Our trail leader, Mariah, reminds everyone….

July 20th - I’ll be leading a group over Imogene pass. I would like to get a *rough* head count so I have an idea of how many are planning to go.

Here are the details:

Meet at the Whistlestop in Silverton (the main gas station right off HWY 550) and depart by 10/10:30am.

Convoy over to Camp Bird Road 361 or Yankee Boy Basin Trail.

Air down and any last minute prep.

Drive over Imogene.

Once we get into Telluride, you’re welcome to leave from there, but we will likely hit Ophir (if it’s open) and come back onto the Silverton side.

Radio is GMRS. Channel 41 or 24 (Kevin, might need to let me know on that one because my channels are different. I can’t remember the lower one.) I’ve got an extra handheld if needed.

The trail is not excessively difficult. A small lift and larger tires will likely do fine. I did Imogene in my XJ with a 3.5” lift kit and 30” tires. I have been watching trail reports and hoping no significant boulder or mud slides occur.

This will take all day to run! Plan accordingly.

Let me know if you are planning on making it or have questions! The picture is the trail 2 years ago at the top dropping over into Telluride.

If you are not a member of the Creeper Jeeper Gang and want to tag along to see what our club is all about, you will need to bring this signed waiver with you.

If you all want to keep up to date on the trip, I created an event for it: Facebook Event Page

All members welcome!

Gary and I were really glad to hear that both Ophir Pass and Porphyry Gulch/ Bullion King Lake are now open and accessible. These are some of our favorite places to go for beautiful scenery as well as fun fishing. We are planning to make the trip this Saturday, July 13, therefore we wanted to put out the word if anyone might be interested in joining us.

Here are the details:

• Meet at the beginning of the town of Ophir at the small parking area just off of Hwy. 145 at 8:15. Leave Ophir at 8:30 to go over Ophir Pass. Please let us know if you will be meeting us here at the first of the trail run so that we know to wait for you.

• Meet at 9:30 on the east side or the Silverton side of Ophir Pass at Hwy. 550 (approximately 4.2 miles north on Hwy. 550, turning left (west) on County Rd. 8 (signed as Ophir Pass Road and Forest Rd. #679).

• Leave from the east side of Ophir Pass by 10:00 to head towards the Porphyry Gulch Road (Forest Service Rd, 822 off of Hwy. 550). Again please let us know if you plan to meet us on the Silverton side of Ophir Pass so we can wait for everyone. However we do hope to keep to a bit of a schedule so that we can beat the afternoon clouds and possible rain storms that tend to build up at this time of the year.

• We should get to Bullion King Lake by about 11:00. Gary and I plan to fish for a few hours. Anyone is welcome to join us or others who might want to hike up to the other lake on above. We’ll have lunch and head back down the trail when everyone is ready.

Please respond if planning to join us or if you have any questions.

Thanks, Gary and Lori Harris

Extension Building. A place to do a little business, meet new members, ask or answer questions, and hear what the club is up to. Everyone is welcome!

The Silverton July 4th Parade is on July 4th, a Thursday.   We will meet at the San Juan County Historical Society Museum parking lot between 9-9:30 am to decorate our vehicles.  It’s on the far end of Greene St.

Highway Clean-up #1. Meet at PJ’s Gourmet Market at Trimble Crossing, north of Durango (67 Trimble Ln, off Hwy 550) at 9:00 am for a 9:30 am departure. If you miss the group departure, proceed to the highway clean up location on Hwy 550 just before Molas Pass. Our section of highway begins past Mile Marker (MM) 61, where the two lanes climbing uphill merge into one. The club typically parks at a forested turnoff on the left (north) side of the highway at approximately MM 62.5. After highway clean-up, we will do a leisurely Jeep run up Cunningham Gulch to view the plentiful waterfalls and Columbine flowers. Pack a lunch and we will stop along the trail for lunch. Any non-club members joining us are required to fill out our waiver form. Please bring it with you.

If the trail is open and the creek crossing passable, we will hit the trail east of Pagosa Springs to evaluate work needs. Last year it looked like some branch trimming, log cutting, and picnic tablereparis were needed. Let’s see what additional issues last winter has thrown at us. This run will be followed by music by singer songwriter John Krajicek at the El Camino Lounge and Grill ate Motel SoCo in Pagosa Springs, 651 W. US Hwy 160. If you can’t make th run, come for the music, or vice versa. Meet time and location TBD. Contact Karin Freeman.