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Black Bear Pass / Imogene Pass 8/1/20

bassguyry

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@gungriffin, @J1000, @MarcusW and I met up off of 285 and 470 Friday morning, and headed out from there. We opted to take 285 instead of I-70, which was an awesome drive (albeit long!). We made it to Corkscrew Pass around 4:30 in the afternoon, and headed up to find a good camping spot, which we found about 3/4 of the way up - amazing views and excellent campfire chats.

We left camp about 8:30AM Saturday morning, and headed for the Black Bear trailhead. To our dismay, the trail was temporarily closed, as a club was running it backwards. Thus, @gungriffin suggested we go run the "Super Secret Trail" from HIH, just across 550 from the Black Bear trailhead (still can't find the trail number - I think it was Ouray County Road 20, or something. We also met a cool couple (Bill and Tiffany) from Utah, who were wheeling a white 100 - they fit in perfectly with us, so they ran Super Secret Trail and Black Bear with us. Super fun and scenic trail, and it looped right back onto 550, so once we were finished, we just hopped right onto Black Bear.

This was my first trip to Black Bear, and it definitely didn't disappoint. @gungriffin was nice enough to lead, since he was the only one in the group who had run it before. The Steps were terrifying, but an absolute blast. The switchbacks weren't as bad as I thought they'd be - just a lot of 2-3 point turns! Imogene was gorgeous - at points it was like being on the moon or Mars - with all the grey and red colors.

After ending Imogene, we headed up Camp Bird road, and found a campsite off the northern entrance/exit to Imogene. Not as flat as we would've liked, but we were definitely exhausted after a long day of wheeling.

All in all, it was an awesome trip! Great people, cool rigs, and amazing trails. We'll definitely make this an annual trip - I'm addicted!

The campsite off Corkscrew:
PrbIu42.jpg

Sunset at the campsite:
y4FBCzP.jpg

The rigs on Super Secret Trail:
gzgGXcL.jpg

The Steps:
0FNGsSl.jpg

The rigs at the bottom of the Steps:
Lblafys.jpg

My 100, with Telluride in the background:
PezzJrF.jpg

Some cool wildflowers at the top of Super Secret Trail:
fvDobQJ.jpg
 

bassguyry

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Black Bear Summit:
rDWaMfc.jpg

The view of Black Bear switchbacks from Imogene:
2zoZwf8.jpg

Social Tunnel on Imogene:
w9jFCab.jpg

Not exactly sure what @gungriffin is doing here, but it looks entertaining:
WdMviFe.jpg

Working on uploading more pictures from Imogene...
 

bassguyry

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Video of the steps (the Utah couple's 100 is in the frame for this clip - video was shot from my front bumper):

 

Stuckinthe80s

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Awesome pics! Glad you guys had a great time!

I think 285 is actually quicker than going I70. That is, if you go the speed limit. ;)
 

Notyourmomslx450

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amazing pics y'all!!
 

riderjgs

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Been doing Black Bear, Imogene and the others for nearly 50 years in everything from a '49 flat fender jeep to our then-new '73 FJ40 and on to full size Blazer, Suburban and two FJ55s. Still jealous of your trip over the weekend...wish we could have joined you. Some of the most scenic camping in Colorado is up on Imogene, especially when the wildflowers are blooming. Did Cinnamon and Corkscrew, Ophir with more than a dozen 55s on the inaugural Pig Party back in 2017.
 

gungriffin

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On the way out on 550
1-On the Highway.jpg


I believe that this was on Super Secret
2.jpg


Black Bear just after the summit:
3.jpg


4.jpg


Black Bear. The flowers were about 10 days past their prime, but they were still amazing none the less.
5.jpg


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Everyone's photo at the waterfall on Black Bear. The wind was so strong, it was actually blowing the water back up the trail. I thought it was raining at one point! You can hear the water raining down towards the end of the video @bassguyry posted. We also had another great 100 series owner that joined us on Black Bear and Super Secret.
7.jpg

8.jpg

9.jpg
 

bassguyry

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Awesome pics, Ryan!
 

gungriffin

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@MarcusW accidentally selected N instead of R at the 3 point turn on Black Bear and gave his kid a good scare :LOL: This was just before the turn.
10.jpg


Next 2 are on Imogene. The second one definitely helps to convey the height of some of the shelf roads.
11 Imogene.jpg

12 Imogene.jpg


On Sunday everyone else had to get back to prep for the week. I went out and did a few more trails. I started out with Yankee Boy and then did Engineer to Cinnamon Pass to Lake City to head home. I haven't ever gone that way, but I will probably head home that way from now on. Here are a few shots in Yankee.
13 Yankee 1.jpg

14 Yankee 2.jpg
 

gungriffin

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Not exactly sure what @gungriffin is doing here, but it looks entertaining:
WdMviFe.jpg

My girlfriend got a good laugh at this one when I was showing her the photos! It looks dramatic. Palm to face, this was when I was explaining the line because I was on my front cross member from trying to stay away from the edge. The trail looks MUCH wider here than it actually was!

I am going to have to add a new line to my trip departure checklist, reinstall front skid plates. I took them off to grease the drive shaft and change the diff oil and completely forgot to reinstall them before leaving for the trip. Whoops. Glad I didn't forget them for Kelly Flats.
 

gungriffin

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I’ve thought for a long time that the bravest SOB to ever walk the face of the earth was the guy who shingled the roof of the old power plant on Black Bear.

No kidding! Who installed the wood siding on the cliff side of the building too?
 

bassguyry

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No kidding! Who installed the wood siding on the cliff side of the building too?
Well, that settles it. It was clearly built by aliens. No human would attempt such a feat. :D
 

bassguyry

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@J1000 - that is badass, man! I need a drone now! :)
 
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