Alpine Loop and Ouray Area - 7/22 - 7/26/15

After Kite, headed back down to where we had camped, and down the rest of Stony Pass towards Creede. This was one of my favorite sections of trail, I would compare it to riding single track, but in a truck, all down hill and flowy without too much need for brakes, sadly no more pics.

Overall one of my favorite extended trips I have done, and had been waiting for quite some time to get down and run these trails, as always having great companions on the trail makes the trip.

 

I feel that if it were dry we could have made it up the middle line, which wouldn't have resulted in the hangups the right line caused from breakover on the rock at the top. Brett winched up that line, and didn't scrub on anything.

 

For non-CO locals, this happened just a week so after we were in the area, hopefully no long lasting impact to the river, the EPA released 3 million gallons of sludge into a feeder of the Animas River.






This occurred in the valley below, pic from the top of Corkscrew.

 

That reflection shot turned out pretty sweet! Now we just need Charlie's to compare.

 

You know I have looked and cannot find much on how it really happened. I would like to know how they let that happen.

 

Some of my last day pics...


Leo, working on his ColdWaterIntake


Kite Lake


and the inflating of the tires ritual



Heck of a trip to have gone on with a great group!

 

Hopefully they face heavy fines... Oh wait, never mind.

 

East coast take over! Who's gonna be our guide?

 

I'm good for the end of August next year. Have a wedding to attend in Denver on Labor Day weekend.

 

Any talk of a trip for 2016??? I am definitely going to try to plan for it this summer

 

I'm sure there'll always be some TW people that want to hit the Alpine Loop.

That being said, it's not on my list for this coming year. Incredibly scenic area, glad I finally hit those trails, and there's a few left to do, but there is so many people wheeling down there. Every time we got to the top of some pass and had to deal with a shit show of traffic it just took a bit of the fun out of it.

There's other loops and trails in Colorado with significantly less people, just as good of views, and better wheeling IMO.

 

Good point. Last time I hit those trails we were on quads so it was significantly faster and much easier to blow by all the tourists in rental jeeps but I thought it would be fun to go camp around there. Ill keep an eye on the trail planning thread for the next extended camping trip for the summer and hopefully I can jump onboard.

 

We usually do a few multi-day adventures over the summer, Ill let you know.

 

Awesome, looking forward to it!

 

I'm up there 2-3 times a month come the summertime unless I'm in Moab.

 

What gps are you guys using? I know nothing about them but I noticed some of your pictures had the trails right on the gps. Do those trails come up as actual roads or is that something you have to program in? I've started tossing the idea of getting a gps and doing some extencive overlanding but I don't wanna get a gps that's gonna get me lost lol

 

I think the pics you're seeing are of James' gps.
I have a garmin montana and love it.
Every time someone bumps this thread, I read through it again. Such an awesome trip

 

Yeah, those are just off my agar in Nuvi. Shows most FS roads in the state. I do like yours though Eric, toppo is a nice feature.

 

And yes, it was awesome, I went through the pics again the other day looking for the EAF grill in action pics.

 

I've gone threw it quite a few times, and every time I laugh at this picture of Leo's with his caption:




"Everybody preparing to head out for Black Bear"

He needed to add: except Brett. He's laying in the dirt trying to figure out what's wrong with his truck before the first trail of the trip.


Oh, and I got a real camera. Hopefully I can figure out how to use it and actually add to future trip reports.