Colorado Trip Reports

Did you make it up to the lake?

 

yep, Rollins is still rocky af. Did a little fishing up at Yankee Doodle lake. By the time I was down I couldn't wait to be off that road. didn't need 4x4 at all though.

 

It's beautiful up there, but you're right. That ride is basically just 90 minutes of bumpy road you can't wait to be done with.

 

With true 35s it would probably feel like asphalt. Just sayin.

 

Polmeroy lake?

 

I air down for that annoying road just to try to soften the ride up. Was tossing around where to go fishing next, and while I like that area I may pass it up this year and go do something else just to not put myself through that drive.

But, imagine how much more crowded it'd be if the road was improved. Ick.

 

It was really busy. Pretty much all camp sites were filled except the big meadow one and a couple that are just barely big enough for a single truck. Lots of SxS and mountain bikers..

 

The warmer than normal weather isn't helping things, either. Last year I was up there in late October and stuck around until everyone else cleared out (no one was camping as it was cold at night). I love the sound of just nature. I fished Yankee Doodle Lake for a couple of hours, and watched skim ice forming on the lake while I was there. That was a first for me.

 

@The_Black_Pearl - sorry I missed the trip. Our company last weekend that kept us from coming along is my elk hunting partner so we headed out to Carbondale to scout the effects of the fires on the elk migration we hunt GMU 43 - third rifle). Took my Taco off road in some interesting areas, first real time on FS roads and trails up in the high country - handled really well.

 

Ran Red Cone yesterday; last ran it one year ago. The "gatekeeper" rock obstacle is quite dug out, and the mogul/criss-cross spot on the switchbacks in the trees is the worst it's been. There's a few big potholes on the initial descent from the peak that had every vehicle three-wheelin' through it... those weren't there last year.

 

Any snow/ice in spots?

 

No. The snow from weeks ago long left. With the shift in the latest storm, this trail will still be passable for awhile.

 

Ran RedCone-Radical-St.Johns-Swan river-Georgia pass yesterday. Snow was falling by 11:00 and 4" deep by 2. Had traction issues trying to summit Georgia in full white out conditions. If the snow storms become more frequent it will become impassible very soon. I'd recommend chains and a land anchor with winch if travel happens any later in the season.

The trail is in good shape other than the odd ruts. Someone tried to ascend the backside of Redcone with an open diff vehicle making ruts that make decent a little more likely to cause a seat hickey. The switchback ruts are deep and almost on the verge of being beyond the capabilities of an open diff vehicle. The guardian need to be bigger to keep some of the riffraff off the trail. The UTV diversions seem to be less this year than last but there was 3 or 4 distinct bypasses in the trees.

 

Did you see them? Was is a white TRD pro 4runner? Told a guy I work with who thought you could go up that not to do it, he just bought the Pro, probably doesn't know how to put his locker in

 

Sounds like it happened a while ago. I think he was just offering an idea on how the ruts got there.

 

Only noticed 2 groups of miserable looking UTV riders. Cold and wet was the theme of yesterday. Very little traffic on RedCone. Swan river came across a couple more UTV groups looking the same and one Jeep from Texas looking for trouble. Hope those guys made it out ok as they were heading in as the storm was increasing. If their path out was over to Jefferson, RIP. Breck should have been an easy exit route though. Georgia pass was white out and slick.

 

Made it Ma ... Top of the world!



And the iconic photo with early morning lighting.

 

Come on you got like 10' further to pull up.