Trip Report - 3rd Annual 100s in the Hills (1 Viewer)

[AimCOtaco]

^^ Theres just something about that first pick I really like!
I noticed looking at the black bear photos that my RTT looked out of place. Walked out to the driveway for a look and sure enough, the tent moved about 4-6" to the passenger side. I think this was this obstacle that did it.

 

[e9999]

let's hear a bit more about this Black Bear Pass road (I think - the steep back and forth hairpin affair) for first-time flatlanders. How bad is it? Liquefyingly bad or just regular scary? How narrow?

 

[MtnAddict]

To quote my previous post, where pictures have been temporarily removed:
I was spotting some vehicles at the steps on Black Bear and "someone" from the east coast said:
“Dude, I think I just “messed” my pants". Another said "that was the scariest thing I have ever done".
I have been on Black Bear a few times and when you come around that bend at the steps and you are looking down into Telluride, it is a little overwhelming. If you do Black Bear and you are not scared at all, that's when things can go wrong really quick...

 

[AimCOtaco]

Well at one point I was seeing 1" from the slider to the inside wall and 2" from the front fender to the inside wall. My wife/passenger was calling me to go more driver side as I had 6-8" from the loose, washed out edge leading to certain death... so not bad really. Technically it's easy, seat of the pants it's hard, definitely a mental game. While watching my go pro clips of the upper section certain parts of my anatomy clenched up again.

 

[paflytyer]

If you do Black Bear and you are not scared at all, that's when things can go wrong really quick...

^This! There were a few switchbacks in the rain where you applied the brakes and you'd just skid to a stop. All the rain made it slick, and that is one trail where slick is scary. The rain on the steps got my attention. It didn't matter what kind of tires you had, you were gonna slide a little. The trail itself is not difficult.

You should have your mind right before you start down. If you can do that, anyone can do it. My wife is petrified of heights, exposure and shelf roads so this is never a family run for us.

 

[MtnAddict]

It's definitely mental. The trail seems more narrow than the Cruiser and you have rock wall on one side and a 60-90 degree drop off on the other side, plus you are sitting on loose rock. When you tell someone they have another two feet to go, you can almost see the anguish in their face as they ease forward.
Once you start the descent, there is no turning around.

My wife doesn't mind it, but when she gets out, there are nail marks on the inside door handles. Haha Nice!

 

[paflytyer]

Well at one point I was seeing 1" from the slider to the inside wall and 2" from the front fender to the inside wall. My wife/passenger was calling me to go more driver side as I had 6-8" from the loose, washed out edge leading to certain death... so not bad really. Technically it's easy, seat of the pants it's hard, definitely a mental game. While watching my go pro clips of the upper section certain parts of my anatomy clenched up again.

I was the only one who was riding solo in our group, and the tail gunner. Thanks to AimCOtaco and his lovely bride for spotting me through the skinny sections. There were times when she was hanging out their window, literally thousands of feet of air below her and spotting me through.

I'm a sissy, but I wouldn't run that trail alone. I like hearing "you've got 2 or 3 inches of road left, you're good"

God forbid, if something ever went wrong, there is absolutely zero chance of surviving. If that doesn't raise your blood pressure, you shouldn't be on the trail at all. I was mentally whooped when it was over.

 

[B-RAD]

On Black Bear, I had my kids jump out for about 100-150 feet of the trail I was huggin' the inside edge...let's just say that some steel wool and semi-gloss paint was used on Monday for my sliders! It's tight. I am good for a couple of years before I do it again!

 

[Moody]

More:

 

[elkaholic]

I would agree with all the comments about the mental piece of Black Bear having run it several times, but always in SWB rigs. It is on my list to do in the 200 once i have it mildly built. I have always wanted to go out for the Telluride Rotary Tour and run it backwards - not sure that event even happens anymore.

The best description I ever heard of the switchbacks was from a friend in Tennessee about 15 years ago. His description was something like

- pull forward
- set line lock
- verify line lock is set
- reverify line lock
-re reverifiy line lock
- notice that you can see noting but air and clouds through the windshield
- check line lock again
- with clutch depressed, shift to reverse
- restart engine because you were pressing the brake and jammed tranny in reverse without using the clutch
- actually depress clutch this time and shift into reverse
- ease clutch out a little and feel that vehicle is actually straining to back up
- repeat last two steps about four times. On fourth repetition, give er a little throttle and release line lock
- back up one foot and stop
- cut wheels fully right (or left as the case may be)
- ease forward about a foot
- goto step two and repeat .... If you are lucky, it'll be a 10 point process that'll feel like it takes half an hour

The steps are somewhat exaggerated, but the mental game is tough for a flatlander.

Sent from my iPad using IH8MUD

 

[ntsaint]

This flat lander was only uncomfortable in one location during the entire trip, and it was on the steps on Black Bear. Technically it was cake. But visually it was intimidating as hell. And narrow. I drug my sliders against the rock wall twice making sure I was hugging the inside.

And for the record, it was me who said 'that was scariest thing I have ever done.' And it was. But I would do it again tomorrow!

After that, the switchbacks were cake.

Can't wait till next year!

Sent from my iPhone using IH8MUD, and hopefully approved by the NSA.

 

[MtnAddict]

And for the record, it was me who said 'that was scariest thing I have ever done.' And it was. But I would do it again tomorrow!

Good to hear it!!

 

[tabraha]

I think Black Bear has an added element in a 100 that is missing in a SWB vehicle. The 2 biggest moments for me on black bear were on the switchbacks watching the vehicles in front do a 4 wheel slide in the wet and knowing that it was coming my way next. The other moment was where the back end kicked out and we needed a spotter. I wanted to turn left so bad but of course had faith in the spotting and am here to type this message today LOL.

It was kinda funny too not knowing what the optional and bypass lines were so I would see 100's just going all different directions at a couple times. Then after I was committed I would see Christo up ahead and just smile and think, "guess I'm probably running the optional!"

 

[AimCOtaco]

BANG!

'ol man curve:

 

[aaronrules]

After looking at the pics, I beat my boy for letting him talk me into skipping Black Bear! Don't worry I only hit him when we got into the house. So no one "saw" anything. He knows better now though...daddy gets to do his trail rides first...then we can the dumb stuff like hot springs or whatever

 

[2000UZJ]

'ol man curve:

lol...I thought I heard wrong on the radio.

 

[DJWUZJ]

Photo Catalog Update

We already have some awesome uploads from JonHarris, NTSaint, AimCOtaco, and paflytyer... I'm in the process of dumping another 329 i scrubbed/edited last night. They should all be done downloading in the next couple of hours.

Again, it would be awesome if we can amass a huge catalog for folks to sort through. This way no one will be short handed on photos of their truck on the trails! The link again to view, download, and post is:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1qKj8gppUWUNmVXYzNYMzNIVms&usp=sharing

 

[2000UZJ]

We already have some awesome uploads from JonHarris, NTSaint, AimCOtaco, and paflytyer... I'm in the process of dumping another 329 i scrubbed/edited last night. They should all be done downloading in the next couple of hours.

Again, it would be awesome if we can amass a huge catalog for folks to sort through. This way no one will be short handed on photos of their truck on the trails! The link again to view, download, and post is:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1qKj8gppUWUNmVXYzNYMzNIVms&usp=sharing

I will start uploading mine on Saturday. Rough estimate is around 3000 pictures. Some of the panoramas that we took our so-called that we're going to order them on the canvas sheets to hang on walls.

 

[bamabrock]

Ill get mine up this weekend when I finally go home. Ive been in biloxi, ms since at a conference.

 

[paflytyer]

I'm going back and editing some pics that I uploaded. They'll be back up soon.