Just reserved #19 from 6/21-25. Apparently only #1 is left for the full block of time we'll be there. May also be able to patch together the full time by moving between sites but didn't ask.
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High Country Pig Party 2017 Trail Discussion/Planning
- Thread starter PabloCruise
- Start date
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If we generate more interest maybe we can start to bunk up. I know I am now going solo so there is room for another pig. I haven't decided if I want to sleep in the back of the doomer or use a tent. I figure I'll have so much fun that I'll just sleep where my head hits something softish.
I'm with Lil'John..
On an unrelated note we should look into cooking a Kalua Pig sometime during the event.
How to Cook in a Hole in the Ground
One side of the Bolam Pass trail lands at our base camp at Clayton CG. The other side lands on Hwy 550 near Purgatory Ski Resort. (Several side trails including Scotch Creek Pass are in between.) Very passable with stock or near stock machines.
Option A - East from camp to Purgatory over Bolam pass then North on Hwy 550 will lead to Silverton. From Silverton, there are a myriad of trails leading in every direction. Traveling West from the Silverton area over Ophir Pass (mild with great views and the quickest way back to camp), Black Bear (moderate to challenging and only one way from 550 to Telluride) & Imogene (moderate +) will lead back to base camp eventually.
Option B - Traveling North on Hwy 145 from camp to Telluride. Imogene pass will lead from T-ride to Ouray. From Ouray, there are several trails leading to Silverton. And from Silverton, there are multiple options to get us back to camp.
The two directions above mentioned (Counter Clockwise and Clockwise respectively) will travel through some of the highest mountain passes we have here in the San Juan Mtns. These are very long loops so expect early departures and late returns.
Please feel free to discuss specific trails. I'd encourage everyone to dig into the web and find trails they are interested in exploring. I am happy to share my thoughts regarding: scenery, elevation, history, trail difficulty and trail length.
Option A - East from camp to Purgatory over Bolam pass then North on Hwy 550 will lead to Silverton. From Silverton, there are a myriad of trails leading in every direction. Traveling West from the Silverton area over Ophir Pass (mild with great views and the quickest way back to camp), Black Bear (moderate to challenging and only one way from 550 to Telluride) & Imogene (moderate +) will lead back to base camp eventually.
Option B - Traveling North on Hwy 145 from camp to Telluride. Imogene pass will lead from T-ride to Ouray. From Ouray, there are several trails leading to Silverton. And from Silverton, there are multiple options to get us back to camp.
The two directions above mentioned (Counter Clockwise and Clockwise respectively) will travel through some of the highest mountain passes we have here in the San Juan Mtns. These are very long loops so expect early departures and late returns.
Please feel free to discuss specific trails. I'd encourage everyone to dig into the web and find trails they are interested in exploring. I am happy to share my thoughts regarding: scenery, elevation, history, trail difficulty and trail length.
Thanks for all this! 
B.C.,
In your opinion, will any of these high elevation passes be open for our party? Hard to guess the weather, but on average, what's going to be open.
I keep watching the videos on Black Bear pass and thinking we're not ready for hanging off cliff ledges yet. I live close to the second highest point in Missouri and it's @ 1800 ft.
, so that one would be out for me.
In your opinion, will any of these high elevation passes be open for our party? Hard to guess the weather, but on average, what's going to be open.
I keep watching the videos on Black Bear pass and thinking we're not ready for hanging off cliff ledges yet. I live close to the second highest point in Missouri and it's @ 1800 ft.
, so that one would be out for me.
Haven't done Bolan Pass so I'd like that. Seems to me one course of action might be Ophir Pass to 550 (to ease into things) then back over Bolan. Then another day could involve going out over Imogene and back over Black Bear after experiencing the three other routes. That'd give two full days for those with travel and time constraints, allow some acclimation to the terrain before tackling Black Bear and leave the Ouray-Silverton-Lake City routes for those with more time. Either or both days could easily involve a lunch break in Silverton.
Just ideas...we've already done all but Bolan and are open to anything.
Happy to bring a big batch of my green chile stew for potluck and contribute to any other meal ideas.
Just ideas...we've already done all but Bolan and are open to anything.
Happy to bring a big batch of my green chile stew for potluck and contribute to any other meal ideas.
PabloCruise
SILVER Star
- Thread starter
- #29
Good stuff - thank you for describing. I think I will go get an old school paper map of the area.
Pablo,
I get the Delorme Atlas for each state we go in...Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer: DeLorme Mapping Editor: Amazon.com: Books
I get the Delorme Atlas for each state we go in...Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer: DeLorme Mapping Editor: Amazon.com: Books
bobm
WTF, WTF, WTF!!!!
The best
Scrapdaddy: We are having one heck of a snow year above 10,000' so far. San Juan County (Silverton) and San Miguel County (Telluride) do a GREAT job of getting the major off road passes clear. So we should have plenty of options by the 3rd week of June. However, Black Bear will be one of the last to open and I have not seen a Caterpillar D-7 on Bolam or Scotch Creek pass... ever. And I have been skunked on Imogene as late as the 4th of July before. Some avalanche slides are just so deep and wide that they remain all year long being eventually cut through by dozers with tall snow walls to shoulder the trail. Super Cool.
I will be running commercial tours beginning mid May to places like Animas Forks and by early June I expect Engineer, Cinnamon, California, Hurricane, Corkscrew, Stoney and Mineral passes to be cleared. Those are usually the first ones cut through almost in that order.
Look at your maps. Note elevations and trail directions. The north facing slopes will obviously hold snow the longest. South facing slopes slide more often leaving thick avalanche debris. Lower elevation unplowed trails in the trees may still have snow pack into mid June as well.
All that being said, we should have plenty of options for trail rides. I will do my best to keep us all in the loop as we get closer to the date with real time trail reports. Bring your jackets, bring your sleds. Or, this being the Lower San Juans, you may need shorts too...
I will be running commercial tours beginning mid May to places like Animas Forks and by early June I expect Engineer, Cinnamon, California, Hurricane, Corkscrew, Stoney and Mineral passes to be cleared. Those are usually the first ones cut through almost in that order.
Look at your maps. Note elevations and trail directions. The north facing slopes will obviously hold snow the longest. South facing slopes slide more often leaving thick avalanche debris. Lower elevation unplowed trails in the trees may still have snow pack into mid June as well.
All that being said, we should have plenty of options for trail rides. I will do my best to keep us all in the loop as we get closer to the date with real time trail reports. Bring your jackets, bring your sleds. Or, this being the Lower San Juans, you may need shorts too...
That's so helpful! Thanks for all your input, it will help make this party a memorable event for all of us.
I am good for any of it. All of it. I have snow chains and an itch to use them if the need arises.
Just so you know.
Ron, did you see the video of the Subaru going down Black Bear Pass? A 3 wheeled FJ55 running on 5 cylinders and no working brakes could do it. These trucks were breed for this. We are used to looking hundreds of feet to certain death here in Colorado. I just want to save you from regret later if we go. No pressure though, of course. We will have an enjoyable time with anything we do, I am sure.
Just so you know.
Ron, did you see the video of the Subaru going down Black Bear Pass? A 3 wheeled FJ55 running on 5 cylinders and no working brakes could do it. These trucks were breed for this. We are used to looking hundreds of feet to certain death here in Colorado. I just want to save you from regret later if we go. No pressure though, of course. We will have an enjoyable time with anything we do, I am sure.
It's not the wagon I'm worried about, I just don't know if I can handle the two old people screaming in it!
I gotcha, the weakest part of my truck is definitely the driver. I have not done Black Bear yet, but my brother has several times. The first time he did it was in a Ford Ranger. He says the videos on You Tube make it look worse than it is and the part with the long drop offs on the sides are over fairly quickly. The three point turns on two of the switch backs are the ones that get your pulse up. He is not a fan of going down it in his Pinzgauer, he feels like he is driving off the side since you sit above the front wheels, but he has done it in that too.
Other paper map options for this trip:
I have found this one to be useful while navigating the Lower San Juan Mountains. No affiliation.
And as well, National Geographic, "Trails Illustrated" #141 is also a winner. Again, no affiliation.
I have found this one to be useful while navigating the Lower San Juan Mountains. No affiliation.
And as well, National Geographic, "Trails Illustrated" #141 is also a winner. Again, no affiliation.
I just ordered a couple of their maps. Thanks!
it's too bad that this event is too early in the year for the black bear backwards event...would be awesome to see a bunch of pigs going up black bear. although the evil anti ohv san miguel county may not allow the event to happen again anyways 
do you know perry reed? he runs commercial tours too. main job is a firefighter, but tours are a side gig.I will be running commercial tours beginning mid May to places like Animas Forks and by early June I expect Engineer, Cinnamon, California, Hurricane, Corkscrew, Stoney and Mineral passes to be cleared. Those are usually the first ones cut through almost in that order.
..
