3 passes near St. Elmo

[pramjockey]

Hey! I'm planning a run for this Saturday - from St. Elmo over Tincup pass to Tincup, then over Cumberland pass, and finally up and over Hancock pass, ending back up in St. Elmo.

I plan on leaving from 285/C470 around 8:00 and being back hopefully soon after dinnertime, depending on how many picture stops we take.

I did this run last year in my all-but-stock FJ cruiser. Other than a couple of dings in the skid plate, it was a good ride (not so much for the 3-series BMW convertible that tried to do Tincup), so I expect that most club members should be able to make it.

If you're interested, please drop me a line:

pramjockey (at) pramjockey (dot) com

 

[wesintl]

did you call to see if handcock is open after the washout? you can see pics in the link below

as far as i know it's still closed, you should call to verify
http://www.colorado4x4.org/vbb/showthread.php?t=171108

Sounds like tomichi is still closed due to a rockslide on the south side above the cemetary

 

[Tch2fly]

Wes beat me to it
Here is the phone number for the Ranger station 719-539-3591

 

[pramjockey]

/shakes fist in anger


Well, %^&*@%. Thanks for the heads up.


I'm still gonna get the truck dirty - I'll have to reroute, though.

 

[wesintl]

take the same route. go over williams then back over handcock and then back cumberland to cottonwood?

 

[pramjockey]

That's a really interesting thought, Wes. I've not done Williams pass before - how bad is it?

 

[wesintl]

It'll give you some pinstripping since the brush is on the trail tight but a stock truck with sliders you would be fine. you should be fine without a rear locker too. being lifted would help ease all that but I can tell your specs from the avatar pic.

hth

 

[pramjockey]

It'll give you some pinstripping since the brush is on the trail tight but a stock truck with sliders you would be fine. you should be fine without a rear locker too. being lifted would help ease all that but I can tell your specs from the avatar pic.

hth

Pinstriping's fine. I've got the locker, but no lift (yet). Need to convince the wife on that one.


So, now the plan is Hancock road to williams pass, to cumberland pass to tincup pass (want to see if that BMW is still up there). We'll leave at 8:00; I'll set up a meetpoint when I get home and identify a reasonably sized parking lot.

 

[Seldom Seen]

As of Sun 8/15 the road from St Elmo to the Hancock town site is closed 0.5mi from St Elmo. Hancock Pass is open from the town site over to the turn off to Alpine Tunnel. IAW with people I talked to the mud hole on Williams is "door handle deep" and best if you travel with someone else to winch off of or strap you. Tomichi is open, but as we found out, had just opened on Sun. There was a rock slide on the Pitkin side, just as you start the shelf road at treeline. The repair is very narrow, off camber and soft. We were the 1st full sized to make it over since the repair and the pucker factor was a 9 out of 10.

 

[wesintl]

.

 

[Seldom Seen]

back at ya.

 

[pramjockey]

Sigh. Maybe I should stick to the paved trails?

 

[wesintl]

this would give you a good idea what it looks like. If the mudhole (pic120) is just filled with water it shouldn't be too bad but as long as someone is with you it should be fine.
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/560536844eAXGpO

 

[rgsiii]

As of Sun 8/15 the road from St Elmo to the Hancock town site is closed 0.5mi from St Elmo. Hancock Pass is open from the town site over to the turn off to Alpine Tunnel. IAW with people I talked to the mud hole on Williams is "door handle deep" and best if you travel with someone else to winch off of or strap you. Tomichi is open, but as we found out, had just opened on Sun. There was a rock slide on the Pitkin side, just as you start the shelf road at treeline. The repair is very narrow, off camber and soft. We were the 1st full sized to make it over since the repair and the pucker factor was a 9 out of 10.

It is amazing at how little the agencies know. I talked to somebody at the Gunnison NF office last week and he said that they were not going to start working on Tomichi until the fall or next year.

Thanks for the information.

 

[nakman]

.... Tomichi is open, but as we found out, had just opened on Sun. There was a rock slide on the Pitkin side, just as you start the shelf road at treeline. The repair is very narrow, off camber and soft. We were the 1st full sized to make it over since the repair and the pucker factor was a 9 out of 10.

Hey I think I know where that is...

 

[pramjockey]

OK, here's what I'm thinking. It's a bit of a different route, but could work out OK.

Head down 285 to Poncha Springs, then take Marshall Pass via the Poncha Creek 4x4 road to Sargents. Then head up Middle Quartz Creek to Black Sage Pass to Waunita pass to Pitkin. Then, Cumberland pass to Tincup, with a final leg over Tincup Pass to St. Elmo. Granted, not too strenuous as far as obstacles go, but should be absolutely beautiful this time of year. If we get to St. Elmo and haven't had enough, we can certainly dip down into Mt. Antero/Browns Lake or Grizzly Lake.

I'm hoping from what I've read that all of this should be open (no washouts).

If you're interested in coming, we'd love to have you! pramjockey (at) pramjockey (dot) com

 

[rover67]

Hey I think I know where that is...

yeah, that's got the be the same exact spot.