JOCCI
Public Area => Photo Gallery / Trip Reports => Topic started by: pvanweelden on July 11, 2017, 10:59:45 AM
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Our family ran out to Denver and then Leadville this year. My jeep had some dislikes with keeping the steering wheel straight between Alantic and Kearney, which threw the esp/bas and traction lights. After Kearney, never an issue until the drive back.
Monday, we ran up to Middle St Vrain/Coney Flats (rated 5/6) and met up with 2 guys from Seven Offroad. The trail is 8.5 miles with small boulders throughout, and a few obstacles, but mainly alot of water crossings. We ran into a lady and her daughter in a FJ and invited her to follow and we helped her get thru the rough areas. Ran into a guy with a landcruiser who sheared the 4 bolts off his high steer mount. After trying a ratchet straps and winching him around, he decided to leave it and go get an easy out and bolts. Brian gave him a ride to his truck, but we had to remove a few trees to create and a bypass, which was very off camber. We helped 9 vehicles get around him before continuing the remaining 2 miles off the trail.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/0df1c91d680bdd9809bef803f7f9d387.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/0f378968d9093d6891d47d25f2eeffa9.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/40cea885e9e9abca627cdde7bdb41ad2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/cb4f1a1e3091c38634690c7e04a6f35d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/5ad7679d442c2282bb26b054eccd481a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/acd727918627b994b1b3929550da2bfa.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/e64198dc25c82a9d0550f0192b9f47e6.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/52ca7c1e824b79226f0c91974cc318ba.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/110706c10f3753969fc63a9f75df0a0f.jpg)
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In the pic ^ with the anvil jku on the rock, you can see the cut off tree that I wedged into my rim last year lol.
Tuesday morning we drove up to Leadville and got settled into the house we rented. One of the rooms was flooded. Two water leaks. Owner was able to get a plumber out to resolve one of the leaks (on the 4th of July).
Beautiful house located off 91 at the foot of Mosquito Pass outside of Leadville(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/0438f035b60f5748c14079b43381baf5.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/bf0293e3242cc8582dc9a086ec570fd7.jpg)
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Tuesday afternoon, Tatum and I ran up Chalk Mtn 12,000 ft. Tundra at the top, dirt for first climb up, then loose small rock.
A house is tucked away in the trees.
There's one rock climb that would be tricky for a stock jeep.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/175885a9a29e432dd77e0363f9ffa0f1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/238ad8db418e1fe6d80e0d4c57cafdd0.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/f9545744d622b6df2ede2e37f927e0ae.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/c950854b830fe043f5cf80caed7562f9.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/90d8b39da56c6fabdcf697017570fd55.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/50b0e64c1f02dc0905440c2ddc3e75c9.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/0d6dbb748a4a3314d98048a97dbdb5a9.jpg)
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Before driving across Nebraska, I still needed one piece of my trektop that I broke at the farm on the spring fling. I ordered a new one from Bestop but it didn't show up until after we left for CO. Thankfully Brad had a trektop and let me borrow the door surround :)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/d779513792da1fc558d81fbb8ae308b9.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/b488dab295a3daeabb1e5699c8c72286.jpg)
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Wednesday, a friend drove up from Gunnison and we ran Mt Zion and Buckeye Peak (12,900 ft, rated 4) pretty easy trail, some rock like most CO trails near the bottom. Two steep climb sections. Tundra at the top with some rock and mud :( amazing views of Leadville and Turqoise Lake. We could see the driveway of the house we rented from up top.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/410dff322e72d85c4186ce0fad127fa7.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/07169684c656f449c7fa4b50f465c68f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/5a21c30be4a02170259e335f61ad3ad2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/448820e4c950751dad5bbf918662caca.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/45e42d8d0f8b18b35aad2768dbbe7d1d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/014cf0c7fd1b1173578810246b67121e.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/c0748f70a376413ae9c6b658f9266ecd.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/4150da3a0747965f3c7f1b39414fb7e7.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/ac9cdf0c2eaaf49a9e45569a09e35964.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/3b33e8fc176ae92fe9be5a45591415b6.jpg)
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Thursday we did most of Halfmoon Gulch (12,900 ft, rated 5) the trail Y's off near the middle. The second leg 110J was blocked near the end due to a recent avalanche. Decent sized embedded rock up that leg as you climb the side of the mountain. There were 2 boulder playground areas. 4 large creek water crossings. The current was pretty strong. In June, the water level was over the hood on a JK with 37's. When we went the deepest was just above the bottom of the doors. Champion Mill (largest mill structure in CO) is at the end of the 110 leg. Very fun trail.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/68adcb8965d3a0adf1df77873724adc8.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/f902b7779f31cabb96996c6dcef9931b.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/14de4d8c6067869755ea0c850b8da1be.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/5592c70492d5aa4bb79a91ef5d2be4da.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/a5bb48f3b367aa988c5fc011ebb2d953.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/cd30b6ebf4cb48264829d69ce24b3a70.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/ebf43a9832939745bbf9b5db281a0083.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/a7c602bb8a381edce2655d889563d481.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/8813f33acb7794fa1d3b63a7d0bb0f33.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/53974399d4fa6763b5dd678839e7fa42.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/732a89bbff21b6e0734e3705cebb6d79.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/9b07d472563197378fd329df4d301147.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/28ca61c48818729e2c612c8c93d12ab6.jpg)
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While airing up after Halfmoon, we were at the hiking trail head for Mount Massive 14k. Struck up a conservation with this hiker who had just spent the night at the top of Massive. He had been hiking all week, started in Denver and his wife was picking him up in Sedalia. He had a gps tracker so she would know where he was at all times(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/a099600b63397dc61471ce1a2cf95511.jpg)
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My buddy went home after Halfmoon, so Friday we were solo again. I wanted to do Mosquito Pass 13,185ft, but the Alma side wasn't open yet. So we ran Hagerman Pass. As luck would have it, we ran into the same Jku from Texas that we met last year on this trail. They were again camping at the top. We chatted with them for a bit, before they continued to town and we went up. This is rocky, narrow shelf road that is 2 way. 3 times we ran into someone going the other direction, which is always interesting, as there are only so many places it is wide enough for 2 vehicles. At the top outside the shelf is 1400 ft above the Gulch below. Amazing views. Mt Zion is behind lake Turquoise.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/449936cc699bf2f4e54700506f8dfd2a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/e427c8325287b4b057092b32fcec82dc.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/237186c16029ec5207f83e38b09b6009.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/35bc5277d7289d1c3d6f05300cbaa0e6.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/303143bf86ea2494b71016df07b06c7a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/8d316f9ee886aacbc926bfbe566fe9ff.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/185d0031a536814dee6aee7a7892f917.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/77cc7b6e7ffff97940e4fbe1c9fb5a9d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/47b3c7d9d3a395b2f737ab66defb3b87.jpg)
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Saturday morning we left Leadville and decided to hit Pickle Gulch (near Central City, Idaho Springs) on our way back to Denver. This is a fun trail that most of it can be done with a stock wrangler (Chad just did most of this a month ago in a rental)
Stock SUV's apparently have some issues with this trail as we witnessed as we got stuck behind 7 vehicles near the entrance. One by one, they all had to get a tug to get through sections that compare to frame twister at the farm. We almost turned around as we had a deadline for a late lunch in Denver, but finally we given a sketchy shoulder to go around them.
This trail offers some dirt rutted out sections, off camber spots, playgrounds, rocky climbs, a steep loose rock that takes you straight up the side of a mountain, 2 quick but fun water crossings, nice overlook, great views from the top. Rated 4. 10,583 ft. 8.1 miles. The first obstacle has a bypass(pics don't do any justice lol, but not challenging in a modified jeep) as does the steep loose rock Mtn climb.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/42e419521065da52d45777d84707258b.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/d3412fa8225783b1223a61014531dcd1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/2abc25b5fc263aa86d1a252d1ad2a479.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/735acee716b3740ff0d12a1156994ef6.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/cf55142af0e6e2eff21eb4fddbbcbafa.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/29611ba963deb993dcdc147af4710c56.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/f3253fe0b5a14a294943ac62dd9feaa1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/43e3f606ecac652e2db8769153eacb36.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/bb57bb71eb2db4aad68da4479ec62922.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/1be716a91a4c76d02a0d0fb2e511440f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/1cbcffa7ef5f52fae116fa38b2f844aa.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170711/ebeccc596342bca3c0547db9153e86dd.jpg)
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Epic trip Paul!
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Epic trip Paul!
Thanks Justin! The best part was the temperatures- in leadville at 10,200 ft, it was 65-70 degrees, 40 degrees overnight. At 12,900 it was anywhere from 35-45 degrees during the day :)
I left doors on for most of the runs, since I wasn't sure how deep the water crossings would be after as much snow as they had this year.
Later in July is a better time to go, to allow for more trails to be open
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Great trip Paul! I enjoyed the trail reports each day. 😊
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Great trip Paul! I enjoyed the trail reports each day. 😊
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Thanks Scott!
a few of these trails are ones that we run every year, and they never disappoint. The views are always amazing (even with the haze this year from the fire in Breckenridge) and the water crossings are the best! heres a video of the main crossing at Middle St Vrain/ Coney Flats- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2CO36GtJRw
and here is a 40 minute video of some of Coney Flats, shot behind my jeep of the Toyota FJ behind us - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da6XuoSrTug&t=1773s
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That looks like an awesome trip Paul, really enjoyed the pictures. It's got me all excited for our trip out to Red Rocks Amphitheater and then a couple days of wheeling.
Robby
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That looks like an awesome trip Paul, really enjoyed the pictures. It's got me all excited for our trip out to Red Rocks Amphitheater and then a couple days of wheeling.
Robby
Thanks Robby! What area are you headed to after Red Rocks?
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We need to keep it close to Red Rocks. Looking at several, Kingston Peak Trail is the toughest, rated 5. We'll be a single jeep jkur 2" lift on 34" and no winch. We're just looking to have a nice scenic day out in the high country without issues. I'd be open to any suggestions on trails or any other sage advice for a beginner. I'd like to do some more challenging trail sometime but I think I'll wait for a JOCCI trip for that.
Robby
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If you are saying you are a beginner, I would not recommend a 5 to do solo. We do Middle St Vrain/Coney Flats every year and it is a 5/6, and I would prefer to Not run it solo. You just never know what can go wrong, quickly. Especially with no winch.
A jkur on 34" is quite capable of running a 5/6 or higher without problems, but I don't know your skillset enough to recommend that you try it solo. I also don't know Kingston Peak, it is on my list of trails to run.
I would recommend Pickle Gulch (rated 4)
Do you have either the North or South I70 Funtreks trail books? Or traildamage subscription? I can look thru at a few other trails for you
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I'm all ears Paul, Kingston is out and I do see Pickle Gulch in my book, Colorado Trails front range region. I'll bring my book to the meeting Tuesday and maybe we can talk a little. Thanks for the advice, didn't mean to hijack your trip report.
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No worries :) I have a couple of books and all the traildamage trails saved on my phone, so we could discuss any other trail tuesday
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