dxd
Forum Member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2011
- Messages
- 81
- Location
- Arizona, USA
- Car Year
- 2013
- Car Model
- Forester
- Transmission
- Manual
June 20, I took a quick trip up to Colorado, hoping to find something a little greener than Southern Arizona. I stayed in Durango, but spent the days driving around up in the San Juan Mountains north of there.
More photos on Flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHsjAqQQbY
One of my favorite areas of Colorado is Molas Pass, so I usually stop there at least for a picnic lunch or something. This is Molas Lake Campground, beautiful calm day.
5-myfozmolas by *dxd*, on Flickr
Thursday I drove around some in the Forester, went back out S Mineral Park road because I really enjoyed it last time. I took a look at the road to Clear Lake, not muddy this time but I kept hearing that it was a steep narrow road, so chickened out taking the Foz up there.
Once again I started out Old Lime Creek Rd, a 13 mile loop off the main highway between Silverton and Durango. At about the halfway point, I met a Hyundai SUV coming from the south. The driver told me that just a ways ahead was a really sketchy part, with a big rock next to the road. He said that he had cleared it with only an inch or so to spare. I continued on for a short ways, but the road started getting very narrow and started climbing up the side of the valley. I was concerned that there wouldn't be a good spot to turn around. If I had someone with me it might have been a go, but thought it would be safest to turn around. I found a slightly wider spot, made a multi point turn instead of a 3-point, and headed back the way I'd come in.
Friday I had rented a Jeep (yeah, I know, traitor ) because I wanted to explore some of the jeep trails. I'd never been on them so didn't know what the roads were really like, and didn't want to risk my Forester. It's stock and I'm not all that experienced offroad.
Animas Forks, CO by *dxd*, on Flickr
I went from Animas Forks Co up to Engineer Pass, then back down to Animas Forks.
Along the road to Engineer Pass by *dxd*, on Flickr
Then, up California Gulch to California Pass - wow, that was a scary moment. You go driving up the side of this narrow ridge, you reach the top, and there is nothing but blue sky in front of you. There is a sharp switchback right at the top of the ridge, with a small parking area, then the road goes down the other side of the ridge. It would be ok if you know the road, but wow! when you don't expect it. 12960 ft, 3950 meters. It was incredibly windy up there, blowing up a lot of dust on the road, and I decided to go back down.
Bagley Mill, CO by *dxd*, on Flickr
I turned off and went up another gulch and over an un-named pass, summit was around 12650 ft according to my handheld GPS.
I had a little time left before I needed to return the jeep, so decided to try the Clear Lake road. Once I started up, I found out the Forester could have done it no problem, o well. I saw a couple of Subarus parked at a trailhead, and surprise ! a VW Westfalia camper further up. I was running out of time so had to head back to Silverton and return the jeep. Returned to my hotel in Durango, and found out that a fire had started to the west, near the town of Mancos, 20 some miles away.
Saturday I made the mistake of taking a very long drive, from Durango out to Vallecito Reservoir, to Pagosa Springs and over Wolf Creek Pass, then up to Lake City, over to Montrose and back to Durango. I had forgotten just how far this was, around 420 miles. A very long drive with some interesting areas, but unfortunately a lot of smoke. Slumgullion Pass usually has a great view of the San Juan mountains - you couldn't see anything. As I headed south from Montrose to Ouray, I was afraid the road through the mountains would be closed because smoke was so thick, it was dark like early evening instead of only mid-afternoon. Fortunately the road was open, and I got back to the hotel in Durango.
Sunday I headed for home, hated to leave Colorado and head back to the hot desert.
More photos on Flickr at https://flic.kr/s/aHsjAqQQbY
One of my favorite areas of Colorado is Molas Pass, so I usually stop there at least for a picnic lunch or something. This is Molas Lake Campground, beautiful calm day.
5-myfozmolas by *dxd*, on Flickr
Thursday I drove around some in the Forester, went back out S Mineral Park road because I really enjoyed it last time. I took a look at the road to Clear Lake, not muddy this time but I kept hearing that it was a steep narrow road, so chickened out taking the Foz up there.
Once again I started out Old Lime Creek Rd, a 13 mile loop off the main highway between Silverton and Durango. At about the halfway point, I met a Hyundai SUV coming from the south. The driver told me that just a ways ahead was a really sketchy part, with a big rock next to the road. He said that he had cleared it with only an inch or so to spare. I continued on for a short ways, but the road started getting very narrow and started climbing up the side of the valley. I was concerned that there wouldn't be a good spot to turn around. If I had someone with me it might have been a go, but thought it would be safest to turn around. I found a slightly wider spot, made a multi point turn instead of a 3-point, and headed back the way I'd come in.
Friday I had rented a Jeep (yeah, I know, traitor ) because I wanted to explore some of the jeep trails. I'd never been on them so didn't know what the roads were really like, and didn't want to risk my Forester. It's stock and I'm not all that experienced offroad.
Animas Forks, CO by *dxd*, on Flickr
I went from Animas Forks Co up to Engineer Pass, then back down to Animas Forks.
Along the road to Engineer Pass by *dxd*, on Flickr
Then, up California Gulch to California Pass - wow, that was a scary moment. You go driving up the side of this narrow ridge, you reach the top, and there is nothing but blue sky in front of you. There is a sharp switchback right at the top of the ridge, with a small parking area, then the road goes down the other side of the ridge. It would be ok if you know the road, but wow! when you don't expect it. 12960 ft, 3950 meters. It was incredibly windy up there, blowing up a lot of dust on the road, and I decided to go back down.
Bagley Mill, CO by *dxd*, on Flickr
I turned off and went up another gulch and over an un-named pass, summit was around 12650 ft according to my handheld GPS.
I had a little time left before I needed to return the jeep, so decided to try the Clear Lake road. Once I started up, I found out the Forester could have done it no problem, o well. I saw a couple of Subarus parked at a trailhead, and surprise ! a VW Westfalia camper further up. I was running out of time so had to head back to Silverton and return the jeep. Returned to my hotel in Durango, and found out that a fire had started to the west, near the town of Mancos, 20 some miles away.
Saturday I made the mistake of taking a very long drive, from Durango out to Vallecito Reservoir, to Pagosa Springs and over Wolf Creek Pass, then up to Lake City, over to Montrose and back to Durango. I had forgotten just how far this was, around 420 miles. A very long drive with some interesting areas, but unfortunately a lot of smoke. Slumgullion Pass usually has a great view of the San Juan mountains - you couldn't see anything. As I headed south from Montrose to Ouray, I was afraid the road through the mountains would be closed because smoke was so thick, it was dark like early evening instead of only mid-afternoon. Fortunately the road was open, and I got back to the hotel in Durango.
Sunday I headed for home, hated to leave Colorado and head back to the hot desert.
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