New Mexico Owners BS Thread

Not nasty at all. Rocky. But not super steep. Not super rutted. No big obstacles. Easily done in a stock tacoma. I aired down and have 295s BFG KO2s but never even needed 4wd.

 

I'd definitely agree that people over hype routes, especially in guide books.

Depending on when you think you might be able to get out there and when I can get an alignment I'd be down to meet up and do a long day trip or maybe an overnight.

 

Hey everyone! I’m in Albuquerque for about 3 months. Unfortunately I had to leave my taco at home and will be in an Awd rental car (Nissan Rogue). Looking to escape the heat and suggestions on FS roads, hiking, mountain biking. I’ve previously spent @ 3-4 days up by Taos/ Sante Fe

 

Great times at the meet-up. It is amazing how small the world is along with all we have in common with the Yotas and life in general. I am looking forward to next month's meet-up.

 

I've taken most of the northern part, but I came out farther to the west, through San Mateo and Milan. I'd be interested in tackling it from the south like this. Give me a couple of days advance notice, if possible.
My favorite spot to go shooting is on BLM land just off Cabezon road, about 11-12 miles in from U.S. 550 where deekyn started his off-road journey.

 

Welcome!
An AWD Rogue would get you through many, if not most of the FS roads in the Jemez (if they're not too muddy), if you haven't explored that yet. Also the Tajique-Torreon FS loop down in the Manzanos is doable, as are the FS roads south of that leading into that range from the village of Manzano.

 

Good to see some familiar faces and a new one at the meet yesterday. Hope to see some others next month!

 

I totally forgot about the meet up!

Wife and I went up to crested butte for the weekend. Did Pearl Pass from crested butte to Aspen, drove around to Marble and then Crystal River rd and Schofield pass. Proper off-roading on Pearl Pass, maybe 4 hours, really rocky and 2 proper obstacles. Crystal river road was rocky but fine. Schofield pass (with the devils punch bowls) was pretty technical, so damn narrow and rocky. and ran into a Toyota group. Split a side wall and had to do a trail tire swap. Good times.

 

Haha well always next month man, but I’m sure you had a better time out there than hanging out with us. Looks like you guys did a great loop, last summer the lady and I stayed at a cabin in Crystal, not really what we thought it was gonna be but really pretty. We wanted to do the pass into crested butte but didn’t have the time. The owner of the mill kept telling us to “watch out for the bolder” in the pass did you have any issue with that? Didn’t really seem like a huge issue. On the other hand you guys gotta get the runner out and about!!

 

Apparently that boulder is gone, but there’s a few really tight spots still, like really tight, spotters are needed. Can be done with care with open diffs. It’s rocky with pretty healthy steps and off camber. Super cool drive though.

 

MONTHLY MEET

Hey nerds just reminding people about the meet in a couple weeks. We’ll plan for Rio Bravo like usual unless someone wants to host just let me know.

Otherwise, as usual, drop by for a little or a long while, shoot the shit & drink some beer.

Date: Thursday, September 2nd
Time: 5:00/5:30
Where: Rio Bravo Brewing, 1912 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Website:http://www.riobravobrewing.com/

 

Hey Alex @Taco505, finally did Stony Pass since you recommended it. Pretty scenic, I really liked the eastern half or so of it. Crazy how many trees were dead though, like 90% of the evergreens killed by bark beetles along that road.

In an illogically long day of off roading, I started in Silverton yesterday am, took 110 to an easy little 4x4 spur up Hurricane Peak (possibly one of the most scenic overlooks I’ve been to), then down the Corkscrew Gulch trail to 550. 550 up to the Engineer Pass trail. Took that Poughkeepsie Gulch. Poughkeepsie (with the bypass) to the Hurricane Pass. Then the Alpine loop clockwise to Stony Pass. Ran Stony Pass to Creede. Then drove home.

75 miles of off roading. And 250 miles home. And all of it was easy off-roading except Poughkeepsie. Even with the bypass around “the wall” that trail is pretty tough.



Also sort of funny enough, last weekend I took a friend who’d never been off roading on the Black Bear / Imogene loop. It was scenic AF and quite chill, very little traffic. Stony pass on the other hand was pretty fuckin busy yesterday. Saw probably 20 SXSs driven by mustachioed Texas cowboys and maybe 15 cars (subarus, Honda CR-Vs, full size pick ups) on Stony.

 

Something to note this weekend, it's "Saturation Saturday" per this article:
https://www.krqe.com/news/community/saturation-saturday-ups-patrols-checkpoints-this-weekend/

Might want to consider a bicycle or get a DD if you're gonna hit a brewery or two. Be safe.

 

Dang thats quite the day of driving but looks like you had a good time none the less. I'm not sure if you hit the Kite Lake spur on Stony but thats a really cool little trip not very technical until you drive through the creek it gets a bit slippery. Seems like it was the opposite for me last time I was out there we saw one other truck on Stony once we got past the camp ground (we went east to west) but Ophir and Imogene were insanely busy almost unenjoyable.

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The lady and I just got back from a long weekend out at Sand Dunes NP and Pagosa. We took Medano Pass from east to west dropping into the dunes and camped one night in the wilderness area. The pass was alright not really much to see and at this time of year the water levels were really low so the water crossings weren't much fun haha. However, we did really enjoy the camp spot it was one of the only ones with trees and right next to the creek where water was running.

I also picked up a screw somewhere which is always fun but at least the flat leveled out the FlipPac .

 

MONTHLY MEET

Little update on the meet, I had some people reach out and it looks like Wednesday the 1st works better for most. Let me know if anyone has any questions. Otherwise, as usual, drop by for a little or a long while, shoot the shit & drink some beer.

Date: Wednesday, September 1st
Time: 5:30
Where: Rio Bravo Brewing, 1912 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Website:http://www.riobravobrewing.com/

 

Would anyone in the ABQ area happen to have a rivet nut tool I could borrow for a few hours? I'll probably buy one if I have to, but it's one of those "I'll probably only use it once" tools.

Thanks!

 

I've got a rivnut tool you're welcome to use. I have various sizes nuts if you need some, shoot me a DM.

 

Well boys I had another great Colorado mountain pass off-roading trip this past weekend in the Leadville/ Breckenridge area. Its now my favorite area to wheel in Colorado. Tons of hard wheeling. Lots of loop options. High mountain passes, lots of cool narrow river canyons and high alpine areas. Steep. Rocky. Proper obstacles. Nervy off camber ascents and super super steep descents. Had an amazing time.



And saw this guy.

And had to have my pour over coffee while camping

Made an effort to run harder trails than I had in the last few trips…

Birdseye Gulch, Mosquito Pass, Red Cone, Radical hill, Middle Fork of the Swan River, North Fork of the swan, and Saints John

Birdseye, Red Cone, Radical hill were all rated hard.

Birdseye had pretty healthy and wet rock gardens and one really off camber spot.

Red Cone was harder with larger rocks, a couple of real obstacles, and super super steep decent. Pics never do the rocks or the hills much justice.

Radical Hill was quite hard. Much bigger rocks. Boulder fields that scraped skids, sliders etc. Two big obstacles that really were at the edge of my 33s usefulness. Got hung up once and had to make a few goes. Banged up the skids and rear diff.
The switch backs were steep, loose rock, super super narrow, and off- camber at times to boot. Maybe the hardest trail I’ve run.


Both forks of the swan River were rated moderate, though hard with additional obstacles taken. And I took them.
(ie moderate route on the right, much steeper than it looks, hard obstacle on the left. So steep I hit skids on the way down and with my foot on the brakes just slid down anyways for a bit. Going up it would be damn hard)

Overall it was an awesome weekend of hard wheeling, getting to know the truck better. Roughed up my skids, LCAs, sliders (sheared off a bolt), both bumpers.

Now I really know I need 35s.

 

Wow, with high clearance bumpers and still sheered off two bolts.

 

Bolts were sheered off the bolt-on sliders. I really want weld ons.