pass. The twist and turns, roller coaster like, with a smell of balsam in the first part of the trail had a home feel to it.

Thanks for the fix CJ

Edited by CJ - fixed image tags

 

[mriplaybass]

[FONT=&quot]Thursday 18th[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Brooklyn Trail, Corkscrew Pass[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]A shorter trip on the trails. BillD and Carol had rear U joint problems, but completed the trail.[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]I don’t know what is the better part of these trips, the wheeling, or the camaraderie shared by all who come. BillD and Carol returned to town before we all headed out for the second trail, but when we got back, everyone pitched in and got their Jeep up and running again. I think I enjoyed this even more than the trail ride that day.[/FONT]







[FONT=&quot]Posi about to start on the repairs[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]Posi & BillD evaluating the problem[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]Rad and BusaDave waiting to see what needs to be done[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]The back of our truck may be a mess, but bringing a ton of tools on a CJ trip turned out to be a good idea.[/FONT]






[FONT=&quot]Shooby and Bass modifying some parts in order to get the driveshaft back in.[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]BusaDave further modifying parts in order to get BillD and Carol back on the trail[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]OJL & BusaDave look on as repairs proceed. [/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]BillD taking his CJ out for its first trial run.[/FONT]

 

[Bill D]

Thursday

We started out to do Brooklyn Trail and Corkscrew Pass. Carol was to drive again but we had barely gotten started when my Jeep tried to disassemble itself again. This time the front u-joint on the rear driveline came apart. We opted to remove the driveline and go back to the motel rather than attempt Corkscrew Pass with only the front axle and no rear locker (or anything else). We went back to the motel and started assembling things we would need to put the driveline back together. I had a new spare Spicer u-joint but several of the cap/strap bolts on the old one had broken or were bent. I was able to find replacement bolts in Silverton but they were cap screws with ½” heads whereas the originals were either 3/8” or allen head bolts. When the group got back in, we started on repairs EVERYBODY chipped in and went to work on doing the repairs. We had folks obtaining washers, another group was filing flats on one side of them, Posi and MrIPlayBass on their backs underneath the Jeep and OldJeepLady handing tools. I can’t begin to express my gratitude to this great group of folks for all their help to keep me on the road. This jeep was still going in spite of being held together with Jeep Band-Aids and magic. And we still had Poughkeepsie Gulch ahead of us.

 

[007]

Thursday was my last day, but it was my wife’s first time at the wheel of my CJ – ever. We took US550 out of Silverton to the head of Brooklyn Trail. This is a little 45minute up and down that takes you over Red Mountain Pass at about 12,800 or so. It’s a P E R F E C T beginner trail and I must say my wife did an excellent job. She was nervous at first, but she listened and nailed it!

When we got done we drove on up US550 to the head of Corkscrew Gulch (one of my favorites). We took this trail up and back in to the basin behind the Red Mountains. We found a perfect camping spot (for next year) around treeline. We took this trail (and a few others) and wound up back in Silverton


Here’s a quick video of us heading back to Colorado Springs on US50 between Salida and Canon City…love this stretch of road…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLuPHY-LruI

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[BusaDave9]

Day 6 - Friday, August 19th, 2016
Lower Engineer Pass Trail, Poughkeepsie Gulch, Hurricane Pass, Cinnamon Pass

The last day of trail rides I have always left the itinerary up to the group. I would always ask if they wanted a mild scenic route or a challenge such as Poughkeepsie Gulch. For the last few years the majority has always voted to go over Poughkeepsie Gulch. This is a difficult trail the requires a locker (although Posi did it last year in a YJ with open differentials). He's the only one I have ever heard of that made it up there without lockers.
So it was decided. To get to Poughkeepsie Gulch we went up Lower Engineer Pass Trail the opposite direction we went the other day. I love this trail. It has lots of rocks and a few challenges. When we got to the fork to Poughkeepsie Gulch we stopped to play in the mud.

From there the trail started off mild. Then it started to climb.


Then we got to a rough and rocky spot that we went through one at a time, often spotting each other.

MrIPlayBass directing OldJeepLady​

Then we got to another spot with big rocks and Posi got out to spot people through.

Bill's 1980 CJ5



Posi's 1969 CJ5



​

The hardest part of Poughkeepsie Gulch is "The Wall". This is a rock ledge near the top of Poughkeepsie Gulch. Actually it's 2 ledges. The lower ledge has developed a few years ago as dirt has eroded away exposing a smaller ledge just below The Wall. Not everyone wanted to take their Jeeps up The Wall but there is a bypass that was built almost 2 years ago. Everyone came up to the wall even those that didn't expect to attempt it. It was a short trip to backtrack to the bypass.


Even after the bypass fork there was still rough spots before The Wall.






Then we were at The Wall. Last year I reported that "Everyone in our group made it up The Wall and everyone that was not in our group did not make it up The Wall". Sadly I can not say that again. This year The Wall humbled us. We all struggled up The Wall. All except MrIPlayBass. He was the only one to make it look easy.
I was the first to go up The Wall. I'm the guide so it's like "go on Dave, show us how it's done". No one actually said that but that's how I felt. So lined up my jeep, locked my OX locker differential and headed up the Wall. First I had to go up the smaller ledge before the Wall. The first bump was too much for my carburetor and my engine died. I restarted my engine and continued up the Wall. I was going slow and started to spin all 4 tires. I backed down. Now I was too far to the right and took some time to reposition myself. There isn't much room between the lower ledge and the Wall so it always takes a while to move over. Then I tried again, this time I knew I needed some momentum but not too fast. I was able to make it up on this second attempt.
Next up was MrIPlayBass.

Notice the hole near his right rear tire. He was lined up nicely to avoid that. And on his left is a big rock slope. You need the correct line to avoid rolling your jeep.

MrIPlayBass had the correct line. He made it up and over on his first attempt. Impressive!

Next up was Bill

He made it up the lower ledge and started up the Wall. He got some wheel spin, stopped his progress and came back down.
He was too far over. As I said, there isn't much room to reposition so he went back down to the bottom and tried again.
This next picture is Bill going up the lower "easier" ledge again.

Then he continued up the Wall.

But he was too far to the left. His left tires were climbing the rock ledge we all wanted to avoid. He was dangerously close to rolling his Jeep. We all yelled "RIGHT! RIGHT! RIGHT!" but with the engine and tires screaming he didn't hear us. He realized his situation too late and came to a stop atop the rock at such an angle we were still worried about rolling over his Jeep. No one, absolutely no one had any pictures or video of him at those extreme angles. His wife took a good video but when Bill started to tilt at dangerous angles she dropped the camera to her side and although the video didn't show anything but the ground, the audio recorded screaming, yelling and several swear words none of us ever expected to hear coming from Carol's mouth.
Posi stood on Bill's left foot step with hopes that the extra weight on the left would prevent the jeep from rolling. Bill was able to move forward, away from the rock ledge.
After The Wall we continued on to meet up with Shooby and Posi who used the bypass.








After Poughkeepsie Gulch we headed up and over Hurricane Pass






Once again we ended up on top of Corkscrew Pass.


I think the conversation went something like this:"We're on top of the world" "Or at least the top of Cinnamon Pass" Top? Then Posi said "See that trail going up that mountain? Can we go up there and turn around?" I said "yes, there's room up there to turn around." "That sounds like a challenge" So we drove up the spur that took us up Red Mountain number 2 and to the other side. (There are 3 mountains next to each other all called Red Mountain number 1 through 3)





This next picture shows the main Corkscrew Pass trail that we'll be on shortly to get back down.







Then we got back on the main trail and headed down.


The trail ended at highway 550. That was the end of the 6th Annual Colorado Jeep-CJ trail ride. We headed back to Silverton for dinner and then we parted ways.

I'm already looking forward to the 7th Annual Colorado Jeep-CJ trail ride.

Map of today's route: https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1210b57c1a689f2bff

 

[Posi]

Early Friday morning in Sliverton

At the Wall

Found some snow

 

[Bill D]

Friday

Up highway 550 toward Ouray to the lower Engineer Pass trailhead. On up Lower Engineer Pass Trail to Poughkeepsie Gulch entrance. Those warning signs telling us that we really, really ought to have four wheel, lockers everywhere, winches, wenches, (OK, maybe the “wench” part was wishful thinking) and guardian angels before even thinking about venturing further are really there. Up the trail we went. It very quickly became a rather difficult trail and we hadn’t even come to the ledges yet. The ledges. Photos don’t really do these blocks of rocks justice. They are really steep but the problem is that it is hard to get a start up them. Dave went first to show us how it is done and I took lots of mental notes. OK, it really is possible. MrIPlayBass went second and gave a repeat performance of his last years perfect climb. Posi tried it next but the little red Jeep with no lockers, a mostly spent clutch and a big long trailer hitch acting as a plow on the back just wasn’t up to it. My turn now. I could get up to the rock ledge but couldn’t get it to climb further. After having Posi reposition me several times I finally got a good start and gave it a bunch of skinny pedal. Whoops! It climbed right up but went much faster than I intended and ended up well to the left of where I should have been. I scared the snot out of everybody but me. I was too much in shock to be scared. I had actually climbed the ledge in Poughkeepsie Gulch.

To the best of my knowledge, no one took a video as they were too engrossed in seeing me turn a CJ5 upside down (didn’t happen). Carol, my official videographer, has an almost complete video but will not release it due to the colorful expletives she used as I neared the top.

 

[mriplaybass]

[FONT=&quot]Friday 19th[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Lower Engineer Pass trail, Poughkeepsie Gulch, Hurricane Pass, Corkscrew Pass[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]On the way up to Poughkeepsie Gulch wall, I just had to play in the mud a little. Like my shirt says: “I still stomp in mud puddles”. Naturally, there is a picture of a Jeep on it![/FONT]









[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Posi spotting OJL[/FONT]





[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]BusaDave climbing the wall[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Then Bass[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:[/FONT][FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]Followed by BillD[/FONT]



[FONT=&quot]VIDEO:
[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Given that this was Shooby’s first Colorado trip, and according to him, his first off road experience, Posi, being the good guy that he is, said that he would show him the way around the wall instead of going up the wall in his (new) Jeep. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]We had an audience while each of us tried our skill on the wall.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I don’t know if this doe had a fawn hidden in the bushes, or if she was waiting for a hand out of apples or something, but she stayed all the while we were there.[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]Everyone had a great time. It was great that all the ladies not only took to the trails, but took their turns driving over some pretty aggressive terrain. Is it possible that we might have an additional 3 Jeeps in the future? [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Though OJL and I stayed a few extra days after everyone had left, it just wasn’t the same. This is the third of what we now consider to be an annual event for us, and we won’t miss it until we are physically unable to make it. I wish we had Star Trek technology so that we could all get together any time we wanted to, but right now, we can only count the days and look forward to next year.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The trip home was just as exciting as the trip there. Just East of Grand Junction CO, Two of the brake drums on the trailer shattered, taking one of the tires along with it. No problem! Fired up the Jeep, hooked up the on board air, and got the impact gun. Tires zipped off , broken parts removed, tires back on, and a real slow and easy trip over the mountains with only two out of four brakes working, sort of. All new drums and brakes should arrive this week.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]One of the shattered brake drums[/FONT]

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[FONT=&quot]We can’t thank BusaDave enough for all the time and effort he puts into this every year. Without his trail guidance, and knowledge of the area, things just would not be the same. Anyone who is on the fence about coming next year, needs to try their hardest to make it. You will have the time of your life![/FONT]

 

[Torxhead]

Well, thanks guys for all the stories,pics, and videos. Looks like just too much fun with great people who made it that way.