The main goal of this year’s work day was to dismantle an old cabin up at Lake Como that had fallen into disrepair and used as a place for trash and a bathroom.  Once we got up there the cabin was in good shape and used for storage by hikers.  Someone had restored it.  So the work day turned into a day of trash clean up and fishing.  As you can see by the pictures, fun was had by all.

 The view of Mt. Blanca in the morning.Group picture in the morning at camp.
Billy taking his Jeep and trailer down Jaws 1.
Chad climbing over an obstacle.   Lake Como.

Richard making down an obstacle. Chad testing out his flex.Billy going over Jaws 1.

Black Bear Pass and Guston Ghost Town

We had a foggy and rainy trip on Saturday over Black Bear Pass and back over Ophir Pass.  Some of us made the side trip up to Alta Lakes, Gold King Basin, and Ames Powerplant. The wildflowers were right at their peak.

Saturday we made a couple short hikes on Red Mountain along the old Silver Railroad tracks.  We hiked to the Corkscrew turntable and then to the Guston Train Depot.  After that we made the quick trip to the remains of the Guston Church and pastor’s house.Billy Schultheiss and Chad Beal are putting in the road closed signs that the winter snow knocked down.
The group lined up at the top of Black Bear Pass.  It was a bit foggy and drizzly.Ingram Falls with the Black Bear Mill barely visible in the background.Scott Click is telling Mark Pearson to go forward.  We ran into this crossover that got into trouble on the sloppy mud. Views from Gold King Basin by Alta Lakes. Mugzy enjoying the amazing wildflowers. Corkscrew Turntable American Girl Mine Guston Train Depot.  It was more of a place for passengers to wait out of the rain and snow.Remains of the old Guston Church with the log cabin behind the remains of the pastor’s home.

We ran Black Bear and Imogene Pass on July 15th, two days after Black Bear opened.  Bucky Knipp was nice enough to be our fearless leader for the day.  He managed to get 13 rigs over Black Bear and 9 over Imogene without any incidents.  We hit a little bit of everything and once in a while within minutes.  Hot to cold to light rain to sunshine.

I always love this view heading up Black Bear with the 2 waterfalls.  This is just the beginning of the amazing sites.

The scar we’ve been working on now for about 11 years is looking very good.  We decided even walking up there an looking may do more damage than good.

We took a quick break at the top of Black Bear.

Still some snow headed town from the top on the Telluride side.

Ingram Basin is always a thrill with the long narrow road on the bowl.

Getting into some switchbacks. Telluride below.

Parked at Ingram Falls waiting to descend the world famous switchbacks.

Here Scott and Cindy Lancaster head down the tightest of the switchbacks.

Heading up into Savage Basin by the Tom Boy Mine complex on Imogene Pass.

Top of Imogene Pass looking towards Telluride.

Parked on the top of Imogene pass looking toward Ouray.

Silverton July 4th 2017

This year was yet another successful 4th of July.  There was a lot going on and we did as much as we could from Jeeping (of course), hiking, mine tours, fishing, wildlife viewing, grilling, parade, fireworks, and camping.

Our main activities started on Saturday the 1st.  One group tried to go to Porphory Gulch but it was snowed shut yet so they ended up doing Brown’s Gulch road.  The other group started at Eureka and headed up to Animas Forks for a short visit and then up and over California and Hurricane Passes then onto Corkscrew Pass.  Several in the group hadn’t been to Ironton before so we stopped there for a bit.  From there we went through the Red Mountain Mining District and over Brown’s Gulch to finish the day.

Sunday a club spit into two groups and headed up to the Buffalo Boy Tram House.  One group had too much energy and did the hike to the Old 100 Boarding House.  That hike is not for the faint of heart.  The other group went back down to the bottom and did the Old 100 Mine tour.  It is well worth the time to do that tour.

Monday one group went up to the top of Black Bear Pass to check it out.  The other group did the Treasure Mountain Loop (Picayune & Placer Gulches) and then ran over to Maggie Gulch and explored the Intersection Stamp Mill and mine.

The 4th is the mother load of activities around Silverton.  We had around 20 Jeeps in the parade and after we had a potluck bbq and our monthly meeting before the fireworks.  No one can wait for next year’s show again.

 There was some local wildlife over by Eureka.  2 nice bull moose. Chad Beal is driving through a snow canyon on California Pass. A small group takes a short break at a mine in the Red Mountain Mining District. The same small group stops at the Brooklyn Mine for the mandatory group picture.The old 100 Boarding House if a very steep and rocky climb but no problem for Joe Scott & Ginny Backman with Mugzy looking on.  Yes that is the road 2500 feet below.

 We took a group picture of those of us that made the Old 100 Boarding House Hike. A few club members checking out the Intersection Stamp Mill.  It is one of the last ones standing in the San Juans.Kevin Heckman has his Jeep all decorated for the parade. Scott Click climbing on Chad Beal’s tires always gets the crowd going. Marcie driving her Jeep in the parade. We had quite a dog pile going on after the parade.There was a large crowd watching the dog pile and cheer erupted once we got them all on top of each other.

June 17th was our annual run of the Alpine Loop.  It just opened a few days earlier and ended up being a beautiful day.  We had 9 rigs on the run over Engineer and back over Cinnamon Passes with a stop in Lake City for lunch. Our “Oh Point” line up. We made the stop to view Whitmore Falls. Back at Eureka we had a moose watching us, looks like a bunny rabbit in the willows.

On 6/20/17 Kevin Heckman had a couple high school classmates come out on vacation and spent the days exploring.  We had 7 rigs and 17 people for our run. We first tried Brown’s Gulch but there was snow blocking the road yet up top so we turned around and went back onto HWY 550 to Red Mountain and explored that area a while.  We had a lunch stop at Ironton before we went up Corkscrew Pass.  The “flatlanders” had a lot of fun on this run.Lined up at the Brooklyn Mine.
Kevin showing his classmates the head frame of the Longfellow mine. Kevin and his classmates enjoying Corkscrew PassLooking at Ross, Minnihaha, and Velocity Basins from the top of Corkscrew Pass.

We had an impromptu run up and over Cinnamon Pass as the road was plowed open just a few days earlier.  For such short notice we had a very good turn out.  We had 12 rigs that enjoyed a wonderful day and nothing but blue skies.  Kevin Heckman, Jerry McGeorge, Glen & Tina Hood, and Mark & Debra Pearson are lined up in the deep snow just on the Lake City side of Cinnamon Pass. Snow bridge over the Animas River. Looking back at Burn’s Gulch from Animas Forks.   Animas Forks had 3 to 4 feet of snow left.The group lined up heading back up and over Cinnamon Pass.

We had a weekend full of activities for our 3rd weekend in May run.  We started out with 7 Jeeps Saturday evening for a Cruise Night as we haven’t done that in a while.  We decorated our Jeeps up with American flags because it was Armed Forces Day and locally Durango honored local fallen peace officers and firefighters.  We started at Albertsons and cruised a couple Mains before heading to North Serious Texas BBQ for dinner.  Then we cruised for a bit and then went to Sonic for 2000 calories of ice cream each.  By then it was pushing sunset and getting chilly so only a couple hardy members went to South Serious Texas BBQ for some miniature golf.Sunday we trekked to just outside of Navajo Dam to look at the Frances Canyon Ruins.  This is a complex of 40+ rooms from a Navajo Pueblito that was finished in 1716.  The unique part of this is the Spanish Style fireplace in one of the rooms.  Only a couple Navajo Pueblitos in the area have these.  It was a wonderful day for the 10 Jeeps that made the drive.   Here Richard Reynolds takes a close look at the Spanish Style Hooded Fireplace. Kevin Fox and Kevin Heckman are obviously discussing the complex architecture at Frances Canyon. He we can see what is left of the 3 story lookout tower. Here is a good view of the Pueblito. A few of the 40+ rooms that once stood here.We circled up the wagons for lunch.

Easter Jeep Safari 2017

This year was much warmer than last year and much less crowded than the 50th Safari was, last year.  Probably the best one I’ve been to, myself.  There were tons of events over the 9 days.  Tuesday, Quadratec hosted their 8th Annual BBQ. Wednesday evening was the RR4W club’s Associates dinner, for those of us that are members of both clubs.  Thursday and Friday was the vendor show and Friday night was the big raffle.  Saturday was Big Saturday and was capped off with our potluck at Canyonlands Campground.  Easter Sunday, we had our traditional run. 15 jeeps went into Bull Canyon and looked up at the Gemini Bridges.  From there we split into 2 groups: members wanting an easier end of the day went back up and looked at the Gemini Bridges from the top, while those wanting more of a challenge went on to Little Canyon, and then the end of Gold Bar Rim.  Overall, it was a great week with many winning big, and few breakdowns.

Kevin Heckman coming down the entrance of Cliffhanger as a mid gunner for RR4W club.Dave Shannon, Richard Smith, and Kevin Heckman are gunning Cliffhanger for the RR4W club.Kevin Heckman coming down the Cliffhanger obstacle as a mid gunner for the RR4W club.Doug Ramsey getting ready to start a driver’s meeting as the lead gunner for Hell Roaring Rim.  Kevin Heckman is the tail gunner for the RR4W club.
Kevin Heckman testing out Black Widow’s flex at the Metal Cloak trailer.   $280,000 worth of give aways at the Friday night raffle. We had several winners again this year.Creeper Jeepers Gang lined up for the Easter Bull Canyon run.  We had 15 Jeeps on the trail.Several club members walking the trail to get a look at the Gemini Bridges from below.Gemini Bridges are above.Club members getting closer to the Gemini Bridges.Kevin Fox heading up a climb on Little Canyon trail.Scott and Cindy Lancaster heading up a climb on Little Canyon trial with their new AEV.Lisa Taylor heading down a ledge on Little Canyon Trail.Chance McCabe heading up a climb on Little Canyon Trail.Chance McCabe heading up a climb on Gold Bar Rim.Billy Schultheiss heading up a climb on Gold Bar Rim.

Several of us wanted to hit some trails we are officiating for EJS to pre-run them so we wouldn’t have any surprises in a few weeks.

Friday Kevin Heckman, Billy Schultheiss, Dave Shannon, and Mark & Debra Pearson headed out NW of Moab to run some random trails.  We started out going to Tusher Tunnel and onto Bartlett Wash.  We decided we wanted a bit more of a challenge so we hit 7 rated Pickle trail.  It was a challenging trail as Kevin and Dave made it up the first obstacle and Billy and Mark had to be strapped up it.

Saturday we added Scott & Kim Click, Dan &  Debbie White plus their son, and Ashley & Kenny Mosby.  We hit 6 rated Steelbender for a fun day.  The “Fall” had changed dramatically since last year.  All the stacked rocks below were gone and the one ridge of rock that was the line is now gone and undercut.  We all decided to hit the bypass which is not much better.  We had 3 rigs get very light and catch air on their rear tires heading down that.

Sunday we hit 7 rated Cliffhanger which is probably the hardest 7 rated trail in the area.  But we had 6 go in and 6 come out so a successful day.  We went the whole weekend with no breakdowns only a few tow straps came out.
Mark & Debra coming up a ledge in the Pickle.
Dave heading up the last obstacle in the Pickle.
Dan & Debbie headed up the first obstacle on Steelbender.
Mark and Debra heading down the “Fall” bypass which is about as bad as the “Fall.”
Kevin heading down the stairsteps in to Kane Creek on Cliffhanger.Mark & Debra heading down the stairsteps into Kane Creek on Cliffhanger.Ashley heading up a ledge on Cliffhanger.Ashley heading up another ledge on Cliffhanger.Kevin heading back up the namesake obstacle on Cliffhanger.Dan and Debbie getting some air on Cliffhanger.

Spring into Safety 2017

We had our annual safety meeting and trail runs on a warm and beautiful Saturday in Farmington, NM. First we met at the Kiwanas Park for winch demonstrations, CB lessons and tuning, looking at what people have in their tool boxes, and lunch. After lunch most of us headed to Chokecherry Canyon and ran Skinny Canyon and Brown’s Springs. Billy Schultheiss and Kevin Fox are demonstrating proper winch techniques.
Group line up at the end of Skinny Canyon.  We had 14 Jeeps run the trails. Scott Click climbing a hill in a small playground on Skinny Canyon.Kevin Heckman going up a wedge in Skinny Canyon.
Chad Beal testing out his new set up.  Not sure if he has enough flex yet! Todd Jones getting some good air on the tippy spot on Skinny Canyon trail.Kevin Heckman going up a series of ledges in Brown’s Springs
Chad Beal going up some ledges in Brown’s Springs.Ashley Mosby coming down a ledge in Brown’s Springs.