Telluride to Ouray:looking for easy trails (1 Viewer)

[Live to Ski]

I'm doing a Colorado detour on my move from Alta, Utah to San Diego. I'll be driving a bone stock FJ60 loaded with misc stuff. I have friends both in Ouray and Telluride. Time frame is around late June.

So, I am looking for an off-road trail that connects the two, but isn't real difficult (might as well take the scenic route, right?). I did some searches on the Imogene pass trail, but that might be a little too much. Is that the easiest or are there easier ones?

If anyone wants to join me, jump right in. Keep in mind that I am stock and loaded with household type stuff.

 

[gearguywb]

I was in ouray and Silverton yesterday. Still quite a bit of snow up high and the majority of the trails are still closed. Hard to tell what kind of shape they will be in when the runoff stops.....

 

[taccruiser97]

I'm doing a Colorado detour on my move from Alta, Utah to San Diego. I'll be driving a bone stock FJ60 loaded with misc stuff. I have friends both in Ouray and Telluride. Time frame is around late June.

So, I am looking for an off-road trail that connects the two, but isn't real difficult (might as well take the scenic route, right?). I did some searches on the Imogene pass trail, but that might be a little too much. Is that the easiest or are there easier ones?

If anyone wants to join me, jump right in. Keep in mind that I am stock and loaded with household type stuff.

Really, Imogene is not too bad, the first switchback after the summit heading toward Telluride can be a little tight/nerve wracking, (especailly if you miss reverse while shifting and roll forward to the edge, damn near cured my wife of wanting to go 4 wheeling right then and there, me too!) Going from Telluride to Ouray, that same switchback is a piece of cake.

The other comment I'll make is that when coming from Ouray to Telluride, up top the road follows a ridgeline to the pass itself. We were out there the last week of June last year and we were told it was still snowed shut. The locals we talked to had their doubts if it would even open that summer. So if you decide to take Imogene, check and make sure the pass is open before you start up.

I think you should also check on the Colorado Scenic Byway, I think that is what it is called, and there are some easy trails that are listed that may work for you.

There are all sorts of web sites dedicated to Colorado 4x4 trails where you can get information. There are also several books on trails in SW Colorado you can purchase and read that are geared toward easy to moderate 4wheeling.

 

[hatfieldcb]

That is my favorite part of the state.

Imogene Pass, Black Bear Pass and Ophir Pass will get you to and from Ouray and Telluride. While you're down there, take Cinnamon Pass from Silverton, via Animas Forks, to Lake City, and Engineer Pass from Lake City back to Ouray.

Make sure to spend some time at the Ouray hot springs. They're really nice and don't have the sulfur smell like Glenwood Springs and some others.

Contact the US Forest Service and get maps for Uncompaghre NF and Gunnison NF and you'll see the trails .

If you want any more detailed information, let me know.

Also, check out the Rising Sun forum page. Post up there and you might get some takers from our club to join you. I'm going to be tied up end of June, otherwise I'd come down.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[IBCRUSN]

If you're going out of Ouray try the Alpine Loop (Engineer pass & Cinnamon Pass) it's not bad at all, very scenic. I have driven it in a bone stock Kia Sorrento with no drama. Here are a few web sites for info.

http://www.4x4now.com/a4f98b.htm

http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2105/

http://www.coloradobyways.org/ByWay.cfm?byWayIDpar=ALP20011203090830

Yankee Boy Basin & Governor Basin is another excellent trail

http://www.4x4now.com/a4f98a.htm

If you have some time and $25 pick up this book for more info about trails in the San Juans

http://4x4books.com/cb.htm

 

[Live to Ski]

Thanks gang.

More than likely I'll be doing the Telluride to Ouray direction. As mentioned, I am looking for the easiest, scenic offroad route. I'll post more questions once I study your previous responses this week.

Thanks

 

[hatfieldcb]

Here's one of the views along Black Bear pass. It's one-way only from the top of Red Mountain pass (Ouray side) in to Telluride. Both Black Bear and Imogene are pretty easy. They've made them all pretty civilized for the folks that come in and rent Heeps.

 

[hatfieldcb]

This is the view of Black Bear pass (from Imogene pass) entering in to the box canyon in Telluride. The trail comes in at the upper left of the picture between that slightly darker section of rock and the waterfall. It crosses over to the right of the picture and you can see the road switch back and forth down the mountain. The falls on the right side of the picture are Bridal Veil Falls. Again, not hard wheeling, you've just got to be careful. Spectacular views, though.

 

[hatfieldcb]

Summit of Imogene Pass. It's hard to tell, but it's snowing. This was first week of July, 2004.

 

[Colorado Boy-74-FJ40]

Engineer pass will probably have a bunch of snow. I went over it in july once and was breaking drifts the whole way

 

[hatfieldcb]

View of Telluride from Black Bear pass. This is before you drop down to the "difficult" section that is cut into the side of the mountain there you saw the waterfall in my previous picture. Again, this was early-mid July 2004.

 

[Live to Ski]

Ok, T-ridecruiser suggested Ophir pass. I did a little online reading and it looks to be just the ticket for my domesticated 60. I still haven't made up my mind, but it is a good fall back route.

 

[rgsiii]

I did all of the passes mentioned last year except Black Bear. It sounded like more than I wanted to try--the hardness may have been Hype.

I don't think the others would be bad in a stock vehicles in good weather. I had images of Imogene being a horror and it wasn't. Having said that, on Ophir in one spot, there are remains of a vehicle a few hundred feet below the road. I think all of the passes can be dangerous, if you have lapses in judgement or bad luck.