Trail Ride - July 20 - Tin Cup Pass, Hancock Pass

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I just found this info on Bush duck. Tincup Pass is open, Hancock pass is open, but the road next to mirror lake is still flooded. Doing this Loop sounds like a nonstarter unless someone wants to drive through 30+ inches depth of water. However, there are plenty of trails to do in the Saint Elmo area. Hancock Lake and Pomeroy Lake trails are open. That’s what I will be doing unless someone comes up within incontrovertible evidence that the Mirror Lake Road is open.
 
Here are screenshots from Bushduck.

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I had written earlier about the large water bars that were put up on Hancock pass. I was looking at the CORE website that pointed to some You Tube videos about the work projects that they have led. Here is the link for Hancock pass water bar construction.
 
David, thanks for posting this. Most interesting. I watched the follow on video which shows them opening snow drifts on Tincup Pass and Hancock Pass and it also shows the water level on the mirror Lake Road as of two weeks ago. They noted that it usually takes at least four weeks for the water to subside from the level it is now. Here are a couple of screenshots of the mirror Lake Road from that video.
They also noted that the Hancock Pass Road is closed past the Tomichi Pass junction because the USFS is doing work on a rock side from the Palisades, which are near the Alpine tunnel Road.

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Now it is necessary to have an OHV permit to drive Hancock Pass.

And it has long been required on the (more difficult ) Old Tin Cup, FS Road 267.3D.


I'm planning to support CORE on Friday (19th) at Cottonwood Lake for the annual High Lonesome 100. I'll meet you guys on the Tin Cup trailhead. Also, be aware that we need to watch for updates on the water level at Mirror Lake (last week it was greater than 30 inches deep).
Well I guess I'm out as I don't have the required OHV permit and unless I'm mistaken it doesn't seem possible to get a new one issued on line.
 
Well I guess I'm out as I don't have the required OHV permit and unless I'm mistaken it doesn't seem possible to get a new one issued on line.
Never mind, I figured it out online so will plan to attend. See you all in the morning.
 
Here are my thoughts on this trip. It sounds like Hancock Pass and the road next to mirror Lake are both impassable. however, there are plenty of other roads and mines to see in the Saint Elmo and Hancock area such as Hancock Lake, Pomeroy Lake, grizzly Lake, Mary Murphy Mine, and others. Given that Tracy is going to be there anyway, my idea is that we could still meet Tracy in Saint Elmo and then start running these other roads that go to lakes and mines. And if we run out of things to do, we could run the Browns Canyon area trails on the way home that were on the schedule previously.
Thoughts?
Great idea to run up to Hancock Lake, I'll bring the fishing gear.
 
It was another excellent adventure yesterday. We started out from Divide with five trucks, and met SAS near the trail to make six.

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I basically had no idea where we were all day, so someone else can do the trip review. We had out lunch outside a mine with great views. Incidentally, this mine can be yours for ~$63k. Any takers?

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The best part of the day was probably hiking around Pomeroy and Grizzly lakes. The views were amazing. Fish were caught. Elk were spotted. Snowballs were thrown (in July). We did have a slip and fall incident here, but he was ok after first aid was administered.

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Most of the group headed home from here, but Goslow and I pressed on, taking the trail up to the top of the Mary Murphy Mine. The trail was interesting, with vast fields of wildflowers and lots of mining artifacts to wonder over.

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There was this cool bridge. The first picture is of the water flowing beneath it, taken through a hole in it.

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We ended our day with dinner at the air-up spot, where we were also treated to this.

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We had to drive through the monster storm to finish our 17-hour day. It was the worst rainstorm I've seen in the decade I've lived in CO. We came very close to a hydroplane crash on 24 after WP, and then twice more before getting safely home. Could have done without that!
 

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