A2thaK

It's hard to say how many days...there is so much to do! If it was me, and money and time weren't really an object, here's what I would do:


Day 1: Leave Ouray around 9-10am. Drive Ouray to Silverton. Stop along drive and take pictures. Stop at gas station as you come into Silverton. Fill up and and go inside and talk to attendants, they have good info on trail conditions. Drive through Silverton to Animas Forks, stop and hike around Animas Forks. Really cool ghost town. Drive from Animas Forks up California Gulch. Go up California Pass, stop at Lake Como. If daring, take a dip (it's cold but really refreshing). Drive over Hurricane Pass to Corkscrew Pass. Drive back to Ouray. Enjoy beer (or more) at beer garden.

Day 2: Get up early and drive up RMP to Black Bear Pass. Take BB to Tride. Stop at Bridal Veil Falls take pics. Eat lunch in Tride (I really like Flora Dora). Maybe, depending on timing, ride gondola up to Mtn Village (its free). Walk around Tride a bit, but leave plenty of time to head back to Ouray via Imogene. Take Imogene Pass back to Ouray. Beer at beer garden.

Day 3: Relax, go to hot springs? Maybe hike a trail around Ouray?

Day 4: Check out in Ouray, check in to Silverton. Drive up to Clear Lake. Eat picnic lunch. Head to Montanya in Silverton after lunch and get a rum drink from their local made rum (Mojitos are amazing, the wife loves the Thai boxer. All super fresh ingredients. It's really worth stopping for one drink). Drive up to Velocity Basin (All the paintings in Montanya are of Velocity Basin). Dinner at Grumpys in Silverton.

Day 5: The "real" Alpine Loop. Drive past Animas Forks, up Enigneer Pass. Stop in Lake City for lunch. Drive Cinnamon Pass back to Silverton.

Day 6: Check out from Silverton, check in Durango. If yall can stand some cold, stop and do Cascade Creek and/or Baker's Bridge. Casacade is a series of pools and waterfalls you can jump off. Baker's Bridge is a bridge you can jump like 30' down into the Animas off. They are really cold, but so worth it.

Day 7: Tube the Animas in town. Drink beer and relax.

Day 8: Maybe take the train to Silverton, then get a shuttle back, or go to Mesa Verde. Or if you want to jeep more, go up La Plata canyon to Kennebec Pass.

TokenMSJ

TrailDamage.com - All Trails

Drool and have fun...

I'm still up in the air if I'm gonna be able to make it back to CO this year.. Have made three trips over in the past 6 years.. All were in an H3, still trying to get the timing right to get back in a Jeep..

Don't laugh about the H3.. Pretty sure it's still the only Hummer that's made it to Holy Cross City.. Took it across Imogene a year later.. Pulling a small offroad trailer.. While it can be done, I don't recommend it.. The first switchback coming back down on the Teluride side took some creativity..

DougHeffernan

Posting this link from
Another thread but after watching video you may want pack a case of depends extra absorbent. Lol

http://www.coloradoguy.com/black-bear-pass/colorado.htm



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Ranger492

Thank you. I could not find where you mentioned the dates you plan to be in Ouray. You can check Jeep Jamboree schedule by going to Jeep Jamboree USA. None of use know your level of experience and what your family wants to do. Some other ideas:

a) Do Not go out alone. That is not a wise idea on flat land 4x4 trails. You are going in September and the trails are not as busy as Mid-June through Mid-August. Weather can change in an instant that time of year.
b) Get the trail guide book mentioned before, (I think poster mentioned Well's book). It will provide you with maps, tips and estimated time to run each trail. If you can't find the book, let me know and I'll look it up, (Well's is the author) Another good guide book is "4WD trails - Southwest Colorado - Peter Massey & Jeanne Wilson. It is well worth the money to get at least one of these. The books rate trails for scenic value in addition to difficulty.
c) Plan your own trips, after reading the guide book, that suit your family's wants. You can adjust any trip plan within a few minutes before you head out. Find someone you meet face-to-face, (that you are comfortable with) to help you. I can't think of a bad trail.
d) Leave early - 7-7:30. You'll see more wildlife and have time for family activities and relaxation in the afternoons. Do not plan trips more than 5 hours on the trail. By the time you make stops for kids to look for gold, (rocks), walk around ghost towns/mine sites, throw rocks in the water and take pictures, you end up with a 7 hour day.
e) Don't do Black Bear first day. Get a feel for how you and your family deal with the ledge roads on easier trails. That is why I recommended Yankee Boy basin for first trip....those drop offs are only a couple hundred feet. Don't let anyone trivialize the trails here. All the shelf roads require total concentration and decent technical driving skills.
f) A stock Jeep will NOT make it up the short obsticle on the Poughkeepsie trail without a winch. There are solid winch points for you to use. I've seen dozens of stock Jeeps thrash their vehicles past the breaking point trying to do this part, (I figure you want to drive you Jeep back home). A stock Rubicon, with lockers can do it....if the rocks are not too muddy or wet.
g) Did you order your visitor's pack? (Ouray Colorado - Come Visit) In addition to Jeeping you can take children to the Hot Springs pool, go to the Bachelor-Syracuse Mine for outdoor breakfast, gold panning or mine tour, take a 1 or 2 hour guided horse back ride, (near the mine), visit Box Canyon falls, (in town) and a bunch more stuff. Find things that you and your family want to do.
h) The Alpine Loop is from Ouray, over Engineer Pass, into Lake City, over Cinnamon Pass, into Animas Forks, to Silverton and return to Ouray on highway 550, (or the reverse). I suggest you do not consider this trip....It is waaaay to long and you'll spend the last 3 hours of your day wondering when it will be over. This is not a trip for a family, the trail from Engineer Pass into Lake City and the return on Cinnamon Pass is not that pretty. I believe you can better optimize your time on other trails.
I) Up hill traffic has the right of way. But let common sense prevail. If you are heading uphill and have a pull out area, use it and let the down hill guy pass. Lots of rental Jeep drivers don't know or are too scared to remember this rule.....so just be patient and safe.

Over confidence, complacency, in-attention, (driver-keep your eyes on the trail...Stop if you want to take a picture) and not respecting the weather are what get people in trouble here. I see lots of accident each year because someone didn't follow these simple guidelines. Unfortunately, I've seen a few fatalities as well.

There is no reason to be scared, but every reason to be cautious.

A2thaK

Ranger- are you a member of the Creeper Jeeper cub by any chance?

3point6JK

Having done those trails many times-


Bring food and water. A full tank of gas at the start of any trail and you be fine for the day. Be aware it could easily snow in September. Imogene pass will be closed sept 7 for the run, which ill be doing. It goes from ouray to telluride. Best trails are
Imogene
Engineer
Ophir pass, easy
California and cinnamon pass are scenic.
Animas Forks is a must see old mining town.

Your stock jeep can do all that fine. Non-highway tires is important for any type of off road driving. BFG AT at a minimum are decent for a road trip too. Bring a recovery strap, basic hand tools, duct tape and towels. You probably won't break anything on those trails, just drive smart. Maybe ill meet you up there, ill be up there anyway that weekend.

Black bear pass has the "cool" factor of the switchbacks, but if you're not accustomed to off road driving and you're wife gets scared at possibly falling off a cliff that will take the fun away real quick. If its wet out at all I wouldn't touch BBP. Not worth it. Other than the switchbacks, I didn't care for it. There's better trails.

Ranger492

- No, A2thaK....never heard of them. Sounds like a joke to me.

3point6JK.....good post - good information

Recommended eating places in and around Ouray :

Outlaw Steak House - Ouray (Good Steaks & John Wayne's favorite eating place while here filming True Grit)

Back Street Deli - Ouray (they open early and will fix a box lunch for you - the owner is a Chef)

Mouse's Chocolates - Ouray (made on site, ships all over USA, great coffee, chocolates, sundaes, truffles, cookies, etc.)

Beaumont Bistro at Beaumont Hotell - Ouray (walk through the lobby, underwent a 5 million $ renovation 7 years ago. Built in 1880s)

ABSOLUTY AVOID - Silver Nugget and Maggie's Kitchen - not safe, not clean....the locals won't even eat there. - Both in Ouray.

Colorado Boy Brewery - Ridgway (also have very good pizza)

True Grit - Ridgway (good variety of entrees)

Panny's Pizza - Ridgway

4 Corners - Ridgway

Handlebars - Silverton

Brown Bear - Silverton

OR - Silverton, get a box lunch at the grocery store deli, drive 3 miles south on hwy 550 to Molas Lake. Beautiful city lake

BubbaJK2012

Sounds like Restaurant Impossible should be called !!!

Ranger492

It's bad. The owner at Maggie's is also the fry cook. His regular attire is gym shorts, a dirty white tee shirt and gym shoes. Both places are regular stops for health inspectors. No one has to take my word for it, check the restaurant reviews online. Just trying to help.

JK-jeepit

All good advise. I'm from alb and go to this area at least 2-3 times a year and two places I would tell you to go is Yankee boy basin, beautiful waterfalls ect... And do at least the beginning part of black bear pass. It is another beautiful area with waterfalls and wild flowers. You don't have to drop into telluride as long as you don't pass the one way sign which is pretty far in... Another road, dirt and easy, is last dollar road. Great
Enjoy your trip.