CLC Monthly Trail Ride 2/21/2026 Cripple Creek Ice Carving

[LCPilot]

Meet at the Coyote Coffee Den ( Coyote Coffee Cafe - https://www.coyotecoffeecafe.com/ ) in Penrose, arrive by 9:00 leave at 9:15 and then drive Shelf Road to view the Ice Carving Festival in Cripple Creek , eat lunch from street vendors (or bring you own) . Drive Phantom Canyon Road South to Canon City. Optional is to then drive in the Banks, Penrose Common etc. as time and motivation permits. The location and date is set to allow the group to spend time at the middle of the day in Cripple Creek and see the Ice Carving Competition.


Remember to bring a GMRS radio (we use channel 15-0), recovery gear, winter clothes, tire chains, coffee and snack or lunch.


7 vehicles, 8 people, 86 hours

 

[LCPilot]

I'll be going on this with a guest.

 

[ICD FJ40]

I'm in

 

[COS80]

This post is for anyone reading this thread and debating whether they should join.

This is a great trip for anyone who wants to try some light off-roading in a friendly environment. You do not have to drive a Land Cruiser, but you do have to have four-wheel drive. The trails are not hard, and you're unlikely to sustain any damage, even to your paint (note that there is ALWAYS SOME risk, and that's on you). These trails are breathtakingly-gorgeous, though. The trails bring you to Cripple Creek right at lunchtime, and the street vendors are superb, as are the artists sculpting ice. This trip makes for a great family outing.

For those wanting more adventure, the Bank is a great trail, and there's good exploring at Penrose Commons.

Cripple Creek Ice Festival will transform busy street into a frozen art gallery

Some art endures for centuries, seemingly frozen in time. Then there is the art at Cripple Creek Ice Festival: actually frozen, but only for a few days. When your medium is a 300-pound block of ice, time is not on your side. And neither is the sun. But the six professional carving teams...

gazette.com

 

[COS80]

That said, I won't be there. Still recovering.

 

[COS80]

1-3" of snow in CR overnight. You guys are gonna have such a great ride tomorrow!

 

[TK470]

I'll be there tomorrow. I've also got one friend from work confirmed in his own vehicle, and a few others that might be able to make it in their own vehicles.

 

[SAS]

I'll be there, too!

 

[COS80]

Oh, I had the date wrong. I still won't be able to join.

 

[SAS]

Good trip, thanks to @LCPilot for organizing and leading!

We had 7 rigs on this one, including an FJ40, an FJ60, an LX450, plus an FJCruiser, 4Runner, GX470, and one new Bronco. Three rigs were driven by guests invited by LCPilot and @TK470. I'm glad to have you join us! A great start to a new year of trails and adventures!

 

[LCPilot]

A nice but little chilly day. The burrito at Coyote was tasty. The drive up Phantom Canyon was pretty. The hillsides were dotted with snow that hadn't melted yet. There was some creative ice sculptures on display. It seemed to me that the number of sculptures, sellers and crowds was about half of the turnout last year. We drove down shelf road and stopped by the hole in the rock to see if there were any Bighorn sheep out. I didn't see any. We stopped off at the Banks on the way out of the canyon. The 4 runner driver had some concerns about the trail because his vehicle had poor ground clearance. He jumped in with Tim and later agreed that he made the correct decision not to take his vehicle.