Quite literally chicken and egg problem!
Events/Trails OFFICIAL LCDC 10 Thread (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter codyaustin5
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Quite literally chicken and egg problem!
indycole
GOLD Star
We've occasionally had first-time attendees lead trails. Qualification-wise, we don't have anything written down to share so something like either a phone call or a reference from a mutual friend would work. We just want to make sure that new leaders have a solid combination of familiarity with the trails they're leading and/or significant offroad experience. Prior experience leading groups isn't necessarily a hard requirement though it helps. A lot of it comes down to soft-skills and nuts-and-bolts kinda stuff like showing up to the rendezvous point on time, feeling out your group for experience level, setting the tone for the type of day y'all want to have, enforcing trail ethics, pathfinding, calling audibles based on weather or breakdowns, and generally getting people safely on and off the trail.
Stuff like recovery and spotting does come up, but we try not to put too much on the leaders. Ideally, another experienced member in the group would marshall a recovery while the leader looks out for everyone else. The trails we run, especially those in Ouray, typically don't require spotting. Most spotting is done ad-hoc.
I have no idea if we'll need to this year, but in the past we've opened up additional spots for leaders after the initial registration. Last year was the first time we were able to hold the event without a single leader needing to lead more than one trail. I think that was a nice reprieve. I suspect this year we'll definitely have cases where leaders need to lead multiple trails.
indycole
GOLD Star
And, speaking of trails, here's what we currently have on the table:
Of course, leaders will be welcome to tweak the routes. We'll likely do two runs on the more popular routes per day.
- Black Bear: Black Bear Pass, returning via the highway, Last Dollar Road, or Imogene depending on weather, trail traffic, and time
- Imogene: Imogene Pass, returning via the highway, Last Dollar Road, or Ophir
- Alpine Loop: Animas Forks, Engineer Pass and Cinnamon pass via Lake City, starting and returning via Silverton to save travel
- Poughkeepsie: Mineral creek to poughkeepsie Gulch, extending to more gulch trails (Corkscrew or California/Placer/Picayne) and returning via the highway
- Basins: Yankee Boy + Governor + Silver (maybe), out and back from Ouray
- Gulches: Corkscrew Gulch to Animas Forks, extending to more gulches (Placer, Picayne, Maggie, Minnie) and returning via the highway or Mineral Creek downhill if folks want a sporty end to the day
- Mines: some combination of Clear Lake + Bandora Mine, Red Mountain Mine Trails / Yankee Girl, US Basin, and Brown Mountain
- Ophir: an easier day on Ophir Pass returning via Last Dollar Road with the potential to explore some spurs along the way such as Porphyry Gulch, for instance
- Stony Pass: Run the first half of Stony Pass while hitting Buffalo Boy Mine, Kite Lake, and maybe Arrastra Gulch, returning via the highway
Of course, leaders will be welcome to tweak the routes. We'll likely do two runs on the more popular routes per day.
Previous leader here 
Happy to Lead Alpine Loop one day and Imogene/Ophir another. Just want to be a participant on Black Bear
I like to run Alpine loop back through corkscrew, California Peak Red Mountain to the highway
Happy to Lead Alpine Loop one day and Imogene/Ophir another. Just want to be a participant on Black Bear
I like to run Alpine loop back through corkscrew, California Peak Red Mountain to the highway
kcjaz
SILVER Star
they let me lead in a Tacoma last year. The bar is low.
For a more helpful answer, qualified with, I am not an event organizer, IMO the biggest criteria is desire to lead, being comfortable communicating/talking to people (soft skills/cat herding), and basic navigation skills. For me, I want to pre-run the trail so I know exactly what we are heading into. You do need to get the group out and back safely. The trails range in technical difficulty so offroad skills isn't a huge factor for every trail but you do need to deal with "stuff happens" cuz it can even on dirt roads (ask me why I ran my Taco in last year's LCDC). Last year was my 4th LCDC and first time leading trails. It wasn't the wheeling part that made me think about do I want to lead or not, it was more the logistical and people aspects. My leader experience was great, I'm glad I did it and I will happily do it again. Sounds like you have all the skill required.
TheGrrrrr
GOLD Star
I was thinking about that last night and the only idea I came up with is you do exactly what they plan to this year, but they set aside like 10 spots for 1st timers and make those spots a lottery. There are no perfect answers. I do also like what Cruise Moab used this year for randomizing the lobby before general registration.
Either way I really think the setup this year will result in the biggest group ever so that should afford more access than ever. Nobody can ask for more than that.
No matter what, someone won't get registered or will get waitlisted and be frustrated. There is no escaping it. If it were me in that position, I'd make clear that I was willing and able to lead a trail. Life happens and people drop out, sometimes even trail leaders. I would also probably still go to Ouray, coordinate with folks here on the forum to hang out for dinner, drinks or even do some ad hoc trails. Lots of people do extra unofficial trails after their official trail is finished.
You can have a great week and meet a lot of people and hit the best trails of your life, without attending the event. You just need to respect the event and its sponsors and not crash the official stuff. Thats what I'll be doing for Solid Axle Summit. I'm waitlisted, but I'm still going to be wheeling in the area that week and will be hanging out with whoever I know from the forum or meet at the KOA. I won't go to the official evening events or get a swag bag, but I'll still have a great week, meet lots of new people and without a doubt find some folks to do trails with in the afternoon. That means I get to sleep in, clear the cobwebs, have some breakfast, relax and have my own pace to the trail, run a trail that sounds good in the moment, probably in a smaller group, and be able to call an audible if some unexplored gulch looks cool.
There is another 200 series event that’s literally in the same area that ends the day before LCDC starts! So if you can’t get into LCDC maybe check out the other post that’s pinned here: COTRockies
Hopefully that helps get people out in the San Juan’s and using these trucks the way we built them for!
Having been a part of running Cruise Moab for years and now just Volunteering& Leading Trails, I don't think it is fair to second guess the decisions Cody and Cole have made. They evaluated what they thought was best, made a decision and moved on. Lets honor all their hard work by not creating unneeded angst buy second guessing or theorizing how it works etc.
Other events have an early registration for leaders and those who have put the work in. You just don't know about it. Cole and Cody have been very transparent here. Lets not teach them to avoid that next time
Those that send messages to the organizers with experience on leading those specific trails can sometimes get in by helping the event be successful. Not saying that will happen here as I am not part of planning or running this event
Other events have an early registration for leaders and those who have put the work in. You just don't know about it. Cole and Cody have been very transparent here. Lets not teach them to avoid that next time
Those that send messages to the organizers with experience on leading those specific trails can sometimes get in by helping the event be successful. Not saying that will happen here as I am not part of planning or running this event
Funny, 2 years ago after Breckenridge LCDC we ended up behind a SAS group going up Imogene. They were going to let us go first, but it was only my daughters second trail (behind driving a part of Corkscrew the day before) so I told them to go first, and the leader told us to follow and radio him if we had any issues. I spotted my daughter from the passengers seat, and the tail gunner hung back a few times to make sure she made it through ok, even though we weren’t part of the group (or even a solid axle cruiser).
Honestly I was touched by how great the group was, especially given how we weren’t part of their group, weren’t trying to tag along, and were a bit slower than they were. So my message to the group: Certainly don’t try to crash someone else’s trails, but also don’t be surprised if other cruiserheads offer to spot you, let you follow them, take pics or videos for you, or stop to chat with you in town by all means at least thank them even if you can’t take them up on it.
(Pic that @reddog90 shot with me by the truck because driving out onto the edge was literally the only thing my daughter refused to do).
indycole
GOLD Star
Markuson
SILVER Star
Y. E. S. !
TheGrrrrr
GOLD Star
I can almost hear Mark telling a story from here.
laserturbo91
GOLD Star
You’ll get in, you just need to finish the week
1world1love
SILVER Star
If I can swing it then I’m in for leading something!
But for sure I’ll provide a nice bribe if I can land in the group led by @TheGrrrrr and @Gregtoy144 on Poughkeepsie. That was blast last time and still one of my all time favorite drives.
Edited because the pics didn’t show up first time.
But for sure I’ll provide a nice bribe if I can land in the group led by @TheGrrrrr and @Gregtoy144 on Poughkeepsie. That was blast last time and still one of my all time favorite drives.
Edited because the pics didn’t show up first time.
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Very excited to be talking LCDC again and like our last one in Fort Collins this will be towards the end of a much longer adventure so we should be seasoned enough to lead a trail if needed. Looking forward to seeing everyone again.
prharper
GOLD Star
I regret that I didn't go do Poughkeepsie with you guys on the last day. Had to take the family to Telluride.
I'm gonna try to swing it this year for sure!
I can tell this is going to be a good one! We didn't get to page 8 of the LCDC9 thread until June.
@PhuckItImDone Just remember to flush the mud out of the radiator really good this time. LolYou’ll get in, you just need to finish the week
TheGrrrrr
GOLD Star
You’ll get in, you just need to finish the week
Mr. Sheared Rear Shock Bolt himself talking smack. Well I never! Lets see... how many times have you sheared a rear shock on an LCDC (or LCDC adjacent) run with me?
- LCDC 6 - Fort Collins 2020 - Was it T33/ironclads on Friday or did you notice at the meetup for Storm Mountain on Saturday? I think I have a photo of @Markuson pulling the driver rear shock in the parking lot by the river.
- LCDC 7 - Ouray 2021 - Poughkeepsie Gulch - I definitely have a photo somewhere of you pulling the driver rear shock next to Lake Como
- LCDC 8 - Breckenridge 2022 - This was the post LCDC Ouray run where we came in via Engineer Pass/Mineral Creek from Breck and you pulled the shock in a Ouray parking lot after dinner. @kcjaz was a witness.
- LCDC 9 - Ft. Collins 2023 - I can't remember what you broke (not a rear shock?) but you were once again under your truck in a parking lot if memory serves. Like opening night? At the brewery? @linuxgod had to take you back to Denver to get a part while @PhuckItImDone , Gabe and I sat around in the middle of night guarding your rig?
PSA: If you see a Green 200 with Maryland plates in front of you and you have icon shocks... Choose a different line.
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