Colorado Trip Reports

worst

trip report

ever.

 

Patience

 

Then over Old Monarch, which is just a graded dirt road now, but was a cool way to get over to Tomichi, only on the pavement for a few miles after completing the Taylor Loop, then up Tomichi, which had been on my to do list since last year looking at it from across the valley on Hancock Pass. Not terribly difficult, but great views as with most of the CO passes.

 

The plan was to head over Williams Pass after Tomichi, which is normally only open for the month of August due to snow and muddy trail conditions, and maintained by the Blue Mesa 4-Wheelers club out of Gunnison. But, when we got to the gate, it was locked, damn. So, the alternate was back up the valley and over Hancock which I have run a few time, and is a great trail. But first Brett wanted to check out the Alpine tunnel, so we headed over there to take a look. At the toll station was a forest service guy who explained the Williams situation; due to the shit ton of late season snow, the trail was still muddy as hell and the club had decided not to open, for the first time since it was reopened from being closed in 1997.

So, back up and over Hancock. We were making good time, so decided to check out Grizzly Lake, which starts out side of the town of Tin Cup, at the base of both Hancock and Tin Cup Pass. Brett, Bob and I had tried the first obstacle last year, Brett made it up, Bob popped a tire, and I got sideways. This attempt wasn't much different, conditions were muck better than the last attempt, the obstacle was dry other than driving through the creek at the base, but neither of us made it up, even with me now having a rear locker over last year. Clearance is really the killer on this with the break over. Next time?

 

damn gate keeper...did you winch over and make it to the lake?

 

So, failed attempt number two on Griz, then up Tin Cup, where I found Brett's light bar trying to commit suicide at the top of the pass, so we played around for a bit while retapping an finding miscellaneous bolts to hold it together.

 

No, it wasn't really on the itinerary, so said fuck it.

 

Then, down Tin Cup. I had passed by Old Tin Cup last fall headed up and wanted to check it out this go around, it would be pretty gnarly going up, so it is now on the to do list LOL.

 

Then, posted up near Taylor res for the night, cut, chopped, and burnt a grip of wood. My buddy Justin met up with us that evening to join us for the next days travels, beverages were consumed. Still super smoky from the fires.

 

up is definitely fun on the old tin cup...real tough when it's a little slick with rain

 

Day 2 plan was Taylor>Montezuma>Pearl

Drove around the res and up the valley, saw some mooses playing in the marsh, and to the top of the pass. All of these pics didn't come out well, over exposed, and I dont have the patience for editing.

 

Top of Tayor, god damn beautiful. This is why we do this shit.

 

Down Taylor, only a few signs of the trees beginning to change, this stretch is amazing when the leaves are in full color.

 

Then up into Montezuma basin, an old mining area, and the base of Castle and Conundrum peaks, both 14ers. Most people park waaaaaay the fuck down, even at the base of Pearl and hike the trail we drove up, adding 10 or more miles to the hike, I would like to hit these peaks next summer, parking where we did.

 

After lunch and watching some crazy fuck mob his shitty trail blazer up to where we were, coming close to going off the cliff, we headed back down the basin and up the rest of Pearl. Pearl is probably my favorite trail in the state, the views are insane, and it is a more technical trail than most of other passes, and in fall the aspens are crazy. Hard to beat. This area, compared to the Alpine Loop for example, gets way less pressure and there are far fewer angry jeepers about harshing your mellow. Lets keep it that way.

 

Camped about a 1/4 way doen Pearl on the CB side, more fire and booze, caught a few fish.

Day 3 End of Pearl>Cement>Upper Reno>American Flag>Italian>Cottonwood

Headed down Pearl and popped a tire about 2 minutes in, mobbing too hard pinched it, which I knew right away. It was just barely punctured, and leaking really slow, but swapped it out anyway. Then into Crested Butte for some gas, and up Cement Creek to the split for Upper Reno Divide. Last time I was up here I took Lower Reno, and turned around a few miles in due to snow, this time we were going to be taking the Upper divide, which has a long shelf section that puts you close to tumbling death. Perfect. We made our way up to the shelf section and walked the tricky bit, which is full of huge boulder that had slid down, and force you pretty close to a big drop. As we made our way down further, we saw a wreck below us, Brett ventured down to check for bodies.

 

No bodies, and we didn't add to the rolled truck tally.

Up to American Flag Mountain, down Italian Creek, and ending up at the top of Cottonwood where we finally rejoined pavement after close to 200 miles of dirt. Epic trip as usual.

Sadly the last great wheeling adventure with my best friend Diesel, he was loved by many and will be greatly missed.

 

Like James said no bodies were found, but don't go off the road on Reno Divide.