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Colorado 4x4 Trip | August 2018

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    #46
    Added more info on campsites secured in OP.
    1989 BMW 325is | 2019 Ford Ranger FX4
    willschnitz

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      #47
      this looks real cool, ashame our dates dont match, i dont have an offroad vehcle but would have been cool to meet you guys when you was on tarmac.

      not sure if it will help you plan but i used www.roadtrippers.com when planning my coast to coast trip, may help you plan this as it gives loads of suggestions on things on route and also, campsites!

      I drove my e30 from California to London!

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        #48
        Thanks for the bump!

        We down to like 3 weeks and its on boyos. I hope yall are ready.
        1989 BMW 325is | 2019 Ford Ranger FX4
        willschnitz

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          #49
          I should get started on my list of shit to do...


          Originally posted by SpasticDwarf;n6449866
          Honestly I built it just to have a place to sit and listen to Hotline Bling on repeat.

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            #50
            Shit, I have a list too.
            My previous build (currently E30-less)
            http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170390

            A 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 Offroad in Inferno is my newest obsession

            Comment


              #51
              Just ordered my CB stuff.

              Went with the 505xl recommended by Lambo. Also snagged the coaxial cable and 7 watt external speaker.

              Decided to pass on any sort of hard mount antenna, and went with a simple Tram magnetized version, 3 ft in length, to stick on the roof of my truck when I need it.

              My truck still performs a lot of dirty work, hauling stuff to the dump on a semi-regular basis, bed full of trimmed tree branches, stuff like that. So I didn't want to have to worry about an antenna/mount being in the way.

              I'll hard mount the CB inside my center console and wire it permanently to a cigarette lighter. And I'll pop out the antenna and speaker when I need them.

              Dynamatting my interior today and tomorrow as well, to help cut down on road noise.
              My previous build (currently E30-less)
              http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170390

              A 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 Offroad in Inferno is my newest obsession

              Comment


                #52
                8 Days out from the start for me boys. 10 Days for yall basically.
                1989 BMW 325is | 2019 Ford Ranger FX4
                willschnitz

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                  #53
                  I'm pumped to follow along virtually, have fun and be safe guys!
                  2007 Range Rover Sport S/C

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                    #54
                    I can't wait to get out there... I've barely been out wheeling this summer and I haven't been out camping at all... way overdue.

                    Originally posted by SpasticDwarf;n6449866
                    Honestly I built it just to have a place to sit and listen to Hotline Bling on repeat.

                    Comment


                      #55
                      I started looking into a route plan for the trip. I wanted to try and get a few things figured out asap. Such as:

                      - Meet time/location in Grand Junction on Wednesday
                      - Route from Grand Junction to Telluride on Thursday
                      - Route from Telluride to Ouray on Thursday
                      - Potential to try and stay longer in Ouray in order to do the Alpine Loop


                      Meet time/location in Grand Junction

                      So, it's about a 5 hour drive for me to get to Grand Junction. I'm thinking we should meet up sometime in the afternoon, probably at a local brewery or something to discuss what the heck we're doing.


                      Route from Grand Junction to Telluride on Thursday

                      We have two options here.

                      The quick route:



                      And the longer route:



                      The only reason I bring up the longer route is that the shorter route includes some road that we'll be taking to get up north as seen here:



                      I wasn't sure if we wanted to "backtrack" like that, or spend the extra 45-ish minutes to see some different roads and scenery that skirt the Utah border. It also depends on how much time we want to leave to do Imogene pass and any surrounding trails, which we'll discuss next. I'm thinking this decision will be a "day-of" kind of decision.


                      Route from Telluride to Ouray on Thursday

                      So, here's Imogene Pass:

                      Imogene Pass offers gorgeous scenery and traverses a backcountry rich in mining history. It offers an opportunity to look back in time and relive what it would have been like to live and work in harsh alpine mining environments. Immense mining structures and machines are plentiful along what was once the most prosperous gold and silver mining area in Colorado. Book-ended by the beautiful towns of Telluride and Ouray at either end of the trail, it is no wonder this is a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail. 


                      It appears that it's not quite defined as a straight through route to Ouray. Instead it meets up with Yankee Boy Basin (https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails...nkee-boy-basin), Not a big deal, just something to keep in mind. Now for what I wanted to bring up. Given that the Imogene Pass takes approximately 4 hours to complete, I'm thinking we should consider hitting a trail in the middle of Imogene. The trail I'm thinking of is Silver Basin:

                      Located in the mountains of Uncompahgre National Forest near Ouray, Silver Basin is another astonishing high alpine basin with world-renowned wildflower displays. Unlike the other heavily trafficked basins off of Camp Bird Road, Silver Basin is typically a quiet drive where you would be surprised to see another vehicle let alone several other vehicles. Be prepared to experience abundant wildflowers, old mines, gorgeous waterfalls, crystal clear alpine lakes, and fantastic views of the southern Sneffles Range. If you are driving around for the views, don't skip this awesome trail. If you are looking for a more difficult trail to test your 4x4 Low range, this trail will not disappoint you. Your vehicle will be pointed skyward for most of your journey, so clear off those dashboards! The reward is a pair of glacial lakes at the end of the trail, at or above the treeline. But hurry up, the glacier is advancing and you only have a couple of million years give or take before this area changes forever.


                      We can access it via the Alternate Northern Access to Imogene:



                      Again, this seems like a "day-of" decision, but I wanted to bring it up as an option, and I'll download all the pertinent info for this option.


                      Potential to try and stay longer in Ouray in order to do the Alpine Loop

                      I'm really upset I didn't think of this earlier. Unfortunately we can't extend our reservation at Amphitheater Campground this late in the game. But, there is a potential we can snag a walk-in campground to stay an extra day. Being in the area and not doing the iconic Alpine Loop would be a shame.

                      You can find a map of the Alpine Loop and surrounding trails here:



                      If I'm not mistaken, the Alpine Loop is Engineer and Cinnamon Pass as highlighted below:



                      Engineer Pass:

                      Engineer Pass is well known as part of the iconic Alpine Loop trail network in the high San Juan Mountains. Many roads criss-crossing over the peaks were established during the late 1800s to support mining operations seeking gold, silver, lead, and other ore deposits. These trails provided lifelines to transport ore, people, and supplies between the mines and the nearby towns of Silverton, Ouray, and Lake City.Those looking to have a quintessential Colorado weekend adventure can complete the Alpine Loop, leaving Lake City via Cinnamon Pass and connecting to Engineer Pass Road in the area of the Animas Forks ghost town. Easily extend the adventure by connecting to iconic trails like California Pass, Picayne, Placer Gulch, and more. Regardless of where you start Engineer Pass, opportunities are plentiful to test your skills, explore the backcountry of Colorado, and even touch the skies at mountain summits along the way.The San Juan Mountain Range is full of mining history and ruins. Some are marked clearly, while others are not. The BLM has worked with local historical societies to restore structures and make them safe to enter. These are typically well-marked with informational signage and placards. Many mining sites have been left to the elements and should be appreciated from afar as they are no longer structurally sound.If you are looking for epic scenery, you'll find spots all along the trail worth stopping for. Odem Point and the official summit have breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, including the Uncompahgre, Coxcomb, Wetterhorn, and Wildhorse mountain peaks. The view is so expansive at Oh (Odem) Point that on a very clear day, you might see all the way to Utah if you turn your eyes to the west. Whitmore Falls Scenic Overlook at Waypoint 14 offers a beautiful waterfall after a short hike down a well-marked footpath.This trail is easily traversable by a stock 4WD and can be enjoyed by all drivers, from the beginner to the experienced, with something for the whole family. While this trail isn't rough, it is a proper offroad trail and will test your fortitude with high-altitude shelf roads subject to quick weather changes.Jeep® Owners: Engineer Pass Road is a Badge of Honor trail. Visit the Jeep® Badge of Honor mobile app to check in on the trail and earn your official badge.


                      Engineer Pass Alpine Loop Connector:



                      Cinnamon Pass:

                      This trail, just outside of Lake City, CO, is an over 25.5 mile-long trail that when connected with Engineer Pass - Alpine Loop Connector and Engineer Pass makes up the famous Alpine Loop. The two connected is a nearly 60 mile long trail that can make for a sunup to sun down day on the trails in the area. If you are running the Alpine Loop, then you will get onto the Engineer Pass part via the Engineer Pass - Alpine Loop Connector. You can also just connect to Silverton by taking this trail straight through and past the ghost town of Animas Forks. Along the way, you’ll run into ghost towns, mines and scenic overlooks that can make for some spectacular memories and images. Some of these ruins are over 100 years old and in amazing shape for their age. Tread lightly around these treasures. The overlooks are plentiful and while we’ve noted some of them here, you may find yourself stopping often to take pictures. These trails are what is left over of the road system needed for mining in the 1800’s during the gold and silver boom in the San Juan Mountains. The Bureau of Land Management now manages this trail from start to finish and maintains the surface and historical markers that you will see along the way. This trail is relatively easy and for everyone from the beginner to the experienced off-roader. It offers something for everyone along this route. The road is not a very rough surface in most places but it is a true off-road trail and will test your fortitude with shelf roads and some of the inclines. For Jeep owners, there’s a special note here. Jeep has designated some trails as Badge of Honor trails and this is one of the few in Colorado. Its fame means that Jeep will recognize if you ran it and provide you with a badge to put on your rig showing you completed the trail.



                      Anyways... just something I wanted to bring up for the trip. I also need to figure out the stuff we want to do up north. But, that shouldn't be too hard. There's so much shit to do around there.

                      Originally posted by SpasticDwarf;n6449866
                      Honestly I built it just to have a place to sit and listen to Hotline Bling on repeat.

                      Comment


                        #56
                        Damn, I leave town in 1 week and a couple of hours!

                        Better get all of this stuff installed this weekend!

                        Parts to Install 8-23-18 by MR E30, on Flickr

                        1" front diff drop, diff breather tubing, and new front half shafts with seals before the trip.

                        I have to work for a few hours Thursday morning, so I probably wont make it into Ouray until 6 or 7 at night. I'll try to get out of town earlier, but its a 7 hour drive for me, with a 1 hour time difference.

                        Definitely down to do the alpine loop near Ouray.

                        I'm used to flying by the seat of my pants, so last minute audibles are not a problem for me.

                        Also, just ordered an ARB air down tool, and I have a cigarette lighter powered air pump, with hose, that I will bring for us to use to air back up.
                        Last edited by MR E30 325is; 08-23-2018, 09:13 AM.
                        My previous build (currently E30-less)
                        http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170390

                        A 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 Offroad in Inferno is my newest obsession

                        Comment


                          #57
                          Lambo, FYI, none of your ...trailsoffroad.... sites work for me. I receive an application error when I click on them.
                          My previous build (currently E30-less)
                          http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170390

                          A 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 Offroad in Inferno is my newest obsession

                          Comment


                            #58
                            Originally posted by MR E30 325is View Post
                            Lambo, FYI, none of your ...trailsoffroad.... sites work for me. I receive an application error when I click on them.
                            Yeah I noticed last night that they were working intermittently. The links should all be good, I think it's something on their end.

                            Originally posted by SpasticDwarf;n6449866
                            Honestly I built it just to have a place to sit and listen to Hotline Bling on repeat.

                            Comment


                              #59
                              Originally posted by lambo View Post
                              Yeah I noticed last night that they were working intermittently. The links should all be good, I think it's something on their end.
                              Working now.
                              My previous build (currently E30-less)
                              http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=170390

                              A 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD 4x4 Offroad in Inferno is my newest obsession

                              Comment


                                #60
                                Im back from Banff/Jasper, Because my two legs of the trip are 9ish hours on their own, Im thinking meeting in Grand Junction at around 6 or 7. I have a measly 200 mile range on my truck so Ill have to stop like 4 times just on that leg.

                                I like the Brewery Idea. Then can run to a grocery store after for some camp supplies if needed before heading up to the sites.

                                Seems like there are a couple good ones in GJ, Kannah Creek, Suds Brothers, etc.
                                1989 BMW 325is | 2019 Ford Ranger FX4
                                willschnitz

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