AdventureTaco - turbodb's build and adventures

Geez Louise. That was spectacular. Damn.

 

The Best for Last - Black Bear and Imogene Pass - Colorado #13

We awoke as we usually did, just before the sun spilled over our camp - the beginning of our last day on the trail.

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It would also be the day that we ran two of the most beautiful trails we'd encounter over the course of the entire trip. And - to tilt the scale in the favor of good, as far as the day was concerned - it was the second time we'd make a group breakfast on the trip - a last-day-tradition that I hope continues forever.

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We each easily ate over a pound of breakfast. Bacon alone was a half-pound serving per person!​

Unlike the last time we'd had a big breakfast and then gotten out of camp just before noon - this go around we were a little more attentive to the time given our plans for the day. It was only a little after 10:00am when we rolled out of camp, and covered a couple of twisty miles of pavement before pulling off at the start of Black Bear Pass.

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I understood almost immediately why Mike @Digiratus had requested that save this trail for our last day. And we hadn't even gotten to the dramatic part - I was told.

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As with several other passes we'd crossed, Black Bear Pass has a plateau in the trail, not long before reaching the top. We stopped here and I pulled up next to Mike - probably ruining his photo (sorry Mike) - to let thank him for making this one of our final trails.

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And with that, we pushed to the top.

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At 12,840 feet, Black Bear Pass wasn't our highest elevation - but that doesn't mean it wasn't one of the most dramatic. Views unfolded in every direction, and the smoke that'd been with us through much of the trip seemed just a little fainter on this special day - the color of the distant ridges, vibrant in the morning sun.

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I didn't say anything, but I was surprised at how fast we'd reached the top - and how easy it'd been. I'm glad I didn't, because it would have shown how ignorant I really was about the trail system in which we found ourselves on this glorious day. Not a bad thing I guess - being pleasantly surprised by what you find on the trail - but unusual for me, at least to this degree!

With a couple of Geo Trackers and a Jeep coming up the trail behind us, we didn't linger for too long at the pass before heading down the north side.

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Like the front half of the trail, the first section of the back half seemed to alternate between segments of shelf road and open plateau. Naturally, the views from the shelf were spectacular and being that it was my first time experiencing them, I found my myself in catch-up mode as the crew was turning out of the mountains and onto the upper plateau.

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Making our way through the plateau, the driving still wasn't overly technical, though there were a few ledges to step down, and flexy places to pose, as we continued along the trail. Old mining equipment reminded us why these roads were here in the first place.

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And then, as we neared the front of the plateau, the ground seemed to suddenly fall away, Telluride visible far below. Apparently the secret of Black Bear Pass was that the beginning was deceptive, and we still had a ways to go!

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This - I realized as we made our way through the steps - was what gave this trail its reputation. Not overly difficult for the experienced driver, but daunting for some, given reasonably narrow roads, steep drop-offs, and rocky terrain over which we drove.

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The biggest problem for me was that I wanted to keep stopping - there was so much to see on the way down. While the rest of the guys made quick work of the steps - easily following each other's lines and able to keep an eye on each other - I found the gap between us widening as I paused to snap a photo of an old tram tower hanging on the side of the cliff!

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Not all the tram tower remained poised high above Telluride, much of it had succumb to the harsh winters and time.​

And with that, we'd completed the most mentally taxing section of trail, and reached the final set of switchbacks that would deliver us to Telluride. I should note that looking back at this portion of trail after completing it - on our way out of town and towards Imogene Pass, it doesn't appear that a road should be possible on this little piece of earth - a piece that appears completely vertical.

And yet, the switchbacks are visible, and we were on them.

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Like many old mining roads, one from our day and age may wonder, "How does a road exist here?"​

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As we ticked off one switchback after another, our view of the Bridal Veil Power Station got better and better. Officially the Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Plant, it not only generates 25% of the power used in Telluride, but has also served as a residence over the years. Originally built in 1907, it was restored in 1988 by a local resident, who later gave up his lease to the Idarado Mining Company that owns the land. (wikipedia)

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Soon, all 12 switchbacks were behind us, and we were back in civilization - traffic in Telluride thick with tourists, the mask wearing during this crazy time ...minimal.

We stuck around only long enough to get gas for the trucks - or a couple of them anyway, since some of us don't run superchargers - and then we were headed back towards town, where our trail up Imogene Pass would begin.

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Is the gas station out of town, just so that folks are subjected to this view as they return?​

It was just after 2:00pm when we began our ascent - all of us hungry and on the lookout for a nice place to stop and eat lunch. We'd be a little late - sure - but what would anyone expect after the feast we'd had for breakfast?

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Imogene dazzled almost immediately, the sheer walls full of color, and the trail winding its way through the mountain!

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Running essentially parallel to Black Bear Pass - simply one canyon over - views opened up as we neared the tree line, our path leading up into the clouds, all there in front of us. As the final trail of our two week adventure, this was quite clearly a cherry on top of an amazing trip.

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It was here that we found the perfect place for lunch - a pull-out on the side of the trail, with space for our trucks and old tram towers to boot! We made sandwiches and snacks, grabbed our water bottles, and explored the ruins with our eyes.

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The towers it turned out were just the tip of the spear for the Tomboy Mine - the largest mining complex we'd seen all trip - just a little further up the road and sitting at 11,509 feet. As we wrapped lunch and made our way higher, the scale of the mine - spreading across the landscape - was remarkable.

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The Tomboy mine and Savage Basin Camp was located 3,000 feet above Telluride. The settlement contained a school, store, stable, and the miner's cabins. The Tomboy started producing quantities of gold ore in 1894 and in 1897 the mine was sold for 2 million dollars. A daily stage ran across this shelf road carrying passengers and mail.​

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One of the top three producers in the region, upwards of 1,000 workers were employed at the mine, which had many amenities for its employees. These included a YMCA, bowling alley, and tennis courts. A club that held dances - "free for all ladies desiring to go to the dance." Still, like other mines of the day, the Tomboy saw its share of violence - several men shot over various disputes - before closing in 1927 when the gold and silver ran out. Over its 47 years of operation, it produced millions of dollars of gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc.

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The Tomboy in the late 1800's.​

From the Tomboy, the trail began its final ascent to Imogene Pass. Once again on narrow shelf roads, we checked - and waited - for oncoming traffic before proceeding up the switchbacks. For me at least, the pause only added to the suspense of the moment, the reputation of this pass having been in the back of my mind for the previous two weeks.

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And then, we arrived.

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The view from the pass was stunning. Perhaps not the same dramatic view we had from Hurricane Peak or as we came down into Telluride over Black Bear Pass - but stunning nonetheless as we looked out over vast distances and an innumerable number of San Juan and Rocky Mountains.

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In addition to views, a mailbox - one that's seen better days - decorated the ridge. Covered in #EAF, #instafabulous, #overland stickers, I found it funny that a Microsoft sticker was front and center. Oh, how life plays tricks on us in funny ways.

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It was windy at the top - for the first time on the trip, there were clouds in the sky - and we each donned an extra layer of clothing to keep ourselves warm as we continued to snap photos and watch traffic as it climbed, summited, and descended. Most interesting was a Jeep Gladiator JT. Completely wrapped in vinyl to make it seem like it was rusting, its owner had decked out all four sides with bright white LEDs - camp lights, really. Distracting - as you couldn't tell if was approaching or departing - and questionably legal, I wish I'd thought to snap a photo to capture the odd vehicle, if only to share its oddity.

Instead, we each focused on capturing our vehicles one last time before starting down - this, the final descent of our trip!

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We only made it about two-tenths of a mile - to a nearby overlook - before climbing out of the trucks again, this time with a final view of Corkscrew Gulch and Red Mountain No. 1, still gleaming bright in the semi-cloudy conditions.

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Also from this same vantage point we spotted an old mining structure, perched on the side of a lake, beckoning us to explore. Unfortunately, the road was gated and the distance too great given the time, so a photo and note to return in the future were all we could afford on this trip.

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And with that, we were off - starting our descent for real, on the lookout for somewhere to camp. Preferably with a view, though none of us were likely to be picky on this, our last night.

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All lined up and ready to go.​

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Couldn't resist one last overlook shot as the road curved around an outside bend.​

In the end, we made it all the way down Imogene Pass Road without finding a spot. This probably should have been surprising - the traffic here is likely insane during the summer months, and camping along the trail would surely destroy the area. Still, as we skirted the Camp Bird Mine, we were all wondering what our next step would be.

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We extended the trail - if only slightly - by following a powerline road a mile or so west, its exit to Camp Bird Road near the entrance to Yankee Boy Basin gated by a large granite slab. This bit of fun was the last real "4-wheeling" we'd have on this trip and we all enjoyed taking various steep, off-camber lines up its face.

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Ultimately - after searching a bit in Yankee Boy Basin and a couple of the surrounding roads for half an hour - we decided to make a beeline to civilization, the smoothly graded road allowing us to travel quickly to a spot just a few miles from our entrance to the Alpine Loop a few days earlier.

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There, we aired up and discussed our plan - to head north from Ouray towards Grand Junction - the Accuterra maps I had as part of Backcountry Navigator XE showing plenty of BLM about 45 minutes away.

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We drove through sunset, twilight, and into the dark. By the time we reached BLM land and found a flat spot to camp - just a few miles north of Delta, Colorado - everyone was ready to call it a day; mostly.

You see, as we'd driven our way into the dark, I'd realized that if I left for home now, the 20 hour drive would put me home sometime in the late afternoon Saturday, rather than early in the morning Sunday. I'd be tired either way, but by arriving on Saturday I could get a good night sleep and still have Sunday to get the truck put away.

So, with understandable ribbing from the guys, that's what I set off to do. It was a good decision, really, since it put me through Salt Lake City just after midnight, the traffic lighter than its ever been. The only downside: I missed the last night of guac and some time around the fire - but hey, that just left me hungry for the next time we all get together!

Thanks for the great trip Monte, Devin, Mike, Dan, Mark, Emily, Steve and Megan - I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

 

Your awesome pictures let me relive the final day of my two week trip in the fall of 2018 on these two trails. Thanks!

 

Been amazing following your journey! Can’t wait for your next one.

 

Awesome trip! I'd be hanging back and snapping pictures all day too. Great stuff.

Just realized that Black Bear pass into Telluride is the one that Jeep tumbled down this summer. I know it's not the most technical trail, but pucker factor would be high for me!

 

Glad you both enjoyed! Was one of our best trips (I say that every time, b/c it's true) and I can't wait for next year.

I've got a couple more that are queued up behind this one to post, but ummm... I'm headed out again, so they'll have to wait just a bit longer .

That's the one. It's not all that bad though, really. As long as you're not afraid of heights. Described by someone to me as, "A novice trail with extreme consequences." A good description, I think, even if the trail is probably a step up from novice.

 

was like 2-3 days after we were there.

Its not bad. But shit can and does happen there. Same with Morrison.

 

I have wanted to do this trail ever since my Dad took me to Telluride and we listened to C. W. McCall's 8 track.

 

Rig Review - What Worked and What Didn't in Colorado?
October 12, 2020.

There's no doubt about it, the truck worked pretty well on the Clear, Colorful, Colorado trip for the entirety of the two weeks. Heck, it even got me there and back on the highway - two 20+ hour drives straight, with a bunch of dirt thrown in-between.

So, without further ado, let's do a quick rundown of what worked well, and what could have been better.

Oil spray in engine bay (resolved)
TL;DR - seems to have resolved itself. The fluid was power steering fluid, I believe.

I still had bit of spray at the beginning of the trip. A quick inspection of the engine bay by everyone came to the conclusion that it was power steering fluid from when I removed the PS pump to replace the A/C compressor. We agreed that it was either: residual fluid that'd seeped into various crevice's and was leaking back out as the engine bay warmed up, or I didn't get the banjo bolt quite tight enough on the pressurized power steering line. By the end of the trip - having done nothing - no more fluid was being thrown around. I still plan to tighten the banjo bolt slightly.

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The Drawer in the In-Cab Battery Cabinet Rattles (new)
TL;DR - I need to find a way to secure the drawer a little more securely in the cabinet to stop it from rattling.

The inside of the cab is remarkably quiet now that I've sound deadened everything. Because of that, I notice and am bothered by the drawer where I have many of my electronics installed, rattling in the drawer slide as I bump down rocky roads. It's obviously not a functional issue, so not of critical importance, but I'd like to find a way to reduce the rattle - somehow securing the drawer better to reduce vibration.

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All Kinds of Problems with the CB Antenna (new, resolved)
TL;DR - The CB antenna basically pooped its pants. I've replaced it.

A couple days into the trip, my CB reception and transmission essentially stopped working. My SWR jumped to over 15. The problem - we discovered - was that the wire wrapped around the fiberglass shaft had come unsoldered from the base, essentially rendering the antenna 2" long. We were able to fix that on the trail - solving my problem in the short term - but then on the way home, a strong headwind broke the fiberglass portion of the antenna. Or rather, separated it from the metal base.

I've already ordered and received a replacement antenna (FireStik FL3-B w/adjustable tip) that will solve all the problems.

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Ham Radio Antenna Getting Caught on Branches (long-term, resolved)
TL;DR - I got a new, shorter antenna. And it's great. Should have done this a long time ago.

One of the biggest problems with a ham radio antenna installed on the roof of the truck is that low-hanging branches catch it, and try to pull the NMO mount out of the thin sheet metal. The biggest issue is the coil that exists in many antennas - to increase length and improve reception. To solve the problem, I replaced my Diamond NR770HBNMO mobile antenna (a great antenna that I still plan to run on trips where trees aren't an issue) with a STI-CO ROOF-FT-NITI mobile antenna. This antenna is about half the length, has no coil, and is so flexible that it can be tied in a knot.

I ran this antenna for the entire trip, and my APRS beacons were just as plentiful as they've been with the Diamond. My reception - regularly the best in my group - continued to exceed that of the other setups. So yes, this antenna seems great, and I'll be using it any time I'm headed into wooded areas!

I should note: this antenna is tuned by trimming it to length. I've trimmed it to a length that is optimized for approximately 145MHz, since I primarily tune my Ham radio within the 2m range - using 144.390MHz for APRS and 146.520MHz for simplex communications. This is part of the reason I may continue to run the Diamond antenna in situations where I can. Doing so will allow me to take full advantage of the 420-450MHz (70cm) range.

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My Headlights are Too Dim (long-term)
TL;DR - My forward facing lights suck - I need brighter headlights, at least.

I've not liked my headlights for a long time; they are extremely dim. I believe that part of this is inherent to '98-'00 Tacomas - they all seem to have low light output and no good aftermarket replacements. It also doesn't help that my bulbs are over 20 years old at this point - likely outputting only a fraction of the light that they did when new.

I've added Hella 700FF Driving Lights to the bumper to try and compensate for the headlights - and they've been great, especially since I made them come on automatically when the hi-beams are engaged. Still, I'd like more light out of the front of the truck, given the countless hours I spend driving at night - largely on the highway, getting to/from a destination.

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Cooper ST/Maxx Tires (new, resolved)
TL;DR - I gouged a sidewall, and I need a new tire.

I've been running Cooper ST/Maxx tires for the last several years. They are a great tire, and I have yet to find a tire that I prefer, overall. Traction is excellent in a variety of terrains, road noise is low on the freeway, and while they are only available in a heavy, stiff, "E" load rating, there are no other tires at the size I use - 255/85R16 - that are available in lighter variants.

On this trip, I finally damaged a tire, by gouging a sidewall on Black Bear Pass. While I'm not happy I have to buy a new tire, this only increases my respect for the ST/Maxx - this is a large, deep gouge, and the tire continued to perform flawlessly through the remainder of the trip, as well as after being aired up for a 1000 mile trip home on the highway.

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The CVT Roof Top Tent (long-term)
TL;DR - The tent is still great, but I've got some qualms with the tarp/cover - part of it is coming unstitched, and the zipper sucks whenever it gets dusty.

I won't go into all the reasons I like my CVT Mt. Shasta tent - there are many. On this last trip, two issues that have been simmering over time came to the forefront. First, the cover has some reinforced areas that keep the ladder on the top of the tent from rubbing through. One of those patches has started to come unstitched, and I'll need to re-sew it. Second - and more importantly - it is getting harder and harder to zip the cover when I've been in dusty terrain. This has happened for a while now. I'm 100% sure this is due to the fact that the dust gets onto the zipper and zipper mechanism, and causes friction. In the short term (last few trips) I've been able to blow forcefully into the zipper mechanism when this happens to "clear out" some of the dust, allowing the zipper to move again for a few more inches. Longer term, I need a better solution.

I feel like this problem - dust when camping - was predictable and could have been designed around. It's one of the great things about a GFC, and one of the things that worries me about GFCs new Superlite.

ADS 2.5" Coilovers with Remote Reservoirs (long-term)
TL;DR - I need limit straps to prevent the shocks from over-extending, which can lead to shock tower failure.

Ever since I installed the ADS Coilovers, I've liked them. They've been higher maintenance than previous setups I've used, but their performance has outweighed that maintenance in my opinion. One of the things that's been an issue from the beginning is that they seem slightly shorter than the shocks I've had installed previously - like maybe ½-inch shorter.

This length issue causes them to fully extend, making a clunking sound, more quickly than other shocks I've run. I initially tried to fix this issue by removing "preload" (which is really just lowering the resting height, preload isn't changed) in an earlier rig review. That has worked well, but there are still conditions where I get the clunking - especially if I'm going faster over terrain.

The problem - or potential problem - if I don't do anything about this situation, is that each time the coilovers "clunk," they are pulling down on the shock tower. This downward force is different than the normal force on the shock tower, and - I believe - is what causes shock tower failure similar to the one that the Redhead had on our 2019 trip to Colorado.

The solution is to install limit straps, and I'll be doing that soon. I've already received the ones I ordered.

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Coleman Camp Stove/Grill (improvement)
TL;DR - after modifying the propane neck to use a flexible tube, I like the stove even more.

The Coleman Camp Grill/Stove has continued to work well from a cooking perspective. It is super convenient to have a burner and a grill in a single unit. My biggest complaint about it was that the propane bottle sat diagonally behind the unit when it was in use, requiring a bunch of room behind the unit - inconvenient if it was setup on a tailgate or shallow-depth table. In fact, it was the reason I gave up on a fold-down table for my swingout, because there was just no way to make it deep enough for the stove + propane bottle.

However, a recent modification to the neck has changed everything. The mod works so well - and allows so much flexibility in where the propane sits - that I can't believe this isn't the design from the factory. This is a tweak that Irecommend everyone who has a propane stove - regardless of make or model - perform. You'll love it!

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Seemingly solved from previous Rig Reviews

1. The Ham Radio Antenna - solved as noted above.
2. Oil Spray in the Engine Bay - solved itself. I hope.

Unchanged / Still an issue from previous Rig Reviews

There are some things that have been featured in Rig Reviews that are - as yet - unchanged from when I originally reviewed them. Rather than highlight those things again, I'll simply link to them here.

1. Oil Leaking from Transfer Case - I haven't done anything about this yet, though I seem to be getting less leakage.
2. The Windshield Has Seen Better Days - I plan to wait until summer to fix this, just so winter rocks, sand, etc. don't immediately destroy the new one.

 

What about doing a headlight restoration kit? Seems like getting rid of some of the yellowing/hazing would improve light transmission from the original housing. That along with some new bulbs might be an inexpensive option that goes a reasonably long way.

 

Also, looking back at the pictures (and not reading) your write up on the sound deadener. Did you leave the sticky side of the deadening mat over the openings on the inner portion of the doors, or did you put something on the backside of them? I'm sort of mid process and considered cutting plexiglass type material to cover the holes and then putting deadener over that. Of course, not doing that would be easier.

 

I keep meaning to try bees wax. It's what the british used in africa and is supposed to work quite well and last a while. I just put on my new cover which i think is #3 for me from zippers dying.

 

I have use white lighting bike chain lube before on the zipper and seemed to work for me

 

This is exactly what I was thinking, it is what I use on my MTB chains. Or if you can find it, some Boeshield T-9 is also a wax lube and it comes in a spray as well.

 

Bees Wax works well on zippers. When the plastic zippers shit the bed, it's a bit harder. What has also worked well is to spend a few minutes and re-align the cover.

 

The ADS issues stands out to me as I have also added ads coilovers recently. So the issue is that your coilover has less travel than the droop of the truck? It was my understanding that they are extended travel shocks? I guess I haven’t experienced that clunk yet, I’ve run two moderate/hard trails and that didn’t arise.

 

I have loved the OSRAM 90/100 bulbs, they are BRIGHT!
I have ran them for over four years now, but buy spares as the don't last as long as a normal bulb.

 

Did you have to upgrade your wiring?

 

I did, installed an ARB or PIAA wiring kit. It was a plug and play connected directly to the battery.

 

You're opening a huge can of worms. I think we beat it to death pretty good in the what cracks next thread among others.

Knowing Dan, he'll have a detailed writeup on the install soon, possibly including some sweet MS Paint diagrams, explaining the situation. So I'll let him address it fully here in his build.


My abridged opinion: If you wheel hard and drive fast, I would always install limit straps alongside coilovers. Without them, your coilovers will always been your limiting factor on droop.