Official Ouray Trip Info.

[Bruce Miller]

This is unusual, and the first time we've had this issue in the 8 years we've been leading the Ouray trip.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

This is unusual, and the first time we've had this issue in the 8 years we've been leading the Ouray trip.

Interesting. Hopefully it will be cleared and stable come Labor Day

 

[Nay]

Wow, this a usual occurance in the San Jauns?

Yes, it is during heavy moonsoon seasons. I was in the San Juans for a week long trip in 1998 and we ended up blocked for four hours by a 10-15 foot deep major major slide on 550 coming down from Silverton in Ouray (the other side of the slide plunged off a cliff ).

My group stopped to help a family in a sedan with a totally wrecked tire in the pouring rain, and it turns out they had hit one of the first rocks.

Poughkeepsie Gulch is great fun when it's really wet, too, because the rocks on the main obstacle get muddy and the "bypass" is a huge mud slide. Of course, all of this is contingent on it raining while the trip is actually occurring. Things should be better in a few weeks than they are now.

Nay

 

[lx450landcrusier]

ok both passes are open today got them finished up although will still be clearing off some left over debris. they will remain open pending weather. this is a uasual occurance here although this year has seemed to be a bit wetter. its not so much the rain thats the problem its the hard down pours that cause the slides.

heres a few pics from earlier this summer last pic is of a 4 food deep crater left from that larger rocks hitting the road below. if only i could show you the videos of the bolders the size of cars going off the top.

mike

 

[MDH33]

WoW!

That looks like it would be an exciting job Mike. Very cool.

I did some reading on these trails recently since I haven't been down there to try them yet. Sounds like some (including Black Bear) can be pretty hairy for stock vehicles. Is this the case?

 

[Nay]

WoW!

That looks like it would be an exciting job Mike. Very cool.

I did some reading on these trails recently since I haven't been down there to try them yet. Sounds like some (including Black Bear) can be pretty hairy for stock vehicles. Is this the case?

It's not a stock thing. If you can put a bulldozer on the trail, then a stock 4x4 isn't the problem. On Black Bear, you are talking about tight 3 point (or more) hairpin turns over a dropoff long enough to let you think about it on the way down.

The issue is tolerance to pucker factor, and quite frankly a large and highly modified vehicle with a high center of gravity would be less desirable than a smaller near stock rig with a low center of gravity.

I haven't and won't run Black Bear because I hate those kind of ledge roads and there is no amount of wheeling experience that has changed this. I just don't care to pull up to the lip of 2,000 ft down relying purely on my brakes in order to then back up to get pointed in the right direction.

The day a group runs Black Bear is a great day for hot springs and a scenic trip up Tomboy

Nay

 

[MDH33]

The day a group runs Black Bear is a great day for hot springs and a scenic trip up Tomboy

Nay

That sounds like a good plan. Looks like there are a lot more "scenic" trails that would be fun in the area vs the "pucker-factor" trails that have been closed and damaged recently. Not sure I can make this run the same week that I'm planning on the doing the TBP run, but this is all great info for future trips.

 

[bh4rnnr]

ok both passes are open today got them finished up although will still be clearing off some left over debris. they will remain open pending weather. this is a uasual occurance here although this year has seemed to be a bit wetter. its not so much the rain thats the problem its the hard down pours that cause the slides.

heres a few pics from earlier this summer last pic is of a 4 food deep crater left from that larger rocks hitting the road below. if only i could show you the videos of the bolders the size of cars going off the top.

mike

So where do I sign up Looks like an interesting job . Thanks for all the updates. Look forward to meeting ya over a few . Looking forward to this trip. Might have a friend along with me this trip.

 

[lx450landcrusier]

i wouldnt call black bear an easy trail for stock trucks. it is for the majorty of the run however at the top of the waterfall the "stair steps" have been getting worse each year from rain washing them clean, i was up there earlier this summer with a jack hammer trying to flaten them out for the dozer which comes down over them (you want a pucker factor take a bull dozer over that, nothing but a long slid as the tracks are metal and cant hold on that steep of an incline. dont get me wrong its not something a stock truck cant do, ive seen plenty do it you just have to watch your tire placement. It has some of the most amazing views youll see but in reality when they say its a jeep trail it really is, very very tight turns over drop offs as stated.

heres a few more pics.
and the last 2 are from ealier this year up tomboy a few days after clearing the snow away

 

[11thcavdrt]

Any new info. on the trails around Ouray?

This is unusual, and the first time we've had this issue in the 8 years we've been leading the Ouray trip.

______________________________________________________________H
Hi Bruce,whats new with any updated trail info,seems we keep geeting
alot of rain recently,need but puts a compromise on other things.Anyway
my wife found out today she will be able to get the 1st off.since ive never
made a long trip like this with you guys,whats the plan,do just meet some
where in Ouray? or do people meet here and go as a group? looking foward
to it! thxs.
________________
doug tebbe; 96 tacoma,arb front bumper,(no winch yet) arb real locker
4 inch lift,headers,exhaust,32x11.50x15 pro comp mud terrians......

 

[Bruce Miller]

Doug, the "official" schedule is to drive to Ouray on Friday, wheel on Saturday and Sunday, and drive back home on Monday, Labor Day. Our meeting time and place Saturday and Sunday will be 8:00 AM at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool parking lot.

I plan on leaving Longmont on Friday morning, September 1st, probably driving highway 285 to Buena Vista, over Cottonwood Pass to Almont, then highway 135 to Gunnison, then highway 50 to Montrose, then highway 550 into Ouray. What's your trip plans and route?

 

[11thcavdrt]

Doug, the "official" schedule is to drive to Ouray on Friday, wheel on Saturday and Sunday, and drive back home on Monday, Labor Day. Our meeting time and place Saturday and Sunday will be 8:00 AM at the Ouray Hot Springs Pool parking lot.

I plan on leaving Longmont on Friday morning, September 1st, probably driving highway 285 to Buena Vista, over Cottonwood Pass to Almont, then highway 135 to Gunnison, then highway 50 to Montrose, then highway 550 into Ouray. What's your trip plans and route?

_________________________________________________________________

Bruce:

hi ,thxs for the update, as far as i know we are leaving friday morning also,
taking the same route, we have been that once before 2 yrs ago its a nice
drive,long but nice! we are staying in a hotel/motel, all the spaces at the
campground you had suggested were full, called the rivers edge,guess its
real close to the campground though! so unless something changes btw.
now and then,guess we'll see you down there!!!!!! are you staying at the
campgrounds? if so maybe we could get togther fri. evening for dinner or
something!

doug tebbe
96 tacoma

 

[lx450landcrusier]

i will be camping as well but i dont think ill be able to camp at the camp ground you are as mentioned above its full and it seemd kinda costly? I think the girl friend and i will head out to ouray on fri int he morning (an hour away for us ) and scout for a good camp sight close by, others are welcom to camp near us if we do find a good place.

mike

 

[Three Wheel Ben]

Still 7 sites at the ampitheater campground if anyone is interested.

ben

 

[lx450landcrusier]

do you have the info for that camp site or was it posted above?

mike

 

[Three Wheel Ben]

do you have the info for that camp site or was it posted above?

mike

You can make reservations on reserveamerica.com I think it is a forest service campground. Pretty nice. About a mile or so south of town. Straight up the hill to the east from box canyon. We stayed there last year.

 

[lx450landcrusier]

what camp site did you reserve? ill try and get a site close by.

mike

 

[Three Wheel Ben]

what camp site did you reserve? ill try and get a site close by.

mike

We are staying in #12, looks like 5, 6, 18, & 22 are still available. We stayed in 7 last year and remember 5 & 6 being pretty nice. I would go for 6 personally, just down the road from us. Better hurry looks like they are going fast.

ben

 

[Bruce Miller]

You're On The List

Here's the list of who I think is going on the Ouray trip. Let me know if my information is incorrect. The names are: bh4rnnr, lexusben, 11thcavdrt, hulk, wes, baileyfj40, lx450landcruiser, and cruiseroutfit.

I'd like to know who I'm looking for at the meeting place.

 

[Hulk]

I think I'm out.

My inlaws are in Denver for the Willie Nelson concert. So my wife and kids don't have a place to stay while I go wheelin'.