August Trail Ride, Saturday 16 Mosquito Pass/Weston Pass

[LCPilot]

The August monthly trail ride is on the schedule for Saturday the 16th of August.

If you want to convoy over, meet at the Divide Philips 66 at 6:45 am. We leave as soon as we account for the the people that signed up (7:15). We can stop at the Exxon Station at the near side of Fairplay for bathroom/food stop.

Bring a GMRS radio, channel 15, lunch, and all of the needed recovery and safety gear.

 

[joshestes]

I can meet yall around 8ish at the Exxon in Fairplay. I'm excited. This will be my first group cruiser ride. Just gotta replace both CV axles before then but no biggie.

 

[COS80]

I've been looking forward to driving this trail since I rode it as a passenger in 2022! I will be stopping at the Philips in Divide.

 

[SAS]

I'm not going to be able to make this one--enjoy, guys!!! Note--afternoon storms/showers daily in Leadville, so go prepared.
@joshestes glad that you joined us on the forum!!!

 

[LCPilot]

I have a previous engagement for Saturday so I will not be on this trip.

 

[COS80]

Is anyone else going? @joshestes how are those axles coming?

 

[Goslow]

Thinking about going. Will post my decision later this week.

 

[TK470]

Thinking about going. Will post my decision later this week.

Same. I really want to go, but not sure I have the bandwidth with my other obligations. I'm leaning towards yes though.

 

[Goslow]

I’ll be going and riding with COS80. My truck needs new ball joints and I don’t have time to get them in before this trip.

 

[COS80]

I'm aware that at least one other person is going.

 

[Goslow]

The other person mentioned in post #10 will meet us at the Phillips.

 

[EricG]

I'll be there ... but 0645 ... damn

 

[COS80]

Three trucks showed up: Maldavid, EricG, and me (with Goslow as a passenger). The trail was mostly as I remembered it, though much less severe than it seemed when I was on one of my first-ever offroad rides back in 2022. We stopped to look at the ruins of the London Mine and nerded out with a tape measure, trying to reverse engineer how the steam engine interfaced with the generator parts lying next to it. Then we drove up the neighboring hill to look at the pile of old tin cans, only to discover that someone cleaned most of them up! That was the day's greatest disappointment. We stopped by many old mines, too.

Next, we went up to the top of Mosquito Pass and drove both of the trails to the left and the right, the one to the right going up to some radio equipment. From the latter peak, the entire valley we drove earlier was visible, which was pretty cool!

Next, we headed down the hill into Leadville, and then over to Weston Pass. Weston is actually kind of boring, IMO - no more of a thrill than Rampart Range Road. After that, we went to a close-by trail I forget the name of, and revisited a site Vic had camped at 30 years prior. Some great campsites back in there.

Mosquito Pass is a terrific trail. We are going to spend a day, next year, exploring some of the other side trails in that valley next year.

 

[COS80]

This happened at that visitors' center on Hwy 24, where we stopped to have a bite on the drive home.

 

[Goslow]

Nerding out with the tape measure…

 

[Goslow]

Here are a few random pictures from the trip.