*Fourth Annual Ghost Town Run!* July 19th & 20, 2008

[Groucho]

It is time again to plan for one of the most exciting runs of the year! The Ghost Town Run! This year marks the fourth annual run, and we intend to make it another great one!
We are going to re-trace our roots, and re-run the very first GTR route again. We will start out meeting either at the Geocut at the Morrison exit off of I-70, where the convoy will begin, or in Johnson Village(Just south of Buena Vista at the intersection of US40 and US285) on Saturday, July 19th 2008.

This is an overnight trip and we will camp in the Middle Quartz Campground where, during the original run in 2005, we had the entire CG to ourselves. We end up visiting the towns of Tincup, St Elmo, and Pitkin, and going over passes such as Hancock, Tincup and Cumberland. We also make that awesome trip to the west portal of the Alpine tunnel, which was once the nations highest railroad tunnels that also crossed the continental divide. Originally part of the Denver South Park & Pacific railroad, it was an engineering feat that still holds awe and imagination for all generations.

We will be looking to camp friday night in the campground for those folks interested, and then meeting everyone at the truckstop in Johnson Village on saturday morning.

If the camping situation is the same as the first year, we will have plenty of camping spots. Please stay tuned for more details, and post up if you, your families and dogs are going to make it!!

Plus we might be the subject of a very famous author's book--But don't let that out just yet!

 

[nuclearlemon]

sweet! i hope to be in.

 

[Red_Chili]

That should work for me and mine. Mebbe even a couple young Shelties! If current experience is any indication, the fun factor will be multiplied.

 

[Romer]

Nathaniel - how do the logistics work for bringing campers? Are you camping in the same campground Friday, doing the run then going back to the campground and leaving for Home Sunday?

 

[timmbuck2]

Just put this on the calendar...just me, looking for a run to bring the family, but she will be about 8 months pregnant for this trip!!!

T

 

[Red_Chili]

+1 on whether a popup camper would work. FWIW, I do believe I could tow a camper over Hancock and Tincup. Never done Cumberland.

 

[subzali]

Ooo...ahhh...

 

[Groucho]

Nathaniel - how do the logistics work for bringing campers? Are you camping in the same campground Friday, doing the run then going back to the campground and leaving for Home Sunday?

Campers would do ok, but the CG is not overwhelmed with large spaces. Yes, same CG for both Friday and Saturday. **The run itself is just an overnight on Saturday. ** Some of us like to go up the night before, but that means that we are up early to meet eveyone else on Saturday morning. The good thing about the CG is that it is not easily accessable to the Geo Tracker folks, and there are many spaeces just outside the CG "proper" that we used the first trip that were technically "primitive" spaces. The CG itself is is just south of CO 839 which is the road that leads from Pitkin to the west portal of the Alpine Tunnel. The road is actually CO 767, and it goes off almost 3 miles on its own and dead ends into a loop. See the link.
Middle Quartz Creek CG
Maximize the screen, Pitkin is to the far left, and the red circle is where the CG is. CO 839 is visible above the road to the CG, and that is how we come into the CG from Hancock Pass.
I will be staging a recon party to get some good detailed fotos of the CG later on as spring snow melts.

Just put this on the calendar...just me, looking for a run to bring the family, but she will be about 8 months pregnant for this trip!!!

T

We will have (for the second time!) our 3-4 mo old with us. During the first GTR, we had Emilee with us, who also was 3-4 months old. It was a chilly 45° overnight at 9500 feet above sea level, and she did awesome bundled up. Congrats!

+1 on whether a popup camper would work. FWIW, I do believe I could tow a camper over Hancock and Tincup. Never done Cumberland.

Bill, I think that Tincup Pass is by far the most difficult that we will be doing. Hancock is a close second in terms of difficulty, and Cumberland is everything but paved.

 

[Corbet]

I'm in if time permits.

With all this camper talk I assume a stock 80 will do just fine?

 

[bh4rnnr]

I'm in. And it looks like my GF will be in town for the run. Planning on having the 4runner ready for the trip

 

[Groucho]

More info on the CG

Middle Quartz Creek/Pitkin Campground -

*** This area is shown on pages 58 & 59 on the Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer "Topo Maps of the Entire State" *** or on MapQuest on the internet (zoom in, zoom out, pan any direction, or select "road map" for directions)[/URL]

To get there, you continue West on highway 50 past Sargent; turn right (North) onto county road 76 at Parlin. You go through Ohio and Pitkin. After Pitkin, it becomes Forest Road 765. About 1 mile past Pitkin (I didn't measure it) is Pitkin Campground, a Forest Service "Fee" campground ($12). (Pitkin Campground has a lot of pull-through spaces and room for larger campers, clean toilets with lights, trash dumpsters, and grey-water dump station. This Campground is a backup, but is usually full.) Additional camp sites are along Middle Quartz Creek. Just go about 1/2 mile past Pitkin Campground, cross a cattle-guard, and turn right at the "Middle Quartz Creek" sign. The road follows Middle Quartz Creek up a valley where there are nice, open areas for free primitive camping, and there is another Forset Service "fee" campground (Middle Quartz Creek CG) at the top of the valley. This area is right at the base of Williams Pass, Hancock Pass, Alpine Tunnel, etc.

 

[corsair23]

Nathaniel - how do the logistics work for bringing campers? Are you camping in the same campground Friday, doing the run then going back to the campground and leaving for Home Sunday?

What about a RTT

Something about pulling a camper up over Monarch Pass makes me cringe a little...sloooooowwwww

 

[treerootCO]

I would like to make this run.

 

[Romer]

I'm in. And it looks like my GF will be in town for the run. Planning on having the 4runner ready for the trip

Some how I think we will be seeing a different Perry than the GTR in 2006

 

[cbmontgo]

Sounds like a great trip. I should be living in Denver by then; I will try to make this my maiden voyage with you guys...

 

[corsair23]

Sounds like a great trip. I should be living in Denver by then; I will try to make this my maiden voyage with you guys...

- Bring your trailer with the RTT

This sounds like the PERFECT trip for a trailer with a RTT. Hmmm...I have a little trailer...And I have a RTT... Find a willingand I might be golden ...I keep waiting for Drew to finish mine that he has been building but

 

[cbmontgo]

- Bring your trailer with the RTT

This sounds like the PERFECT trip for a trailer with a RTT. Hmmm...I have a little trailer...And I have a RTT... Find a willingand I might be golden ...I keep waiting for Drew to finish mine that he has been building but

Oh, I'll definitely bring it. I think it will be perfect for some mild weather camping. We just got back from a trip with it last weekend. I have really enjoyed the convenience of it.

If you can't get a welder on board, you can always buy some time by building a deck out of plywood. That's what I did, and it has held up perfectly for a couple of years now.

 

[psfpilot]

Please count us in for two people, one vehicle.

Do you use ham, CB, GMRS/FMRS, or all of the above for trail communication?

...With all this camper talk I assume a stock 80 will do just fine?

Corbet, I PM'd Groucho about that issue, and here's what he said:

...
This run is not by any means difficult. Very few close trees where pinstriping would be a major concern. These roads are all forest service roads, many actually were old railroad grades, so spacing on the sides is much more than needed for a Cruiser. It is a lot of fun, and anyone with a stock LandCruiser and reasonable driving skills will not have a hint of worry. It is geared to be a family run, with more scenic and historical value than wheeling. 4WD is only necessary on one or two short places, and those are all bypass-able, so I think it is right up the alley of what you were looking for.
...

 

[farnhamstj]

Farnham's family is in. I loved that run. Excect for the hail storm at and lightning 11,000 ft. Stock 100 had no issues.

 

[lfd270ben]

I am in Now I just need to find a dolly to tow my 40 on.