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We don't have a formal trip report on this trip but
we do have comments left by the trip leader and a
few members on our member forum. Below are
just some of the sites that were visited by our
group followed by some comments. There are over
200 beautiful pictures that have been uploaded to
our Photo Gallery, so what you can't read in words,
enjoy the pictures which are each worth a 1000
words!
A week in the Colorado Rockies.
Ouray, Telluride, Big Bear Pass, Imogene Pass,
Yankee Boy Basin, Engineer Pass, OH! Point, Mineral
Basin, Bridal Veil Falls, Governor Basin, Sidney
Basin, Paradise Divide, Schofield Pass, Devils
Punchbowl, Crystal Mill, Marble, Lake City, Whitmore
Falls, Alpine Loop, Henson, Poughkeepsie
Gulch, Corkscrew Gulch, Lake Como, Placer Gulch,
California Gulch, Picayne Gulch, Cinamon Pass,
Silverton and
MORE ! I was unable to make this
trip so the story told will be that of those that
posted comments on our forum. Comments by
different people are separated by two distinct
colors.
From one
of the trip leaders: Overall, it was a good trip.
A couple of people had a difficult time adjusting to
the high altitudes, but they still managed to enjoy
the adventure. Several people had jeep troubles and
had to make emergency repairs.
From one
of the members: On Thursday, 7/21, Devon and I met
up with Mike Buckner at Camp Verde and headed for
Mesa Verde park. We got as far as Flagstaff, and
then I had to replace the water pump in my Jeep. We
spent a lot of time on the road that day between the
repair and all the road construction. We finally
made it to Mesa Verde about 8 that night.
We spent the next day driving around M.V. looking at
the ruins. There is a lot to see, pit houses, cliff
dwellings and a museum. Saturday, we headed for
Ouray. We met up with Jim G and his brother Joe
outside of Silverton. We met the rest of the group
as they came in. By Sunday morning we were ready to
travel.
Sunday,
we did Last Dollar road and Imogene pass. The day
started out a little cloudy and cool, but the views
were great.
As we
climbed the trail to the top of Imogene pass, the
weather got worse, and it began to rain. Pretty
soon, we had Thunder, Lightning, Hail and lots of
clouds. We didn’t stop to look at any of the mines
due to the rain, and we didn’t have much of a view
either, with all the clouds. It was still fun.
Monday
was a clear and beautiful day. We ran Engineer
pass to Animas Forks Ghost town and Silverton. On
the way, we stopped at Oh! Point. The view was
terrific from on top of the mountain, but the trail
there was a little nerve wracking.
Tuesday
the group split up, with some going to Black Bear
pass, and the rest going to Ophir pass. We met up
in Telluride for lunch, and then went back over
Ophir pass. Sam and Pat White wanted to do last
dollar road since they had missed it, so Devon and I
led them over it. We found a tree down across the
trail. By the time Sam had gotten his Ax out of the
jeep, the truck in the photo had used a strap to
snap the tree in half and drag it out of the way.
Back at camp, John was trying to fix a broken
U-Joint on his front drive axle. After several
hours and lots of help, it was back together.
Wednesday
was our last day, so we ran Yankee boy Basin. This
was a beautiful trail with lots of wildflowers, and
also a wild driver. There is a story there, but
I’ll let someone else tell that one.
After
Yankee boy basin, half the group went to lunch in
Ouray while the rest did Governor Basin. Back at
camp, Jim G and Mike B both found they had Track bar
problems. Jim went to town to get the part he
needed, Mike needed a crack welded.
The group went to dinner that night in Ouray.
The next morning we said our good byes, some of us
headed home, the rest went to run Schofield pass.
Most of
the group returned home on Thursday, but on Friday,
July 31, Jim G, Sam, Woody and I took the Alpine
Loop Trail through Engineer Pass to Lake City, CO.
A cabin on the Alpine Loop Trail:
From another member: By
Saturday, August 1, only Woody, Doug and I remained
in the area. Our objective for the day was
Poughkeepsie Gulch.
From
another member a not so good experience and a bad
experience with “good old boy” justice in rural
areas: Yankee Boy Trail Wednesday July 29th
We left the KOA around 9 am and proceeded through
Ouray to the Yankee Boy Trail.
There
were eleven Jeeps in the group.
About a half mile beyond the wooded outhouse the
trail became very narrow and the group started up
slowly. A few minutes later someone from the front
called down asking us to find a place to pull over
as the area was getting congested and some of folks
at the top wished to come down. At this point I
believe I was third from the end of the group, Darin
and Russ were behind me. I found a suitable site at
N37 59.389 W 107 46.358 and parked. Darin parked
about ten feet behind me. As I looked down toward
the area Russ was located I noticed that two or
three vehicles attempted to pass Russ and start up
the trail. But each one of them then stopped,
backed up and parked. Soon another red TJ drove
past the rest and started up the hill. Someone
called me on the CB and asked me to stop this person
so the folks at the top could get down. I
positioned myself in the middle of the trail and
started waving my hands. The Jeep continued to
climb the trail and within about a minute was within
a few feet from my position. It did not stop but
continued toward my position. Now the Jeep was
obviously in low gear and not moving all that fast
but soon I had to make a decision. I chose to stay
in my position rather than dive out of the way. I
figured if the Jeep hit me in the middle of the
trail there could be no excuse but if I jumped the
driver might claim that he had tried to miss me but
I had jumped into him or something. And then I was
hit. Not hard. I put my hand on his hood and
somehow managed to get myself past the right front
fender. But either I did not get far enough away or
he turned into me as my body rubbed against the
front fender and then I was struck by his mirror,
then the door. The mirror was pressed all the way
into the cab. I began spinning and wound up on the
trail behind his Jeep which was continuing up the
trail. I tried running after the Jeep but within
about ten steps I collapsed in exhaustion. I
believe the elevation at that point is around 11,000
feet. Within a minute the driver exited his vehicle
and approached me. He told me that he drives in the
region most every week, that uphill vehicles have
the right of way and that there was enough room for
two vehicles on this trail. I then asked him if he
had the right to hit me. He said no, I swore at
him, turned my back on him and returned to my Jeep.
Now during the event Darin and his wife were yelling
to me asking me if I was ok. I responded to them
that I was. Darin then approached the driver and
informed him that he had just performed a criminal
act. I did not hear much of what was said between
the two but in a few minutes Darin and the driver
approached the passengers side of my Jeep. Darin
informed me that I should take all of the driver’s
information and make sure I had a look at his
license. I told the driver that I was done dealing
with him and I was not interested in doing anything
further. Darin insisted strongly that I do as he
said and I had Pat take down the information for me.
The driver then asked if we could get around his
vehicle so that he could rejoin his group which we
did. I continued on the trip with the group and
returned to the staging area around one pm. I
noticed that at that time I had just passed the red
Jeep and Pat confirmed by checking his license. We
had a nice, but slow, meal in Ouray. While no one
encouraged me, if I asked they all suggested I file
out a police report. The exception was Darin who
told me I should do it and offered to come with me.
So after lunch, now around 2:30 pm, I went over to
the Sheriff’s office and started the process. The
event was not a friendly one to say the least. The
driver had been in an hour or so before me and his
friend had also made a statement. It really seemed
to me like the deputy was taking the side of the
driver and at one point I stated that sending the
deputy into a rage. After things settled down I
finished my statement and was told what the other
two had said. The main difference was that they
said I was at the side of the vehicle when I was hit
and the friend even suggested I had faked it. He
also stated that I had threatened to get into a
fight with the driver. The deputy asked me
specifically if I had said this and after laughing I
told him I had not said any such thing. Someone in
our group had also heard him state that if I was in
the middle of the trail I deserved to be hit. The
deputy then informed me that he determined that I
had broken two laws and that I could be sited for
them. One was blocking a road and the other was
swearing in a public place. After a few minutes I
decided that I was unhurt and that nothing was going
to come of this anyway and told the deputy that I
was not going to press charges.
Those are the facts as I remember them. I would
appreciate it if anyone has anything they can add to
this story to please write it down and keep it in a
safe place. While I hope this event is now over you
just never know.:
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