Can't Get There From Here (A semi-epic quest for fall foliage and high passes)

After a quick stop in Crested Butte to see a friend, hit the pavement for a mile or two to Brush Creek, headed up and on to Pearl Pass.

 

Last year I turned around here.

 

looks like you hit it at peak leaves time!! thats one hell of a trip solo!!

 

And finally made it to Pearl Pass a year later.

 

On the way down the Aspen side of Pearl passed a bunch of waterfalls and evidence of avalanches over the winter.

 

Settled in for the night just above the ghost town of Ashcroft on Taylor Pass, and came across a creature that was living in some abandoned mining scrap.





After some dinner and whiskey, headed down to explore Ashcroft at night, which was pretty damn cool.

 

The next morning we awoke to the sound of rain, which didn't let up for the rest of the day except conveniently for a half hour or so while we took down camp. The grey skies and bright leaves made for an amazing view on the trip up Taylor pass, the night had laid a light dusting on the tallest of peaks, Castle and surrounding 14,000' peaks

 

Topped out on Talyor Pass, then headed down towards Taylor reservoir ( not the lake in the pic below). I wasn't expecting much out of the Taylor Pass descent, but it was full of rock gardens, large boulders, and an extended section of the trail that contained the creek.

 

Upon reaching the res, turned towards the sky again and up Tin Cup pass, which I had attempted earlier in the year with a TW crew from the other side, but the final section was blocked with snow at the time. Didn't get any pics other than at the peak as it was full on downpour for the ascent.



4th of July

 

It was damn near peak, I think next weekend there might be a bit more color everywhere, but some of the trees will have peaked and turned brown/lost their leaves. I personally like the trees on the green side of changing instead of the back end where you have some that are already done.

This was an amazing trip, I can't say enough how lucky we are here to have these trails, even if they are only runnable for a few weeks a year (Pearl Pass was fully open for the first time this year around 8/15). I plan to make this an annual tradition, I would like to go back and do Italian Creek/Reno Divide again as well, which was the last trail I tried last year.

 

Tell me about doing this without sliders?

 

Well, I don't think I hit my sliders too many places if at all, but it isn't something I really pay attention to. I think all but Taylor would be no problem with careful driving, but the spots I took pics of have some big ass rocks that you have to squeeze between I several spots and it could be tight, especially in a taco with a longer wheelbase. What lift/tire size, and do you have skids?

 

Icon set at 2.5 with 285 70 16 stock skids at the moment

 

I would stick with my original recommendation then and avoid Taylor, and there are a few spots on Pearl that you would probably want a spotter just for safety.

 

^That route remains the best trip I've ever done. Awesome pics, James.

 

Agreed, Pearl was so damn cool, can't wait to run it again. I think next time I would go in the opposite direction, going uphill on the harder part of Taylor, as well as Pearl. Maybe something like Tomichi>Hancock>Tin Cup>Taylor>Pearl>Italian Creek>Cottonwood? That would be pretty epic.

Crystal/Schofield was kinda boring IMO, other than the mill itself.

 

Absolutely amazing trip James! I'm going to forward this to my buddy in Indiana, he just got a new tacoma and this is good Colorado bait. My truck will be ready for this next fall

 

been looking to do a similar route for a while now...

 

where there's a will there's a way. we have a good size group coming from the east coast to moab for rock therapy in May. Colorado is just shy of that distance. that area is amazing during foliage if you don't mind the cold weather at night for sleeping.

 

Thanks for the kind word!

Agreed!

I think fall is the best time for this route, but it would be cool to add Williams to this, but it is only open for August . . .

Tomichi>Williams>Tin Cup>Taylor>Pearl>Italian Creek>Cottonwood