i suggest engineer up then come down pokipsie gulch[yea i spelled it wrong], don't try to go up it unless you have a locker. you can't beat black bear/imogene for a heck of a nice day trail run. just south of silverton is mckinly mountian. there is one road going up it that branches out into 3, makes for a great day trip. ophir is ok and the alpine loop is ok, but the others i suggested are better. clear lake is a great run and a nice trip also. the falls below it are great. just make sure you bring clothes that will keep you warm in 20 degree weather and keep them with you. the weather changes faster there than any place i have ever beeen,and bring a bunch of sun block.

 

Black bear is an AWESOME trail........that shale cliff beside the waterfall is sweet, plus the switch backs coming down into Telluride!!!

One thing to check on though, last time I was down there for the Superwinch tour ( which is no longer going ) a lot of those trails down there are private property and may not be open for you to play on..........just a heads up!!! Might want to check on that before you venture to them!!

Pokipsie Gultch.....or however you spell it is a great trail, that will take up most of the day cuz it is a fairly long trail! You can do it without a locker, but it makes it so much easier having one......I've done it with and without.

Imogene Pass is a really cool trail to see a bunch of the old mines and mining buildings......or atleast I think that is the one........to many to remember

It's a really good time down there though, the scenery on those trails is spectacular


~Nick

 

Yup, I'm locked front and rear with 6in. of lift sitting on 33'' BFG Muds. So other than falling off the side of a 1000ft. cliff, there's nothing much there too difficult. I'm actually looking forward to the scenic easier stuff as all I've done lately is the extreme/hardcore rockcrawling.

 

i did 99% of every thing up there in 2wd, it is not hard core at all. but it is some of the best views i have ever seen. the first time i did imogene we stopped at the top and my youngest daughter was 3 or so. she looks at my wife and says [momma are we on top of the world],we have been going back since 1992.

 

Yeah the trails aren't tough at all.............but they sure are awesome!!!



~Nick

 

My last trip up there was several years ago in an '86 F-150, 4x4. I don't know if they have improved the roads on Cinnamon and Engineer, but making some of the switch-backs in a long bed required a couple of backups. Back then, we probably didn't see more then 20 people the whole trip, and most of them were in tour jeeps out of Silverton. Camped at Lake San Cristabol and we were the only ones in the campground.

I think it was the same trip that I had a chance to buy a store/station with six cabins in Lake City for $70K. Right on the main street, in the middle of town. I thought that was too much.

 

Now your talking my area of the country. My wife and I (and now my daughter) go out to the San Juans a couple of times a year. My wife and I were married just outside of Durango. I will have to agree that the Train to Silverton is a must do as is all of the 4WD trails in the area.

Here is a picture of the last time we were out there at 13,300 ft.







Britt

 

Nice pics ... thanks for making me homesick hahaha

Y'know ... Moab isn't all that far away. Lots of good trails in them hills as well ... since you are out west anyway !!!

PISTOL

 

Moab is awsome was there 2years ago, but I'm taking a vacation to "COOL!" off and Moab is scorching hot during the summer, so to the high, cool, Colorado Mts. I go!!!! Hey T-15, are those pics at the "Oh" Point at top of Engineer Pass?

 

Just sending btt for more interest

 

Actually the first one is on top of Enginner pass and the other two are on top of California Gulch. On the other side of California Gulch is Poughkeepsie Gulch which is pretty hairy to say the least.

Britt

 

Thought I recognized the spot. Hopefully I can get at least 1 other person to sign on and join in on the fun while I'm there. 1st time there was by myself and it sux. I'm sure there is u guy on the Colorado4x4.org site who is a definate. Hope to get e few more though.

 

I've been tinking about taking my Polaris up there at about that time. If I do, I'll let you know.

Where do you plan on staying while you're up there.

 

South Mineral Campground. It's a great, little CG managed by the Forest Service about 5 miles west of Silverton along Mineral Creek Canyon. Hope to see you there. Rite now, I got 1, maybe 2 rigs commited to join so far.

 

that is the camp ground we always stay at. i can't swing it this year, but i will hit them again in the spring.