Buena Vista recon trip 3/12

[CO_Hunter]

I'll propose the western meet location for a 7:30 meet and 8:00 departure. Please post up if you are planning to come along.

I talked to the Forest Service and the road to St. Elmo is open, this is the road the FS campgrounds are on. We'll check out Browns Creek as well. Hopefully we will have time to play in the snow.

We need to plan asap according to both the port-potti rental place and campground info as reservations will go quickly.

 

[PPFJ60]

I'll be going but I think I will be waiting for you in Divide.

 

[black95]

I am thinking of going. My wife Heather expressed interest in going, she will most likely make up her mind the night before. What are the plans? are we running any trails? Just checking on campsites? I'm pretty broke these days, If the wife doesn't go, and if anyone has an extra seat I might be interested in paying for some gas and tagging along.

 

[PPFJ60]

Luke,

I think Diana and the girls have something planned for that day so I think I will be on my own so if you want to team up we can work it out.

 

[black95]

That would be a better deal for me. No sense in taking the red pickup just so I can drive my own. Go green! Lol. I'll kick the and see if I can get an answer soon.


On a side note:
Got the carb kit in for the FJ40 yesterday! The interior is back together, but not finished. Won't be long now.

 

[CO_Hunter]

I should have room as well, if you decide you want to ride along with some LX class I could even put on a movie of your choice with cold beverages in the fridge. I probably have enough capacity in my inverter to run a popcorn popper. Maybe I could sell a seat

For trails, after scouting the two campground locations, I'd like to hear of some options. A guy on Rising Sun was asking about that so I'd like to post something over there. I really don't know that area so I need your input.

Get busy on the 40 and drive it!

 

[black95]

So is anyone else planning on coming along on this? Just curious, looking for some suggestions for a possible trail run. I know almost everything is going to be snowed in. Any ideas?

 

[PPFJ60]

I think the only trail in the area that will be open will be Chinamans.
I'm up for it!

 

[PPFJ60]

So far the list looks like:

Leon
Luke
Chuck

 

[PPFJ60]

The recon Buena Vista trip turned out to be Luke and Chuck.

We found two sites in the dispursed camp area down FS270.

Site 1

 

[PPFJ60]

Site 2 down FS270 is a little further back in the woods but has aspen trees around it.

 

[PPFJ60]

The camp grounds past the Mt. Princeton hot springs are nice spots but only have room for 1 vehicle.

 

[PPFJ60]

We drove up to St. Elmo. The road is plowed but getting any where off the road would only be possible with a snow mobile.

 

[PPFJ60]

We made a short trip up Chinamans. We only made it to the top of Carnage to check it out and then we heard some metal on metal sound on the my 60. When we were most of the way back out we figured out where the noise was coming from. I had put the cross member back on for my front antiwrap bar and it would rub on the front drive shaft if the axle flexed in the right (or wrong) direction. We removed the cross member and walked up Carnage about 2/3 of the way up. After that we headed home.

 

[PPFJ60]

Well I just checked on availability on Mt. Princeton and Chalk Lake campgrounds. Neither one has sites available for the weekend we are planning our trip.

 

[CO_Hunter]

The FS said those campgrounds go fast, I wasn't expecting this fast though. Looks like you guys had a good time though, sorry I had to miss it. Did you guys get some type of location for dispersed spots, either gps, or landmark so we can talk to the FS about dispersed camping? Remember we have to deal with the rule about vehicles not being more than 25' off the road unless it's an "approved area".

 

[PPFJ60]

No GPS coordinates for dispersed camp spots but both of them have established fire rings. Site 1 is where the club stayed two years ago.

 

[black95]

I had a great time, especially since I didn't have to drive. It's nice to just check out the scenery and not worry if one of my junk piles is going to break down. The weather was pretty perfect, and making me want to camp right then. I'm getting in the summer state of mind now.

My vote is still, as always, to camp at Brown's creek. You never really have to worry about there being room, there are no reservations, and being less than 25' off the road is not an issue. The only negative is not having facilities. With a little creativity, that can be solved. I particularly like the area in the back, off of FS 173. It is much more grassy, has aspen cover, and is backed up to the mountain, so you don't get campers behind you. There is plenty of fire wood available, unlike the FS camp spots.

I didn't take very many pictures because my phone camera is not the best. Got a couple of St. Elmo -- It was just amazing how much snow was left up there. I doubt we would have got a chance to visit if it wasn't for the massive Snow Cat they had sitting in town. There were snow mobile trailers everywhere you looked. Snapped one of Chuck picking his line up Carnage as well.

 

[black95]

I will be bringing my camper again this year to the event. It has water and a toilet, which makes it very nice for the wife and kid. I have a few tents also, including a large family tent made for about 10 that I could loan out. Only rule, no dogs in my tent. Let me know if you need one.