I was hoping to get some information on when Black Bear Pass reopens for normal direction on July 21st.
I believe that the Rotary Club will have it closed while they drive in uphill.

thanks for any info.

 

still hoping for some information on this.

 

We are hoping to run the trail in reverse with the rotary club, but haven't received any info from them in the last six months. Maybe it's not happening? We'll be in the area running the trail in one direction or the other if you want a trail partner!

 

I have an email in to them via their website which is not updated to this year, and so far no reply...
this is where I saw that the rotary club is having their tour.
Telluride Rotary 4x4 2012 | Visit Telluride Colorado

maybe I'll call a jeep rental outfit and ask..

we will be in Telluride July 20th.... and will be Jeeping on Sat the 21st.... it would fun to meet up.

Mike

 

I'm going to be in the area at the same time and plan to run the pass. It would be great to be able to run it backwards. I just ordered some books/maps for the area and this will be my Jeeps first real test. How do we organize a meet up? As of right now, I'm running solo.

Also, do you recommended running a soft top and leaving the hard top behind? Security is the only issue I can really think of. I think I can deal with the extra road/wind noise.

Thanks,
Jaden

 

so far I haven't had any problems with anyone taking things out of the Jeep with a soft top.. I don't leave much in it at night.


we should all try and meet up... if you're both running Black Bear on Sat the 21st.
we will be staying in Telluride.
if interested we can post and or PM each other and set things up...
I'll be there with my wife and daughter...

 

Sounds doable. I'll be in Germany till the around the 16-18th. My 18 yr old son is flying in from Italy and we'll link up and load up in Kansas where my Jeep currently is. We're going to try the camping thing for a bit, and our scheldule is loose. I bought some maps and books, so if nothing else, we can refine our plan on the drive out. I'll send an e-mail with my number and we'll see where we are at as the time nears. For now I'll plan on Big Bear on the 21st. I'd love to get the oportunity to run it backwards. Is that possible?

 

The Telluride rotary is suppose to be running it backwards on the 21st but so far I haven't been able to get any info on that..
I am not sure if I can just show up at the bottom of Black Bear on the 21st and join in or not. This might be what we attempt to do....????
I will try and call some jeep rental company's and see it they have any info.. so far the contact email and website have been worth less. Maybe that means they don't want visitors.....???? either way our orginal plan is (was) to take Ophir pass to HWY 550 and Black Bear back to Telluride... I was planning on being at HWY550 and Black Bear trail head by noon.... I think black bear would be reopen for normal traffic by then....????? if not, there would have to be someone there stopping normal traffic and they would surely know what time it reopens, and if all that fails we will take Imogene back to Telluride..

Which I would highly recommend driving up the Yankee Boy basin area... very pretty...

 

We will be camping in the Matterhorn campground south of Telluride from Thursday - Monday and camping in Ouray from Monday - Thursday. We'd love to meet up for Black Bear (in reverse if possible) on Saturday. We'll be running some other trails too - as many as our two kids allow.

I emailed the rotary club for the 2011 meeting and got the details below, so if the event is running, they would be off the trail early. I will also try to make some calls and see what we can find out.
"the forest service gives us the right to close Black Bear to run our event, but we start at 6:30 am and are off the road by 9:00. The Telluride Rotary Club has run the event for 24 years and is a great weekend. The club has decided to take this year to regroup, reorganize the event and prepare for our 25th year event in 2012; we will not hold the event in 2011. Please keep in touch with us for the 2012 details. My thanks, Harley B-H for Fred Wagner"

Oh; we travel with the hard top generally, but mostly for noise on the highway getting to and from the trails. We have a utility trailer that is our "bear box" for camping so that we don't have to run trails with all of our food in the back. We have never had any issues with theft and we camp ~20 nights a year.

 

We did the tour two years ago which was the last time they had it. And if they do have it this year you don't just show up at the trail!

It's a weekend deal - sign up Friday evening no host party - trails sat and Sunday. With a big party saturday evening.

Black Bear Backwards requires an experienced driver and at least a rear locker. That trail day is BB Backwards to Poughkeepsi then back down BB back to Telluride. I think the registration was $200 plus.

I hope they do it again!

We just did BB today - fun - but a lot more fun backwards.