Crested Butte to Aspen via Pearl Pass (1 Viewer)

[Trailguy]

Has anyone driven this route/pass in early August? I'm headed to Aspen in my Tacoma Pro and have never driven on this pass. I am considering driving from Crested Butte over the pass to Aspen. I know the road is often closed due to snow covering the trail. Does anyone know how to find out if it is open a day or two before I get there?

Thanks,

 

[REKCUT]

I plan on running it around the 5th of August. Working from aspen over to CB and then to taylor reservoir and then over tin cup and down to Ouray

 

[Trailguy]

Hello REKCUT,
Do you know who to contact to make sure the trail is OPEN?

 

[Trailguy]

UPDATE: I emailed the Park Ranger in Aspen and he "thinks Pearl Pass pass should be open by now". He also gave me a great website to check Trail/Pass status. Here is the link: Bushducks Back Country Adventure

 

[Live to Ski]

Did that run about 10 yrs ago in late june w. fully overloaded (ski bum move from Utah to Socal....scenic route) stock '60 with well worn springs.

4 wheel drive not required. Only reason needed low was starting as waaaaaay overloaded.

Nice road.......

 

[subzali]

If the mud bog is in full swing 4 wheel drive will be required lol. It was a pretty dry winter so I would think it would be open

 

[Live to Ski]

OP said early august.....can't imagine much mud then, but what does this SoCal kid know

 

[subzali]

Just depends on the rain. It’s been a pretty wet week so far around here and the same thing could happen in August

 

[Live to Ski]

10-4...roger doger....over & out.

 

[houstonfj40]

Pearl is open with no real snowpack, very dry year. Boulders in the creek seems to have gotten larger on the CB side. There is some pretty sketchy shelf rock areas and steps. I would say 4wd and maybe a locker is a good idea. What side are you coming from?

 

[NMC_EXP]

For what it's worth, Wells' 3rd edition rates Pearl Pass as "difficult".

 

[JohnnyOshow22]

Going from CB to the Aspen side is easier than Aspen to CB. On the Aspen side there is a shelf that without a locker to help going up it would be sketchy. Ran it in a stock 86 4runner in 2016 (ok it had 31's not the stock 29's) from the aspen side to cb and had to be pulled up the shelf by a stock 200. Going down the shelf should be no problem.

 

[Live to Ski]

Wowza....age is taking it's toll (on my mind).

I was waaaaaay off base w/r Pearl pass......my tame route was over kebler pass.

Sorry for the bad advise....well not as bad as death-by-gps

 

[a_traut_man]

Did any of yall end up running Pearl Pass yet? My wife and I were planning on going CB to Aspen next week and any report on the conditions would be greatly appreciated.
I've been slowly trying to get her feet wet with the off road driving, don't want to push it.

 

[houstonfj40]

No real snow and finally getting a little
Rain this week. I would not run the Aspen side with my wife to get her feet wet. Personally I would introduce someone on another trail. But my wife doesn’t like heights and the edge can be a little much for her. Enjoy the trip. Weather should be great. I’m also in a FST 40, you may be running a different rig.

 

[a_traut_man]

@houstonfj40 We ran Lippincott out in Death Valley a couple near Joshua Tree and she did pretty well so we will see. Thanks for the update.
We will be in a mildly built 100 and will play it by ear by the sounds of it, worst case we turn around and head back to CB

 

[Trailguy]

I ended up taking my TRD Pro Tacoma up there.

 

[Trailguy]

Going from CB to the Aspen side is easier than Aspen to CB. On the Aspen side there is a shelf that without a locker to help going up it would be sketchy. Ran it in a stock 86 4runner in 2016 (ok it had 31's not the stock 29's) from the aspen side to cb and had to be pulled up the shelf by a stock 200. Going down the shelf should be no problem.
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I know that shelf well but had no problem with it. I did have some clearance issues i a place past the shelf. There was water flowing over the road but the rock formation that runs across the road was really rutted out. I had to air down to get better traction and throw in some rocks into the ruts where i had clearance issues.

 

[z531519]

I ran this early august, not a lot of traffic, just me and two atvs that had fun watching me not tip over a silly section.

There are rocks everywhere, we were tired soon right after. The top is pretty tight, make sure you look for oncoming traffic. with that, it has the best landscape of all the passes we did in our trip.

 

[z531519]