Fj summit july 17-21

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Alan "Ace" Brown

Alan "Ace" Brown

Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Threads
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Location
Cedaredge, CO
The 7th Annual FJ Summit held each year in Ouray will be July 17-21. Registration has been full for a long time but I understand the standby waiting list is short. Jonathan will be there as a co-director. Other BCC members attending will be Matt, Dan and myself. I plan to camp at our "special spot" again. Jonathan is staying at event HQ. Dan will be commuting from Ridgway. Matt's plans unknown so far, but hope he'll join me at our camp used last two years. Is anyone else signed up?

Following the FJS I will be heading to All-4-Fun Week in Leadville and planning to do a DED run (dirt every day) July 22-27. This will be backcountry camping and on dirt or trails as much as possible. First leg will be Cinnamon Pass to Lake City. Join me for all or part even if your not going to the FJ Summit or A4F.
 
Ace,

My brother (Gary) and I plan on staying at the "Special Spot" :p for FJ Summit. We may also join you on the way back depending on our schedule.
 
Here's a shot of our camp from 2012.

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Updating my plans for the Summit. Expect to be there Monday afternoon but NLT than Tuesday for sure. I will be camping in the same meadow as we all did last year. Too bad were spread all over this year :-(. Even Doug is way down in the Grand Canyon; I think this is the first Summit he will be missing since 2009.

I will not be doing the Ouray to Leadville trip as described earlier in this thread. Damn lawn is growing too fast and can't be away for three weeks. So will head back home Sunday, mow and other chores, then head out for Leadville probably Wednesday. Again camping along the way and trying to stay on dirt every day (DED). Be good to have company along even if your not going to All-4-Fun.

Ace
 
I have your Trasharoo Loaded!
 
:steer:Will be rolling out late Monday to head towards Ouray. Pickup my brother at 3:52pm Monday at Aspen Airport. Then we need to grab groceries, gas and anything we may have forgot in GJ. Then it's off to Ouray and the Secret Spot for some fun.

:cheers:

Matt
 
I drove by the "secret" place today and no one was there. I did see a sign posted in front of the meadow to stay on the road. Sounded like they want to keep people off the grass. Was that there before?

After that I did a run across Black Bear. Absolutely no one was up there. It was down right spooky. Maybe because I was kind of late. Did not get to the trail head until a little after 2. Not really that late.

There were plenty of people in town. Both Ouray and Telluride. There was some festival going on in Telluride. Cars everywhere. Didn't even slow down. Just drove straight through.
 
The sign has been there at least the last three years to keep yahoos from driving on the meadow. No problem camping on the edges as before. But seeing as there are only two camping there I will probably camp in one of two corners of the meadow. NW or NE corners are a little more private and more buffer room if yahoos come in.

Please let's not call this camp the s------ place. It attracts too much attention. Let's just call it "our camp".

Jonathan, thanks on the Trasharoo. I'll get it Monday if I find you.

Ace
 
Yeah it sucks not being able to make it to any of this summer and possibly this falls trail runs, but some times ya got to do what you have to do. Things are going well down here in the canyon so far, getting experience and already building up some senority. Been able to get out and do some hiking on my weekends and plan on camping on the North Rim at Sublime Point soon. The amount of wildlife at the park is off the hook, just yesterday I came across a coyote running down the road followed by a deer 300 feet later, had a huge Bull elk walk right by the trailer a couple days ago. Just about got bit by a rattlesnake a couple weeks ago while hiking, I wasn't paying attention but I'am now! Anyway say hi to everybody for me at the summit and if you happen to be coming down this way look me up. Doug
 
Just arrived at our camp in time to experience a mountain t-storm complete with minor flooding and hail. Welcome to Ouray.

Matt, more detail to help you find me. After you turn on the gravel it's largely a low-range climb for about a mile and camp is about 1000' after it finally stops climbing. Can't miss the big green meadow.

I do have marginal cell service here.

Ace
 
Now Matt and his brother Gary are in camp. Bob and Patty Brown visiting.
Second photo shows event coming alive in beautiful Ouray.

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FJ Summit 7 came off nicely despite the daily T-storms. The one day I forgot my rain gear it never stormed. The new blood, including Jonathan, did a great job keeping things moving along. But the event sure needs a makeover. I did not go to the first two years, however the last five that I did attend have had zero change. That may be ok for first time attendees but not for those that repeat. The biggest issue as I see it is only having five trails to run. I went over Ophir Pass three times last week (yawn). I'm ready to do more than just complain. I'll be glad to scout out more trails for 2014. We also need a rank beginner trail that is designated as such and led by a very patient leader. Consider it a training run.

Both the last two years I only returned because I was assured there would be new trails added. I probably will not return in 2014 unless that happens, although I had a new incentive this year and might next year too.

Ace

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Simple solution: more trails with fewer times rather than five trails with eight daily start times. The committee refuses to consider out/back trails because of passing issues. Don't understand that as we pass others all the time. I'd rather pass folks I know than strangers.
 
There are a number of other nice trails but unfortunately they are all dead end up and back trails which would cause traffic issues.

There are County road 31 and 14 which could possibly be considered very easy trails. Malee and I explored those on Monday. A lot of side trails thogh and easy to get lost.
 
LogHillCruzr said:
There are a number of other nice trails but unfortunately they are all dead end up and back trails which would cause traffic issues.
Click to expand...

No traffic issues with a little planning. Just not run them every 30'. I can think of several real quick that would be excellent trails for Summit 2014; Bullion Lake, Silver Lake, Governors Basin, Clear Lake and down by Silverton many more. They all could be run in the afternoon after all other traffic has left town.

While talking about other trips I'd sure like to see an over niter added to the program. Do it before the main attraction like we did the Koko. Lead a group from somewhere to Ouray. Jonathan and I have discussed the latter and agree it could be a great option if permits can be obtained.
 
Another thing that's got to change is not doing a safety inspection. In the beginning when it was all new FJs it was not that important, but now with FJs getting on in age and older Toyota trucks of any vintage participating, it has become critical. I was grinding my teeth listening to Matt tell leaders they should look into trucks for loose items. NOT! I'm not about to snoop in other's rigs.

No, that should be handled with a proper safety inspection just like they do at Cruise Moab and all TLCA events. In fact I'd like to see the Summit come under the wing of TLCA.

Ace
 
Both excellent points Ace.

They should make the Alpine Loop and over nighter. :-).

Stony Pass could be an over nighter route too perhaps in combination with Alpine. Or Owl Creek with a camp out at Silver Jack Lake.

Arastra Gulch is also another fav of mine just out of Silverton but very short.
 
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