Colorado 4x4 trails by Ouray and Lake City with Yokohama Geolander A/T G015

[RT Cruiser]

Hello Members.

We returned yesterday from staying in Lake City and venturing on the 4x4 trails. Here are trails we accomplished:

• Engineer Pass (3x)
• Cinnamon Pass (3x)
• American Basin
• Mineral Creek
• Imogene Pass
• Governor Basin
• Ophir Pass
• Stony Pass to Pole Creek
• Animas Forks to Silverton (4-6x)
• 2/3 of Clear Lake
• Corkscrew Gulch
• Hurricane Pass
• California Gulch

Black Bear Pass was closed due to snow. I've done this trail before in a 4Runner and loved it, and thought it was near the risk factor as I had when I was on Radical Hill. Poughkeepsie Gulch was closed due to snow and trail damage by drivers not using the designated routes. First, I would never drive on Poughkeepsie Gulch in my stock '08 cruiser. Second, please remember it is ILLEGAL to venture off a designated 4x4 road in Colorado. The idiots who messed up Poughkeepsie may have ruined it for everyone else this season when the snow melts. The Forest Service will close a road if there's too much damage by vehicles who stray from the path.

I did not air-down the tires like most people do mainly because I drive faster than most everyone else on the trail. For example, I made it from Animas Forks, over Engineer Pass, and to our stay in Lake City in an hour and 15 mins (mostly because we were all ready for bed!). Before the trip I did not remove the step rails due to time. As others have suggested, I believe removing the step rails would be very prudent.

Discount Tire installed Yokohama Geolander A/T G015 tires a few months ago. They performed well on the trails. Indeed they are not a true trail-running tires. However, 95% of our time in the cruiser is on paved roads. They have performed very well in the snow and rain. There is one exception which is mentioned below.

This is not my first rodeo on the CO 4x4 roads. We did some last year in the Cruiser and when I had a 4Runner I did a lot (including some of the ones above).

Most favorite: Stony Pass to Pole Creek

Least favorite: Corkscrew Gulch

Pucker factor #1: Corkscrew Gulch switchbacks. They are very tight, steep, a lot of loose dirt, with little room to reverse.

Pucker factor #2: From Hurricane Pass towards California Gulch, downhill. The road was steep, wet, loose rock. A few times the rig slid. It's probably the slowest I have ever driven on a 4x4 road.

Pucker factor #3: There's a spot on Mineral Creek where I didn't square the tires coming over a big slab of rock. The left front tire dipped and then the rig tilted towards the edge of the road. It felt like the right rear tire was off the road but most likely it still had contact on the road. A driver coming the other direction saw it and told us, "It probably felt a lot worse than it looked." It reminded me of the time I took my 4Runner over the steep crest of Radical Hill when everything from the cargo area tumbled to the front.

Pucker factor #4: We were on a forest service road about 25 mins east of Lake City. Easy road, no exposure, but it was muddy and the road angled towards the sloping field covered with tree trunks. The grassy area by the road was soaked with water. We had to back up because a Taco with a trailer came the other direction. At one curve where the road dipped, I needed 7-8 attempts to get the cruiser out of its own self-made ruts to steer backwards through the curve and up the rise. We were very concerned the rig was going to slide into several tree trunks and create body damage. I was more concerned in this moment than when I did Black Bear 10 years ago.

Lesson Learned: Corkscrew, Mineral Creek, Engineer, Ophir are easier when traveling from west to east. Imogene is easier going from Ouray to Telluride.

Tips that might help: I swapped out the air filter for an older one while on the trials. Roads were incredibly dusty. I also brought an extra serpentine belt (and a printed diagram!), tools, lots of food and water, winter clothes, binoculars, Kestrel 5200 weather meter. We kept the windows up and a/c on with recirc. We didn't understand why 99% of every other vehicle had their windows open, especially those in Jeeps with the rag-tops rolled back. High-altitude sun and dust so thick you gotta have headlights on... we prefer the let the bottom-side of the 4x4 Land Cruiser do it's phenomenal off-road thing while allowing the top-side do it's phenomenal luxury thing. And keep your MIRRORS TUCKED IN!!! It was very annoying to encounter full size pickups where the driver wouldn't pull in their mirrors. But you'll need to tuck your mirrors in for Mineral Creek and the Telluride side of Imogene Pass if you don't want to put paint on the rock wall.

The Geolanders did great, except for mud. As some of you know, many of the CO back roads have a top layer of fine silt. When these roads are wet, the Geolanders are not capable for the road. I'd never take the Geolanders on Corkscrew, Imogene, Stony, Clear Lake and few other trails if the road was very wet. They do great on the highway.

We had a great time. It was a joy to experience the scenery and also see other Land Cruisers on the trail. We're going back in a few months.

 

[Madtiger]

No pics???

 

[RT Cruiser]

No pics???

Going up Engineer Pass on the western side, about 11,500 feet.

 

[bencallaway]

Cool!

but why don’t you air down??

 

[Hugh Bris 1]

If you still have time in the area I would recommend Wagoner Gulch to Old Carson Townsite and the trails above the townsite.

 

[RT Cruiser]

Cool!

but why don’t you air down??

There are good reasons to air down. I know there are cons not to air down. Last week it made more sense not to air down because daily we were on both paved and 4x4 roads. It's a joy to come down Cinnamon/Engineer, heading towards a place of stay, and go 40-50mph as soon as the road allowed without stopping to air back up - especially have a long day in the back country with a family.

Out of all my 4x4 driving, I've never aired down. Not on Black Bear, Radical Hill, Imogene, Corkscrew, up to 14k on Mt Bross, Ophir, Stony, Pole Creek, Mineral, etc. Maybe next time I'll air 'em down. I have no doubt airing down will give more traction. If I were in a serious pickle, I'd stop and air them down.

 

[RT Cruiser]

If you still have time in the area I would recommend Wagoner Gulch to Old Carson Townsite and the trails above the townsite.

It was on our list but time didn't allow. We wanted to go up there and explore those roads and possible take the trail to Pole Creek. Maybe when we return in Oct.

 

[Karbon]

I have 36k on my G015 tires for similar reasons. I have only done mild dirt and sand runs, while almost everything else is pavement. I got them primarily because I didn't want a separate set of snow tires for wintertime driving between NY, VT, and ME. In that regard they have held up great, only slightly worse than the Nokian snows on the other truck. Was even cruising through a blizzard at 60!

Good to know that I could be more aggressive off-road with them with a few pucker factors!

 

[RT Cruiser]

I have 36k on my G015 tires for similar reasons. I have only done mild dirt and sand runs, while almost everything else is pavement. I got them primarily because I didn't want a separate set of snow tires for wintertime driving between NY, VT, and ME. In that regard they have held up great, only slightly worse than the Nokian snows on the other truck. Was even cruising through a blizzard at 60!

Good to know that I could be more aggressive off-road with them with a few pucker factors!

I hear ya, similar thoughts here. And yes, they worked great for the trails last week (fully aired up too!).

 

[TeCKis300]

Cool!

but why don’t you air down??

I second this.

As you said you like to drive fast. You'd be amazed what kind of additional pace you can keep aired down allowing tires to become a key part of the suspension. Because of the additional comfort, stability, and traction. Not to mention added tire puncture resistance and suspension wear/tear. All positive things for the type of terrain you're traversing.

Airing down doesn't mean going to extremes. Even if you went down incrementally to say 25-30 PSI, that would make a world of difference. I'd rather air down incrementally and drive on-road, than full pressure in any way off-road. Full pressure off-road is a recipe for punctures and added vehicle (and passenger) wear IMO.

I usually air down to a minimum of 22 psi, and around 16psi for the rougher stuff. Lower still for soft dry sand. (all depends on tire/rim and rig weight however) The performance difference is incomparable.

Sorry if I'm making a case for it. In the end, choice is still yours.

 

[RT Cruiser]

I second this.

As you said you like to drive fast. You'd be amazed what kind of additional pace you can keep aired down. Because of the additional comfort, stability, and traction. Not to mention added tire puncture resistance and suspension wear/tear. All positive things for the type of terrain you're traversing.

Airing down doesn't mean going to extremes. Even if you went down incrementally to say 25-30 PSI, that would make a world of difference. I'd rather air down incrementally and drive on-road, than full pressure in any way off-road. Full pressure off-road is a recipe for punctures and added vehicle wear IMO.

I usually air down to a minimum of 22 psi. The performance difference is incomparable.

Sorry if I'm making a case for it. In the end, choice is still yours.

No, not offended at all. I know it'll help a lot to air down on the trail. I need to start the habit of doing it. Part of the equation is the air pump I have now does not have a strong flow rate. I'll need to replace it for one with a faster flow rate. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

 

[prharper]

No, not offended at all. I know it'll help a lot to air down on the trail. I need to start the habit of doing it. Part of the equation is the air pump I have now does not have a strong flow rate. I'll need to replace it for one with a faster flow rate. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

ARB twin mounted on vehicle or in a case. Typically can air back up in less than 10 mins. There are other less expensive options posted on the forum that also work good. Glad you had fun and no tire punctures.

 

[TeCKis300]

No, not offended at all. I know it'll help a lot to air down on the trail. I need to start the habit of doing it. Part of the equation is the air pump I have now does not have a strong flow rate. I'll need to replace it for one with a faster flow rate. Let me know if you have any recommendations.

Ah, makes sense. Yes, I was previously hesitant to air down too much because of the shear time it took to air up. The last time before getting a real compressor was in Sedona. Local gas station I used the day before had their compressor out of order. Seriously took me an 1:30 with my backup cig lighter air compressor. That was frustrating. Very young kids at the time were complaining. Wife irritated.

Can't go wrong with Arbs. I like Viairs hardmount line.

That aside... Would love to see more pics!

 

[Black200]

Nice, I will definitely look into these trails, I'm hoping to make it out to Colorado by September time. What kind of lift/tire size are you running? Would a stock LC200 be okay without major scraping?

 

[RTaylor]

I‘ve been real happy with my Yokos too. They‘re excellent on the highway and plenty capable for my off road needs.

I’d guess your puckers would be similar with BFGs or other ATs.

I use a portable 10# tank for airing up, which is fast and simple.

 

[Markuson]

There are good reasons to air down. I know there are cons not to air down. Last week it made more sense not to air down because daily we were on both paved and 4x4 roads. It's a joy to come down Cinnamon/Engineer, heading towards a place of stay, and go 40-50mph as soon as the road allowed without stopping to air back up - especially have a long day in the back country with a family.

Out of all my 4x4 driving, I've never aired down. Not on Black Bear, Radical Hill, Imogene, Corkscrew, up to 14k on Mt Bross, Ophir, Stony, Pole Creek, Mineral, etc. Maybe next time I'll air 'em down. I have no doubt airing down will give more traction. If I were in a serious pickle, I'd stop and air them down.

Frankly, a huge reason to air down for Ouray trails is simply a more comfortable ride. Even if just mildly airing down, it helps a lot. Honestly, I 0probably air down more often for passenger comfort than for traction necessity. It just makes for a more pleasant trail. Having a fast compressor goes a long way toward making this convenient with quick refills, btw.

Or...I select a mild air down level that is also reasonable for mid-speed, short-stretch pavement sections...but that’s its own debatable topic.

 

[RT Cruiser]

Nice, I will definitely look into these trails, I'm hoping to make it out to Colorado by September time. What kind of lift/tire size are you running? Would a stock LC200 be okay without major scraping?

No lift for me. It's all stock. Tires are the stock size 285/60-R18. If you go, remove the step running boards. I didn't have time to do it (very long story) and I'll do it next time. I have 4x4 trails under my belt so I knew was I was getting into. Would a 2" lift have helped? Yes, on Mineral Creek. But it still comes down to your experience as a driver and knowing the capabilities of your rig and tires. If you get a lift don't rely on it.

So yes, my stock 2008 Cruiser did fine with no lift, stock "regular" tires, and not airing down. And another yes, if you can air down and find a way to air back up, then do it. Be sure you take tools AND and extra serpentine belt. This is one piece of equipment you must have (as you know) to keep the rig running. Take a diagram of how the belt goes on. I say "regular" tires because though Yokohama has it listed as an A/T tire, it's better suited for paved and normal dirt roads. But they did fine on all the trails I mentioned.

Mineral Creek: you will scrap and bump a lot on the underside. If your skid plates are off, don't go. Out of all the trails I've done especially in Ouray/Telluride/Lake City, this one I encountered the most scraping and bumping from rocks on the skid plates. If you go slow and have proper tire placement (and know what you are doing), you should be ok. Mineral Creek and Corkscrew are MUCH easier if you take it from Ouray side up to the Engineer Pass road because you'll be gaining elevation overall.

Don't do any of the trails I mentioned in the RAIN or SNOW. Light rain ok...... downpours and heavy snowfall not ok. The 200 series is a heavy vehicle. Once it starts sliding, it's not easy to stop. I used to live at 9,200 feet outside Denver. Many times when I was going home (and even on 4x4 trails) it would be overcast with no precipitation. Then when I reached the higher elevation it was snowing.

ALWAYS put it in 4 low and lock the differential at the start of the trail.

I'll be glad to make a phone call work if that'll help.

 

[RT Cruiser]

Ah, makes sense. Yes, I was previously hesitant to air down too much because of the shear time it took to air up. The last time before getting a real compressor was in Sedona. Local gas station I used the day before had their compressor out of order. Seriously took me an 1:30 with my backup cig lighter air compressor. That was frustrating. Very young kids at the time were complaining. Wife irritated.

Can't go wrong with Arbs. I like Viairs hardmount line.

That aside... Would love to see more pics!

Thank you sir for the info. This helps.

Yes, I'll post more pics soon especially of the cruiser climbing the rock step on the west side of Engineer Pass.

The air compressor I have now (yes, I still brought it with me on the trip) came from the days when I had a motorcycle. I've used it on the Cruiser before but it takes over 15 mins to have one tire inflate from 20psi to near 30psi. I'm sure this will make the picture even more clearer, right? With a family with me on the roads, there's no way they would've waited even 20 mins for me to inflate the tires back to 30psi.

 

[RT Cruiser]

Frankly, a huge reason to air down for Ouray trails is simply a more comfortable ride.

I hear you and the others. Read above and see why.... I need an air compressor with very strong air flow. But I did have one with me along with a high-quality air gauge. And to get ahead of someone who might ask why I didn't do this before this trip, well, it's a very long story. If you know our history with the car accident that led us to getting the Cruiser, it'll make sense.

 

[RT Cruiser]

I‘ve been real happy with my Yokos too. They‘re excellent on the highway and plenty capable for my off road needs.

I’d guess your puckers would be similar with BFGs or other ATs.

I use a portable 10# tank for airing up, which is fast and simple.

Tks for the tip. I'm taking in everyone's advice. Yes, I have former 4x4 experience so I knew the area. I've lived in CO since 2007 including at high altitude at 9,200 feet. I've taught myself to read the mountain weather. Though we brought a Kestrel weather meter with us, it was to help me clarify to my instinct about the weather.

These tires, as you said, are EXCELLENT on the highway. No noise. Great traction. We got 22.2 mpg from Lake City to Denver on Sunday with these tires, with the cargo area full and 3 bikes on the rear.