I'm making my 5th trip to Ouray and the San Juans this coming Sep. I'll be staying in Montrose this time as motel prices are getting way too high for what you get in Ouray.

While in Montrose, I wanted to run up to Marble and check out the Mill on Crystal River. While up in that area for the day, I want to do some trails between Marble and Crested Butte on the way back to Montrose. Specifically:

- Wells #19 Devil's Punchbowl (D)
- Wells #20 Paradise Divide (E)

My questions:

- How difficult is the Devil's Punchbowl trail past the Mill going to Schofield Pass? Wells rates it as difficult. How does it compare to Black Bear which I've driven a few times?

- Once at Schofield Pass and going south to Crested Butte, which is the more scenic route... the right fork taking Slate River Road, or the left fork on Gothic Road?

- What about taking FS 811 (Washington Gulch Road) which goes down the middle to reach Crested Butte over the two routes I mentioned above?

Oh, I'll be driving a stock height JK with OEM skids, 32" BFG M/T tires and OEM Rubicon rock rails.

Thanks for your inputs and opinions....

 

So... no one has run these trails or knows anything about them?? That's strange. I read somewhere the Devil's Punchbowl is supposed to be one of the toughest trails in Colorado, and no one knows anything about it? Must be a well kept secret....

 

I ran the Lead King loop from Marble to Crystal and back last year in my 07 two door, but stayed off the Punchbowl route because of its reputation. I didn't care to risk the chance of a rollover.

 

I can't believe nobody here has any first hand knowledge on how difficult the Devil's Punch Bowl really is. So which is it... a well kept secret, or the Colorado crowd doesn't get out much???

 

I came down from shoffields to the top of the Punchbowl. Would not even think about going down it. Shale rock pushes you tword the creek. I was told to only attemp it up hill. Here is a pic at the top. I thought that it was barely wide enough for my jk. Tires on the ledge many times as I have been told.

 

Maybe not the toughest, but the most dangerous. Screw up, and you are gone. The pic I posted looks like a hiway. But it is really narrow just below the sunspot in that photo. And that is the wide part. Gets difficult lower. But I guess its done on a constant basis. Be slow and carefull.

 

First run in my JK was Schofield Pass from Crystal to Crested Butte in mid September. Going up is the right/correct direction. The most dangerous part was about a 1 mile section from the Punch Bowl up. Its a narrow road with one section in particular that is treacherous. It started to hail on this section making the rocks slick. With the rear locker on the JK still was sliding toward the edge, my wife spotted me and I pulled through. Then I punctured a tire about a 1/4 mile further up, from getting too close to the sharp rocks on the passenger side, avoiding ledge. Definitely a rush. Would I do it again, yes, but not when wet. Good Luck.

 

i've done lead king many times but have yet to do schofiled. I heard it is nothing to worry about except the drop. No real wheeling for say. It just opened last week i believe. I might run it this weekend if my previous plans fall through. Its "local" to me so i will report back if i run it

 

^^^^ Did you run it??

 

I ran down it a few years ago in a dodge truck. It was pretty tight but i think in a jeep that it would be fine.