Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #21
Thanks for the info guys! Coop and I had our shakedown trip last weekend, and the trucks performed beautifully. It would be great to see some more Cruisers, so please join us if you can.
Wilderness camping around Ouray, CO?
- Thread starter Rockets2000
- Start date
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jonharis
Adventure Imports
I talked to a lot of guys during CM who expressed interest in a Ouray trip. It would be great to see the same people in the high country. I am thinking there will be several trips to be had up there.
Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #23
Our trip is planned for July 25-29. We're leaving Durango on Monday the 25th and head to Silverton for a top off and last minute supplies. We'll do the Stony Pass Trail and maybe Clear Lake, and camp around Silverton. Tuesday we will be hitting the Alpine Loop, Engineer Pass, and maybe some other trails depending on time Lunch in Lake City and camping on the trail. Wednesday we will explore some of the shorter trails and gulches between Silverton and Ouray, and check out some mines. Camping on the trail at one of the spots recommended here. Thurdsay we top off in Ouray and head across to Telluride on Yankee Boy and Imogene Pass. Some might do Black Bear. Camping at Alta Lakes. Friday we'll run Ophir Pass and head back to Durango for a hot shower and nice dinner.
jonharis
Adventure Imports
Sounds like a great itinerary. I have some work this year near Alta Lakes. I might try to schedule it the same week. I'm more or less stuck to 3 day weekends so I doubt I can join otherwise. Sounds like a great trip. Get ready for sticker shock at the pump in Ouray.
Good timing. The FJCruiser Summit will just be finishing by the time you start your trip.
Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #26
It would be great if you could joins us jon. Maybe some of the FJC guys will want to stay longer too.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
I am expecting high gas prices everywhere, and a bit higher in Ouray, Silverton and Telluride. To fill my truck after my next mod, 11.5 gal aux tank, so 30 gals total will be costly.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
when planning this, I looked at many off road forums and tried to find calendars to see where there would be groups there and not.
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Congrats!
You have here listed some of the best trails in the whole region, ones that I explored for years while down in Durango. I used to drive Hummer tours on those trails too.
Stony Pass is amazing, with several steep rocky sections and river crossings. I suggest you go from Silverton to Lake City via Stony Pass. There is a great place to camp at the top of Stony Pass (12,800+ feet!) just a little ways over the top on the Lake City side.
I would return to Silverton via Cinnamon Pass, and keep in mind that while the map only says it's 30 or so miles each way, it may take a full day to do that. Stony is very rocky in spots so you can't go very fast.
Clear Lake is a good warm-up (easiest trail listed) and is a short day trip from Silverton. There are large Brook Tout in that lake too so it makes a good Cruiser-accessed fishing spot.
There is great mine viewing on the Alpine Loop and other trails that connect to it. I would suggest California Pass (from Silverton via Animas Forks), which has a very huge Mine Mill and other places to explore. There are still mine tram towers along California as well as Stony Passes. Animas Forks has roughly 20 ghost town buildings present and is a great spot to explore.
Yankee Boy Basin is recommended and gets hairy in spots (also a good warm-up for Imogene). It is a dead end, and very popular, although there are a few camping spots this is one of the more popular spots iin the region and may not have a camping spot available. The geology is very interesting in this basin. Also lots of mines in the area, but they are on private land instead of BLM land so you can't really explore them at all.
Imogene is the most technical pass that I have done in the area. Black Bear is worse/better, but was told by people that have done it that a stock vehicle WILL NOT make it, and the reason that the trail is one-way on the downhill side into Telluride is that there are several shelf spots that drop 3 feet or 4 feet, and there are the 20 or so switchbacks that someone drives off of (3-point turns at every switchback) and dies pretty much at least once every year.
Now Imogene is AMAZING and a great feeling to take a Toyota up to 13,100+ feet!!! I took my 1984 Hilux to the top and it is unreal up there. You will enjoy it. I went from Ouray to Telluride, and there are some long steep climbs (one of bedrock granite) on the Silverton side. I "hit the 3 wheel motion" on that trail with the straight front axle a bunch of times. Expect to do some 3 wheeling if you have a straight front axle.
Both Black Bear and Imogene SHOULD be open at that time, but be sure to call the BLM or Forest Service to find out because sometimes they don't open at all due to snow or becaus the "roads" (term is used loosely with these two trails in spots) are washed out by the run-off. Alta Lakes is also a fantastic place to camp and there are cutthroat in the lakes there.
Ophir is a steep climb from the Telluride side to Silverton and is only 4-wheel to the top at 12,800 feet. There will be one uphill 3-point turn on this pass. From the top, it is a narrow 2 wheel drive road on the Silverton side. It is one of the easiest trails in the region, but a must do for the view.
Have fun, be safe, and as everyone at MUD knows...post pics or it didn't happen!
You have here listed some of the best trails in the whole region, ones that I explored for years while down in Durango. I used to drive Hummer tours on those trails too.
Stony Pass is amazing, with several steep rocky sections and river crossings. I suggest you go from Silverton to Lake City via Stony Pass. There is a great place to camp at the top of Stony Pass (12,800+ feet!) just a little ways over the top on the Lake City side.
I would return to Silverton via Cinnamon Pass, and keep in mind that while the map only says it's 30 or so miles each way, it may take a full day to do that. Stony is very rocky in spots so you can't go very fast.
Clear Lake is a good warm-up (easiest trail listed) and is a short day trip from Silverton. There are large Brook Tout in that lake too so it makes a good Cruiser-accessed fishing spot.
There is great mine viewing on the Alpine Loop and other trails that connect to it. I would suggest California Pass (from Silverton via Animas Forks), which has a very huge Mine Mill and other places to explore. There are still mine tram towers along California as well as Stony Passes. Animas Forks has roughly 20 ghost town buildings present and is a great spot to explore.
Yankee Boy Basin is recommended and gets hairy in spots (also a good warm-up for Imogene). It is a dead end, and very popular, although there are a few camping spots this is one of the more popular spots iin the region and may not have a camping spot available. The geology is very interesting in this basin. Also lots of mines in the area, but they are on private land instead of BLM land so you can't really explore them at all.
Imogene is the most technical pass that I have done in the area. Black Bear is worse/better, but was told by people that have done it that a stock vehicle WILL NOT make it, and the reason that the trail is one-way on the downhill side into Telluride is that there are several shelf spots that drop 3 feet or 4 feet, and there are the 20 or so switchbacks that someone drives off of (3-point turns at every switchback) and dies pretty much at least once every year.
Now Imogene is AMAZING and a great feeling to take a Toyota up to 13,100+ feet!!! I took my 1984 Hilux to the top and it is unreal up there. You will enjoy it. I went from Ouray to Telluride, and there are some long steep climbs (one of bedrock granite) on the Silverton side. I "hit the 3 wheel motion" on that trail with the straight front axle a bunch of times. Expect to do some 3 wheeling if you have a straight front axle.
Both Black Bear and Imogene SHOULD be open at that time, but be sure to call the BLM or Forest Service to find out because sometimes they don't open at all due to snow or becaus the "roads" (term is used loosely with these two trails in spots) are washed out by the run-off. Alta Lakes is also a fantastic place to camp and there are cutthroat in the lakes there.
Ophir is a steep climb from the Telluride side to Silverton and is only 4-wheel to the top at 12,800 feet. There will be one uphill 3-point turn on this pass. From the top, it is a narrow 2 wheel drive road on the Silverton side. It is one of the easiest trails in the region, but a must do for the view.
Have fun, be safe, and as everyone at MUD knows...post pics or it didn't happen!
Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #30
Thanks for the heads up on fishing! We plan to make camp early enough in the afternoons to hit the water where available. Personally, I prefer river fishing, but lakes are good too. What do they hit on up there? I have a pretty good selection of Panther Martin lures. They work well for the rainbows and browns in the Kings river in CA.
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I mostly fly fish, but also have an ultralight spin set up.
I would suggest at least 6 panther Martens, I like the black/yellow dots + gold blade, and the gold body/gold blade has always worked well for me in high mountain lakes over the last 10 years.
I also do well with spoons in the high country, i prefer Thompson, or Kastmaster, and usually in all gold, or rainbow trout colors.
Mepps spinners also, and make sure to have at least one with a bucktail or rooster tail.
I trolled in my kayak in Rio Grande Reservoir near Lake City and caught a nice rainbow on a spinner.
A wise fisherman once said it only takes one fly/lure to catch fish. Once you figure out which one works, at that point all of your other fishing gear is rendered moot.
I am sure bait would work too.
I would suggest at least 6 panther Martens, I like the black/yellow dots + gold blade, and the gold body/gold blade has always worked well for me in high mountain lakes over the last 10 years.
I also do well with spoons in the high country, i prefer Thompson, or Kastmaster, and usually in all gold, or rainbow trout colors.
Mepps spinners also, and make sure to have at least one with a bucktail or rooster tail.
I trolled in my kayak in Rio Grande Reservoir near Lake City and caught a nice rainbow on a spinner.
A wise fisherman once said it only takes one fly/lure to catch fish. Once you figure out which one works, at that point all of your other fishing gear is rendered moot.
I am sure bait would work too.
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Half way down from Imogene pass on the Ouray side (in the tree line) we crossed this small creek and stopped for lunch, but just on the other side of the creek was a small camp site that was occupied. At the time I thought it was the most spectacular site and wished we had found it.
Good luck!
(I'll post some pix in the morning....I don't have any on this box)
Good luck!
(I'll post some pix in the morning....I don't have any on this box)
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Good morning from the San Juan's. Late spring storm is hitting us pretty hard today. I live t 8000' and this is what my deck looks like so far. Still snowing hard.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
that is beautiful
Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #35
Thanks for the tips on lures. What sort of bait do the high country trout like? Spawn, worms, Caddis flies?
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If your fishing anything but a lake you have to use artificial bait from memory. Lakes probably have individual regs.
I generally use silver colored spoons or other spinner type lures for trout.
I generally use silver colored spoons or other spinner type lures for trout.
Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #37
Thanks. I'm cool with that. Don't want to carry stinky bait anyway.....
NMBruce
SILVER Star
I mostly fly fish, but also have an ultralight spin set up.
I would suggest at least 6 panther Martens, I like the black/yellow dots + gold blade, and the gold body/gold blade has always worked well for me in high mountain lakes over the last 10 years.
I also do well with spoons in the high country, i prefer Thompson, or Kastmaster, and usually in all gold, or rainbow trout colors.
Mepps spinners also, and make sure to have at least one with a bucktail or rooster tail.
I trolled in my kayak in Rio Grande Reservoir near Lake City and caught a nice rainbow on a spinner.
A wise fisherman once said it only takes one fly/lure to catch fish. Once you figure out which one works, at that point all of your other fishing gear is rendered moot.
I am sure bait would work too.
Always wanted to learn to fly fish, might get a starter set and play around on this trip.
NMBruce
SILVER Star
an good starter rod & reel is about $200.00, might not fit in the budget right now
Rockets2000
Space Cadet
- Thread starter
- #40
I'm taking a run to Bass Pro Shop today to see what they have for ultra light tackle.
