need some Colorado info

[drifto77]

I'm planning a San Juan trip this summer too, based out of Ouray, early July, and have lots of questions!

Is Black Bear really that easy?

Poughkeepsie Gulch is the only 'technical' trail in the area?

Maybe I need a definition of technical.

Stock 96 4 door, 29" MTR, open diffs, Warn 8k multi mount if it makes a difference for the technical definition.

Traveling with a guy in a 80s Blazer, 3/4 ton, big block, lockers, 37s. Isn't there a trail that he runs into the roof of the 3-sided tunnel on?

Also, where is good fishing, some for me and the wife, some for the kids.

Going in early July, ehhhhh?
Well.......... Black Bear has a chance of being closed, depends on the snow fall this year. The 1st year I went was in late July and Black Bear had JUST opened.
Your XJ should be just fine. My 1st trip was in my stock 99 on 30's.
I took like 3 small hits to the underside on Engineer pass. (not watching my lines)
As for your buddy, he planning on running Black Bear in his rig?
scarry thought, but I guess it can be done. (Hummers,the REAL ones, have done it)
Hope you dont mind shelf roads.
Here is a pic of Black Bear from the Imogene Pass trail......

1 more from the same spot......

The switchbacks are, IMHO, the worst part. There just aint a lot of room.
Here is a pic of my buddy Terry arriving at the Infamous 1st switchback...........

Here he is at it.....

My turn......

Here's Terry agian a little before that, at the steps.........

and lets not forget my other buddy Kurt. This is just after the turn in the above pic....

Poughkeepsie Gulch??????
I have not done that one. I have been told my XJ wont make it even with a 2" BB so I just stayed off it.

The 3 sided tunnel??
The only 2 places that I can think of for that are on the Yankee Boy/Governor Basin trail ......

(sorry for the bad pic)
and the Social Tunnel on Imogene Pass ..........

As for info .... check out my links and my pics in my above posts. They should answer a few questions for ya.

Fishing????
Cant answer that one. Did not take my rods with me.

Any more questions? I will try to answer with-out all the pics.

What trails are you planning on running? Where in Ouray are you going to stay? The KOA is where I stayed, great spot. Lots of friendly staff and close to the trails.

Sorry for all the pics guys, I cant sleep and Iam board.

 

[PlainWhiteXJ]

That's the tunnel I remember - but it looks like more clearance than I remember.

In the past (20 years ago) I stayed in the Forest Service Campground above town, but have not been back to stay since. The KOA looked too closely packed and highly supervised last time I went through town. We're not hell raisers, but don't like retired campground enforcers with nothing to do! We're open to boondocking if there is a good place nearby that we can get the campers into (25 footers).

 

[Fred]

There is a BLM campground below Cinnamon Pass on the road from Lake City that is a nice place to camp, closer to Lake City than Ouray, but all the trails connect into the Cinnamon Pass/Engineer Pass loop.

Ditto on the possibility of Black Bear being closed early July if we have any snow at all this year.

If I were your buddy with the Blazer, I'd leave it at home, and rent a TJ in Ouray, there just is no point to a big block, 37's, and lockers in the San Juans.

The KOA isn't bad, majority of the campers are four wheelers. It does have a pond for kids to fish, which is the only place I recall catching anything, but I'm a bad luck fisherman. :laugh3:

Fred

 

[mlaux]

If I were your buddy with the Blazer, I'd leave it at home, and rent a TJ in Ouray, there just is no point to a big block, 37's, and lockers in the San Juans.
Fred

San Juan's must be a Jeep thing now...I just don't understand.

 

[zak8642]

Very muddy in the San Juans thru April.

 

[Cruzzin_XJ]

Remi
Let me know when you set the plans, i could swing a couple of days to show you some of the area as well. I'm sure with some arm twisting we could get Dean out as well. Your always welcome at my place in Broomfield Co for a base camp as well

John

 

[Kejtar]

Remi
Let me know when you set the plans, i could swing a couple of days to show you some of the area as well. I'm sure with some arm twisting we could get Dean out as well. Your always welcome at my place in Broomfield Co for a base camp as well

John

Cool, thanks! Things are starting to line up more and more. My dad's jeep is almost ready and he's interested as well

 

[drifto77]

Cool, thanks! Things are starting to line up more and more. My dad's jeep is almost ready and he's interested as well

Iam going to TRY to go to Montrose in May, a friend is getting married on May 20th and I wanna be there to see it.
If you go that early maybe we could hook up.
Will this be your 1st time?