AWDffroading near Nederland, CO

[SubaCool]

My wife and I own a 2007 Outback, and have done a few offroad adventures in the past. We've been to Moab, found the Yamba Bench Road through Dinosaur National Park in Utah, did some offroad here in Colorado, and we're hungry for more. So the plan for this year is to explore as much as possible. I'm mostly going off of the FunTreks guide books and www.traildamage.com to plan. We're in Colorado and plan on exploring as much of the high country as is possible with an OBW.

Last weekend, we went on a two day camping trip near Nederland, CO. What a freaking blast! We drove the Switzerland Trail saturday, which was very fun. Rocky and bumpy but farely mild (about 14 miles from Gold Hill to Hwy 72 just N of Nederland). We drove up a steep spur off to the side for a short distance that gave the AWD a little workout, other than that it was pretty mild most of the way.
Then sunday we had some real fun! The West Magnolia trail from Rollinsville to Hwy 119 (just S of Nederland). It's a rough Forest service road with a really steep climb shortly after start, medium rocks, ruts, moguls, stream crossings, narrow through trees, steep up and down sections (about 6 miles in 2 hrs. including a short hike)... Our stock 07 OBW with no skid plates and almost bald Potenzas - a bit of a challenge, but managed without scraping or hitting anything, no damage. We met a guy on a dirt bike that got lost, and he was very surprised when we told him that we came from Rollinsville. He went something like "You guys did it in THAT???" We also passed by a lifted 4runner and an FJ, and got 'funny' looks from them too

It was doable with proper tire placement and lines, and most importanly, slow - that's all it took

My brother went with us the first day in his Impreza and has shot some pics and video from the easy trail, but I only have a few pictures that I've snapped with my cell phone from sunday. My wife and I want to go back there again. I'm talking to a few people on www.subaruoutback.org about a possible adventure in that area on or around June 21st. Anybody else interested? (Smash81, you're in Colorado, right?) It'd be more fun in a group! Check out my pictures on Webshots from the last weekend! Saturday and Sunday

 

[carljwnc]

SubaCool!!! Thanks for the trip report, awesome, sounds like you and Smash should hook up. Great pics too, well worth a trip through the links posted.

Glad you found us, and keep 'em coming...

 

[mr turbo]

G'day SubaCool & to ORS mate.

Glad you found us, and keep 'em coming...

I'll second that.

All of us here enjoy trip reports.
Thanks for sharing.

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[Bumper]

Welcome! Always good to see Subarus being used 'properly'!

 

[Smash81]

Ah dangit! I'll be in Virginia on the tail end of a mtorcycle trip!

I gotta get up to Ned and explore the area.

We've got a newbie over on SF.org with a stock outback sport. I'll try to direct him over here too hook up with you too!

 

[Smash81]

Oh hey, I was already trying to put together a gathering on the 27th. Wanna join forces? I got a buddy with a frontier who wants to go, and also a member with a lifted early 80s DL (I think) on ultimate subaru who's interested as well.

We were planning on hitting central city and maybe mammoth gulch.

 

[SubaCool]

Oh hey, I was already trying to put together a gathering on the 27th. Wanna join forces? I got a buddy with a frontier who wants to go, and also a member with a lifted early 80s DL (I think) on ultimate subaru who's interested as well.

We were planning on hitting central city and maybe mammoth gulch.

Most likely. I have told my wife to get the day off, so we'll see. Also, depending on the difficulty of the trails. Don't wanna smash that thing up, it's her DD. But we can probably determine that there. If too hard, there's always the option of turning around :iconwink: And I might be able to talk some friends into joining us (4runner and a FJ cruiser)...

 

[plaInjOE]

I'll be out of town on the 27th (four corners) otherwise I'd be in! Lots of stuff in CO! Did you guys do moab, UT? I was inspired by an outback that did gemini bridges.

 

[SubaCool]

Yes Sir! We went out there during the easter jeep safari weekend last year (march?) https://good-times.webshots.com/album/562823232YxKXyV?vhost=good-times <(I've got some pictures from that trip on there)
We did Gemini Bridges, Kane Creek rd and Long's Canyon (Pucker Pass). The funniest thing (well, besides all the funny looks the Jeepsters were giving us on the trails :ebiggrin, when we asked at a Jeep rental place in Moab what trails we could take the Subie on, we were told "the Main Street"!! Me being the stubborn me, I didn't listen. And a good thing!
Btw, was it us that inspired you? (that'd be rad )

 

[mr turbo]

G'day plaInjOE & to ORS

The funniest thing (well, besides all the funny looks the Jeepsters were giving us on the trails :ebiggrin, when we asked at a Jeep rental place in Moab what trails we could take the Subie on, we were told "the Main Street"!! Me being the stubborn me, I didn't listen. And a good thing!

I don't think I would've listened either
You should've asked them to tag along with you. :lol:

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[SubaCool]

I came back after we got done and showed the guy the pictures, he seemed a little embarrassed

 

[mr turbo]

I came back after we got done and showed the guy the pictures, he seemed a little embarrassed

And so he should be

Regards
Mr Turbo

 

[rocky]

Last weekend, we went on a two day camping trip near Nederland, CO. What a freaking blast! We drove the Switzerland Trail saturday, which was very fun. Rocky and bumpy but farely mild

Then sunday we had some real fun! The West Magnolia trail from Rollinsville

I'm talking to a few people on www.subaruoutback.org about a possible adventure in that area on or around June 21st. Anybody else interested?

Hi, I heard you're looking for a newbie from SF.org with a stock Outback Sport? :iconwink:

About Magnolia trail: I tried Magnolia trail a few months ago, but chickened out partway through. The rocks got to be too nasty for a stock OBS and no spotter. I'm surprised you didn't hit eastern Rollins Pass or Apex Rd. Those are right next-door to Magnolia. I tried to drive to Alice via Apex rd/Mammoth Gulch, but I had to give up shortly after getting to the clearing with the 2 huge puddles. Eastern Rollins Pass started out real rocky, so I chickened out there, too. If you did Magnolia, I'd think you could probably do Rollins.

About Switzerland trail: What freakin part of Switzerland trail is Image036?? I remember Switzerland being much smoother than that. That must be after you got to the parking area at the top with the big puddle, and turned right, right? My GPS calls that part "Sugarloaf Mountain Rd," but Google Maps calls it "S Switzerland Trail." I'm surprised that that puddle looks the same as when I splashed through it a few weeks ago. I only got about 2/5 of the way through "Sugarloaf Mountain rd" because it had a lot of nasty re-frozen snow covering a huge portion of the trail. Did you get all the way back to 72, or did you get blocked, too? Or am I wrong, and you didn't even turn right after making it to the puddle area?

We'll definately have to exchange trail ideas some time. Pike National Forest has a bunch of awesome trails, and they're not all stoney like everything near Magnolia. There's a bunch of fun (but milder) stuff near western Rollins Pass, too.

 

[SubaCool]

About Magnolia trail: I tried Magnolia trail a few months ago, but chickened out partway through. The rocks got to be too nasty for a stock OBS and no spotter.

Chicken :ebiggrin: There was only one area where I had to stack rocks, but otherwise it was ok.

I'm surprised you didn't hit eastern Rollins Pass or Apex Rd. Those are right next-door to Magnolia. I tried to drive to Alice via Apex rd/Mammoth Gulch, but I had to give up shortly after getting to the clearing with the 2 huge puddles. Eastern Rollins Pass started out real rocky, so I chickened out there, too. If you did Magnolia, I'd think you could probably do Rollins.

We've tried the Apex road in May, but it was snowed in. Will go there again soon :iconwink: And Rollins just looks easy, but I definatelly want to go see it once the snow recedes.

About Switzerland trail: What freakin part of Switzerland trail is Image036?? I remember Switzerland being much smoother than that. Did you get all the way back to 72, or did you get blocked, too? Or am I wrong, and you didn't even turn right after making it to the puddle area?

If you're talking about this Image36, I'm not sure where exactly that was. But there were a lot hairier spots than that (just didn't have time to snap pics - my brother in his RS was impatiently "pushing me" up the hill )
You betcha we did the whole trail. When we got to the parking area with the puddle we saw a Mustang up there. I didn't even think about going left Took the right to 72, all the way baby

You should join us up in Estes on the 21st. We're meeting up at 9am in the Safeway parking lot, leaving by 9:30am to do some trails similar to West Magnolia.
Then the 27th we're meeting up with Smash81 near Central City.

I warn you though, if you're completely stock, expect damage (not necessarily, but don't be surprised). I've got skid plates and Geolandar ATS's, otherwise stock height. I will be taking it easy though (it's my wife's DD).
Regardless, it should be fun

 

[rocky]

You should join us up in Estes on the 21st. We're meeting up at 9am in the Safeway parking lot, leaving by 9:30am to do some trails similar to West Magnolia.

I warn you though, if you're completely stock, expect damage (not necessarily, but don't be surprised). I've got skid plates and Geolandar ATS's, otherwise stock height. I will be taking it easy though (it's my wife's DD).

I am interested, but your stock height (8.7"?) seems to be over 2" higher than my stock height (6.5"), which might explain my greater fear of rocks If this weekend's trails are as rocky as the rocky part of Magnolia shortly before the first(?) gate, then I probably shouldn't come...you might be willing to spot for me a few times, but if the whole trail's like that, or it gets really bad and I have to ditch you and drive home backwards through that stuff, then it could be a real disappointment :-/ I'm not too afraid of scratches and dings, but this car has to get me to work on weekdays.

I'm more into dirt-, mud-, and snow-based obstacles: they don't break my car, and I can solve any problem with my shovel :iconwink:

What trails do you have in mind? As long there's nobody behind me, I guess I can always ditch you and go home if the going gets too rough.

 

[rocky]

SubaCool: I found your thread on subaruoutback.org, and was able to glean some more details from it--don't wait for me on Sunday. It seems that you're into rockier stuff than I am. *sigh*

 

[SubaCool]

Well, the Pole Hill was a bit more than what we bargained for, but we did it without any major damage. I got a scrape on the plastic under the driver's door (the mud flaps are intacked) and a severed trailer wire that was hanging under the hitch (my bad, but it was too long anywas), and a couple of hits into the skidplates (they don't even show, well worth the purchase!). It took us about 6hrs to do the ~6 mile loop, but we weren't rushing anywhere either. The trail description was misleading, it was harder than it looked. But I guess one should take into consideration that those guides are usually for 4x4s and not passenger vehicles. Gotta love a challenge though :ebiggrin:

Rocky, probably a good thing that you hadn't come as you most likely would have broken some plastic without more clearance. Gravel, mud, snow, rocks, etc, all are my forte, but I do prefer the milder stuff (especially in the Mrs car and especially when she's present ). But you should come out on the 27th. Smash81 should chime in on the difficulty of the trails we want to try, but I don't think we'll be doing anything like Pole Hill (which was suicidal in anything without clearance and 4Lo). But then again, I could be wrong (not against). Check with Smash. The Outback Sports are lot lower that the OBWs or Fozes, but I think that with proper tire placement you could do without major damage. I guess that's up to you how much you can tolerate :iconwink: The Subies are capable, with the right driver (and/or spotter).

Btw, Trip report and pics/vids coming soon as I can figure out my new camera

 

[rocky]

Rocky, probably a good thing that you hadn't come as you most likely would have broken some plastic without more clearance. Gravel, mud, snow, rocks, etc, all are my forte, but I do prefer the milder stuff (especially in the Mrs car and especially when she's present ). But you should come out on the 27th.

I plan to. There's several places I can explore around there if I decide you and Smash are nuts, and I need to run away

Smash81 should chime in on the difficulty of the trails we want to try

He mentioned Mammoth Gulch, which I did a few months ago. I was fine for at least MOST of it. I might have been on a different road by the time I had problems.

The Outback Sports are lot lower that the OBWs or Fozes

That's mostly true...in my defence though, I'd like to point out that Subaru vehicle clearance varies greatly by year, and the newer ones (i.e. yours) have more clearance. If you had a 2001 Subaru like me, I wouldn't be so jealous:

2001 Outback Sport: 6.5"
2001 Forester: 7.5"
2001 Outback: 7.3"
2005 Outback: 8.4"
2008 Outback: 8.9"
2009 Outback Sport: 6.3"

In 20 years, Subaru Outbacks will have a clearance of 13.5 inches, as the blue chart shows. However, in the year 2261, Outback Sports will be dragging their rear diff down the street.

 

[SubaCool]

I plan to. There's several places I can explore around there if I decide you and Smash are nuts, and I need to run away

LOL Awesome!

In 20 years, Subaru Outbacks will have a clearance of 13.5 inches, as the blue chart shows.

Not soon enough :ebiggrin: