Alpine Loop (08/31-09/05)

Hey guys/gals,

A few buddies and I will be heading up on the 31st from Tucson, AZ. We will be in a 02 Tacoma (Silver Double Cab) and a 12 4Runner (White). If anyone is going to be out and about during those dates let me know. Its our first time up there, but I think I have our itinerary/routes mapped out pretty good.

The only question I have is in regards to some fishing. I won't be fly fishing, but I would like to do some trout fishing in some of the higher elevation lakes throughout the area. The less crowded the better for me, but I am open to any suggestions.

Thank you!

Billy

 

Sweet. I'm heading that way next week to wander around for a few days. Be in the big PowerWagon.

 

Ryan-Are you going to be up there at all during the 31-5 or just the week prior?

 

Just the week prior. Northbound the 21 or 22. Spend 3-4 nights near the Alpine Loop and/or Ouray/Telluride/Silverton/Durango.

 

I would start here.

http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/StockingReport.aspx

Issues is the lake must be deep enough to allow trout to survive winter or is stocked. Don't expect any size to the trout, that being said Brookies aggressiveness can be make it a lot of fun, their feed window is short in the mountains.

The southern Loop follows the Lake Fork of the Gunnison and there is a Stream (Forget name) along the North Loop.

 

Thanks Steve, I appreciate it.

 

Steer clear of CO, then, unfortunately.


Sorry - I'm bitter.

 

Haha, no worries man. I understand. I hope to get some good hikes in, enjoy the scenery, and maybe find a little fishing hole or two.

 

Good guy OP asking smart questions in the right forum.



We're gonna make it.


Enjoy your trip out there. I had a blast when I went in July.

 

Be ready and prepared for ANYTHING!

Beautiful vistas this morning.


Got to the start near Ouray up Engineer Pass Rd


It started raining


Then the rain got soft and fluffy at 12,000'!?!



Snowed in at Engineer Pass

Still snow almost down to 11k.


It was still raining in Lake City after a late lunch and all my tent gear was soaked. So I called an audible and took the long way to Moab. Only to run into a hell of a TStorm!

 

Guess I need to rethink my Labor day plans, need to get some truck stuff done anyways.

 

I guess watch the weather and have options. I think rain jumped to 70% yesterday and the sun never really came out to warm it up above mid 50s in the valleys. I started up towards the pass at noon, so kinda playing into the weather's hands. But it is tough to check since Verizon apparently doesn't work for shit in SW CO.

 

Looks awesome buddy! What were the temperature lows at night?

 

Low 40s in the valley west of Purgatory Ski Resort north of Durango.

 

http://www.sanjuancountycolorado.us/road--bridge.html

Mountain Pass Info
Open
Coalbank Pass
Molas Pass
Red Mountain Pass
Closed
Black Bear PassBolam Pass
California Pass
Cinnimon Pass
Corkscrew Pass
Engineer Pass
Hotel Draw
Hurricane Pass
Ophir Pass
Poughkeepsie Gulch
Stoney Pass

RuhRoh, hope you guys have some alternates.

 

Yeah, well that pretty much ends the fun down there.

 

San Miguel shows Imogene/Blackbear/Ophir as open again (this has changed in the last 48 hours).
http://www.sanmiguelcounty.org/406/Road-Conditions

San Juan still shows it all as closed.
http://www.sanjuancountycolorado.us/road--bridge.html

Neither of them date their friggin pages so you can't tell when they were last updated. Hinsdale doesn't even have a status page. I guess you just call if you want to be sure?

Edit: I guess Hinsdale just sticks it on their front page, says both Cinnamon and Engineer are open.
http://www.hinsdalecountycolorado.us/

 

I wouldn't trust the links or info above...here is where you should look

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gjAwhwtDDw9_AI8zPyhQoY6BdkOyoCAGixyPg!/?ss=110213&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=fsbdev3_002300&navid=110000000000000&pnavid=null&position=Conditions.Html&ttype=detail&pname=San Juan National Forest- Recreation


and if you really want to know first hand info call one of the heep rental places...or look at the Ouray webcam and you can clearly see it's not snowed in yet.

 

I was waiting for you to find this.

 

It's pretty sad when/if you can't rely on the actual authority to have the correct information posted. And given the FS is a third party that even says on their page 'we don't check this we just post what we're told'... I find it interesting that FS page updated three days ago (30th), yet the status it relates basically says the same thing that was posted the day before (29th) by San Miguel based on the link aero posted: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/colorado-b-s-thread.131441/page-4771#post-13117509 And now, if you go to San Miguel's Alerts page at http://www.sanmiguelcountyco.gov/alertcenter.aspx, it says all three that the FS says are closed are in fact open with yesterday's date on it (1st).

Bottom line, call someone. I think the rental places (or one of the tours) are a good idea since they're going to know day to day what's open since their business depends on it. County departments should be a close second since they make the decisions. Silverton's chamber of commerce has typically had good info, but I don't trust the one in Telluride at all because they've never been sure (or right) on questions I've asked and that's when I was physically there. I don't think I'd rely on the FS either, since again, they only know what they're told. It's admittedly a complex area since three counties each have authority over half of the different passes.