Another Tourist

Hey ya Colorado people!

Yet another tourist looking to infiltrate your states natural beauty.

Planning a trip for Sept 29-Oct 3
Stock 2016 offroad - welded sliders, stock skid.

The guys in my local group have suggested something close to the following:

Colorado Springs ---> Pikes Peak (just stop by) ---> Cripple Creek (cheap cabin to use) --> Tincup Pass --> Crested Butte...(Taylore resevoir & Irwin Lake?) --> Pearl Pass --> Aspen --> Towards Denver for the way back (stop by Redrocks amphitheater)

Is that way too much to cram into 4ish days? Are those two passes pretty well travelled if I run into trouble? - I do have basic recovery gear. Very open to other suggestions. Bolded are the musts of my friends.

I'm still a beginner at wheelin' in a truck, but have been reaffirmed when out with our local guys at parks I'm pretty decent for only being out a handful of times. "natural at picking out lines" they say. So I'd say I can handle minor obstacles, but don't want them the entire pass. Heights/dropoffs don't bother me. Never had issues with off camber stuff either.

We would be leaving the afternoon of the 28th traveling until late and taking the entire day of the 4th to get home. Coming from the St. Louis area.

 

This is just down from the Pearl summit on the CB side. Pearl pass can be a bit gnarly so do some research. It's fun with amazing views, lots of exposure. Stock should "make" it but you might be rubbing a few places. Taylor reservoir to Taylor pass to Aspen is a little better, trickiest part is coming out of the creek. Both are decently well traveled, neither are a great idea to do alone. I'm not equipped to be going up there at the moment but I'm sure there are some people here. There should be some good YouTube videos, mostly dirt bike videos though. I don't know how to load my video here.
Bushducks.com
http://www.co4x4rnr.org/

 

This is entering Taylor creek from the Aspen side.

 

That bit on Taylor Creek looks fun! Not too difficult from the looks of it. But then again pictures hardly do anything justice.

So Taylor pass is a little "easier" ?
I suppose I can make a full decision when it gets closer and to see if any locals would like to tag along. I will definitely add it to my list.
I've also had Kebler Pass mentioned?

I will look up all the 4x4 guides and sites that I've been pointed toward, but still want opinions from people on here, as we have similar trucks and know the capabilities of them vs a site talking about wranglers making their way easily through a pass.

 

You will want alternative plans for Pearl, It is possible it will be Snow closed even at the beginning of Oct.

 

Kebler Pass is beautiful, especially if the aspen trees are turning. but it's just a 2wd packed dirt road. Great camping.
Taylor Pass is great, part of the road itself is the flowing creek so coming from CB side you'll be coming up this section wet, it's really not too bad.

Definitely check before heading up!
Aspen side of Pearl Pass as of a couple days ago, just some friends of mine (8k Offroad) like to go push through the snow. Snow was good this year but I think it will be open no problem.

 

Not the opening I am cautioning him on, but the "closing" because of early snow fall.

 

And thats why im here. Thank you. Not many others have mentioned which one's would be snow packed by then. Understandably the higher elevation passes. I understand a lot of public campgrounds would be closing by then? Does keebler pass still allow the camping when/wherever?

Taylor pass sounds good. As long as it's not deep enough that i need a diff breather? Havent gotten to that mod yet.

Easier passes are better as I'll most likely be on my own with my two clueless friends. I can always change plans when time comes if anyone wants to wheel with me.

 

That is a pretty big agenda for a very short time IMO

 

yea i believe some of it may be knocked out. I don't mind continually driving. it is a road trip after all. once we get to Colorado we will have 4-5 full days before returning home.

 

I would put it around 30% chance it would be "Snow Closed" and if it is most likely Taylor would be as well. Alternate if you are in Aspen valley and want to go south is 133 over McClure pass (Hwy type road so it will be open), you pass by Marble so you could check out Crystal Mill (Pic below) and
Schofield Pass is a High Clearance/ 4x4 route into Crested Butte so another alternate route.




Sorry have no info on Camping but if it's a late fall you could be just right for colors in Crested Butte and Ridgeway (Dallas Divide)/ Telluride

 

yea i've been trying to think of alternates and first choice routes to go for snow closure.
I've been told Schofield Pass will be too much for my stock taco? I'm only on 31's.
Thank you for the additional advice

It's looking like Keebler pass will be a definite for us.
After that priority while thinking about snow closure goes from pearl pass, to taylor pass, to what you just mentioned sounds great.

just looked up redrocks and incubus plays the night before we leave. will be headed out there too!

 

It's been some time since I have done Schofield, hope to fix that this summer. I will let others with more recent experience say but it's really all about Devil's Punch bowl and narrow, off camber Shelf road with some rocks that angles towards the creek.

TrailsOffroad has rating from last August.
https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/1914-schofield-pass

Edit: Trail section I speak of starts around 1:30 below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vZfkTfMJ9c

 

Now that looks a bit fun! haha. Though it does look like my rig could possibly make it. It's definitely not something I'd like to go on alone, or without a few real experienced people.

 

Double check with the forest service on Schofield pass. There has a slide this year and last I heard it is closed indefinitely.

I do pearl pass every year in September for the fall colors. Expect snow fall, but doubtful it will be closed when you are there. Again call the local ranger to verify.

 

Probably best anymore this is becoming an annual event. Check this out showing them clearing the latest slide yesterday. However, Didn't find anything about Bridge 4 that they closes as unsafe last year. Not sure if you can ford there or not.

 

Okay I am farther along in my planning for this trip now.

We will be spending october 1st doing Keebler pass and then up to marble to see Crystal Mill. From poking around on the web....a couple sites said there are points to turn around on Schofield pass before the punchbowl. I'd like to know from any of ya'lls first hand knowledge if this is true. Would I be able to drive a couple miles just for some actual offroad fun (because keebler is just a packed road), and then turn back around? I don't want to risk too much as, yet again, I'm on my own. Albeit with simple recovery gear.

This is all weather dependent. If someone is around to to do pearl pass and the weather is in good favor that is what I'd like to do the most. crested butte to vail. nix out the rest.

 

I also would like to try a fall run there (Pearl, Taylor passes and Crystal Mill), I will research it more and post up what I find.

 

Here is my experience with the routes for the past few years, and snow. To answer your question specifically about turning around on Schofield, you can before you head down to the first bridge, as seen below, going any further will make for some sketchy backing, especially if icy at all, this is where I stopped and could back up to an opening to turnaround, approximately here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d39.052932!4d-107.082527



https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...uest-for-fall-foliage-and-high-passes.296837/

 

Also to note, Pearl is still not open for the year yet.

8/4/17 - Pass remains closed on the Aspen side, 2.5 miles from the Tagggert and Wilson huts. First snowfield is 2 miles in, and was crossed only after chaining up and using both lockers. After 2 more tippy snowfields, the road is buried,and impassable at this point in time. Bring shovels! Photo of the first snowfield here and of the final blockage just below the summit here