The Epic WY/MT/CO Adventure!!

ohhh okay!

And well..going up the Clarks Fork is pretty senic but yea if you don't wanna do the switchbacks..don't. Seriously don't want someone to drive to the bottom and start up and be like..uhhh...actually..im gonna pass..haha would not work so well. Its a long drive around to meet us on the top.

But cool! Okay and you'll have a CVT by then right? So you could be in the be back or the front.

Sweet

 

Yes sir, should have my bed rack and my CVT Mt. Shasta by the end of this coming week or sometime next week

 

awesome!

okay cool.

Ill keep you on the more or less tentative list for now tho.

You'll have Internet while on your trip to keep in the loop i take it?

 

I hope so...I'm going to try and find a place with wifi at least once a week so I can check in and see whats going on

 

Sounds good man!

 

Just thought I would toss out some San Juan stuff for you folks.

Frankly, I would skip all of the Alpine Loop east of Engineer and Cinnamon pass and maybe skip Cinnamon altogether, Engineer puts it to shame. I would definitely summit Engineer but just as an "up and down" from the west side (Mineral Point/Animas Forks Townsite). There is no doubt that part of the Loop it is scenic, it's just a lot of miles of "not quite as scenic" as the stuff to the west and north.

Here is a list of locations/trails I would consider "must see". Of course I am very biased towards ghost towns and mining camps.
Sort of grouped by proximity. If you Google any of the place names followed by "CO" you will get plenty of returns.


Guston, Black bear Pass/Bullion King Lake spur, Imogene Pass, Sidney Gulch, Governor Basin, Yankee Boy Basin.


Brown Mountain/Corkscrew Gulch (same trail head), Hurricane Pass, Upper California Gulch


Engineer Pass from Ouray side/Mineral point Rd spur, Animas Forks, Sound Democrat/Placer Gulch, California Gulch,[FONT=&quot] Poughkeepsie Gulch [/FONT](toughest of the main San Juan trails, winch and/or locker needed)

From Animas Forks down to Silverton is a quick trip, it's a well maintained road (4th gear) and you will be in the company of CARS. I have seen cars summit Cinnamon Pass from the Animas Forks side. It is well worth the trip to see Silverton and take the trip up to Stony Pass and STEP OVER the Rio Grand (one step). It's flowing wild and free for about it's first 1500 yards, just east of Stony Pass.



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Wow thanks for the pics!

And you don't think we should do it all??

I was really hoping too and do you have more details on the part you need a locker/winch?

 

Well, you mentioned a 4 day visit. The place names I listed could easily take up many more. I was trying to maximize the mine camp/ghost town thing for the time you have. Off the trails I listed are many more spurs that lead to countless mines/mine camps. If you locate the all the places from the list on one map, you will see what I mean.
Sure, the eastern half of the Loop is pretty scenic and it has some mines and ruins, it's just less so than the areas I listed. All of those pics are from about 1/4 of the place names I listed and that whole list is to the west of Engineer/Cinnamon Pass. Remember ALL those names will have tons of Google returns.

Poughkeepsie Gulch runs (in the preferred direction) from lower Mineral Creek trail up Lake Como and Hurricane pass. It is drop dead gorgeous and 4lo most of the way till you pass the tree line. It follows and just flat runs "in" a Perfect little stream. I'll see if I can find some pics. At about the half way point is "the wall", rated a 7.
A local club put in a winch anchor for the "un-locked" or wet conditions.
Years ago I did the whole trail on 31" muds, locker, mild lift, high clearance bumpers, no armor and dry conditions (just a few snow flurries). I suffered no damage, bumped and dragged but no damage.
This trail is REQUIRED.

Google "Poughkeepsie Gulch Colorado" for tons of stuff, Including vids.
Here's one and check the "nearby trails" links. You do not want to miss Mineral Point road and the San Juan Chief mine/mill.
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=77

 

Thanks for the info. I have a winch but no locker so good to know.

I guess I'll wait for the other guys to chime in with what they want. I know I want to do black bear and engineer and Imogene for sure. Basically the hard stuff so gulch road too

 

I could spend the rest of my life in the Winds and not see all that I want to...

 

No kidding...

 

So tell me what are some of the best lakes to backpack into for some epic fishing? Southern Wind River range....looking to catch some golden trout. PM if you don't want to post the info publicly....

 

I only went once and broke my pole crawling under some brush that had grown over the trail (I had my pole strapped to my pack) on the second day. I have heard that the inkpot (?) lakes on the east side of the range were really good but not sure.

Edit- I think it is the inkwell lakes

 

Well the lakes we are driving too are supposed to be great

 

That reminds me, I need to get a new pole and an out of state license WY Out of state are so expensive and last time I bought one for 5 days (+/- $100) and that^^^ happened to me. But I will have the pole in the bed, not so easy to break it there!

 

1st day/night I'll be backpacking into Big Sandy to fish for a few hours, then on to Black Joe lake to fish for a few hours. Early morning rise and into the Cirque of the Towers for the next 2 days.

I've been meaning to ask....how much time overall do you plan on spending at Shoshone, Goose, and Christina lakes?

 

Yea they are pricey..where we make a lot of money tho.

And good plan!

Goose and Shoshone we will be camping right on. Will all depend on when we get there and how long it takes to drive to them. Then leave the next day. So you'd have that evening and morning to toss some flys.

Christina we won't camp at. Too little room.

 

Easy to brake in the bed too Ask me how I know....get yourself a good rod case and you'll be golden.

I usually C&R but I hope some people will be up for a fresh trout dinner

 

Relocated my CB antenna using the BAMF Tailgate bracket and now it works much better.








I also relocated my Trailer Light Plug so that I don't rip it off while I am in Moab.

 

No prob man. I'm always up for fresh trout. Love it.