Alpine Loop (Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass)

[mizedog]

I had been anticipating our Labor Day trip to the Ouray area for months (actually years) and was not dissapointed. We drove out to Montrose on Friday and got a great price on a cabin ($35). The kids love the idea of staying in a "log cabin" and I like not having to set up and crawl into a tent. We met the club in Ouray at 9:00 Saturday and headed to the trailhead just south of town. Even the trailhead was scenic. I have to admit fall was in the air so the wildflower colors had given way to a few splashes of yellow aspen leaves. The trail was easy but I did get hung up on a rock in one switchback. Everyone else went around it, I tried to go over it. Engineer Pass took us to Lake City for lunch (seemed like a hippy town to me, but beautiful). Then Cinnamon Pass took us to Aminas Forks and then down into Silverton where it rained like crazy! By the way, the Conoco in Silverton has a KILLER air compressor. It was the fastest I've seen! The only damage was the upper bolt on my JKS Quicker Disconnect which broker letting the link flop down over the tie rod. I just put it the back and enjoyed a nicer ride. I need to order replacement parts. We saw tons of sheep, mountain grouse, and elk.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/IMG_1830.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/P1010036-4.jpg
The owners of this house actually were rich enough to own the Hope Diamond!
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/P1010042-1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/P1010048-1.jpg
More cabins
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/P1010060.jpg
This one had "indoor" plumbing meaning the outhouse was actually in the house - no piping, just a two-holer.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/P1010082.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/IMG_1833.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/IMG_1856.jpg
Old cable-suspended ore boxes. The cables were more than a mile in length and the miner would actuall ride them - amazing
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y272/Mizedog/IMG_1930.jpg
There are tons more trails in the area that we'll get to next year.

[Mudderoy]

Was there anything you would have changed, added to your rig for this outing? What about things you wish you had brought with you. When we go do stuff like this I seem to take 75% more stuff that we actually need.

Thanks for the post. Please feel free to share more. :popcorn:

[mizedog]

Was there anything you would have changed, added to your rig for this outing? What about things you wish you had brought with you. When we go do stuff like this I seem to take 75% more stuff that we actually need.



Great question! I used to carry tons of stuff in my CJ including alot of light weight backpacking stuff/tricks. There are things I never used snap ring pliers, but things never used except once - like a brass brush for cleaning parts. For these easy trails I didn't need anything but the lunch cooler. I am glad I brought my rain coat because I had to air up in a deluge or icy rain!
In the mountains it ca snow without warning so I usually through in a sleeping bag or two, a backpacking stove and fuel for hot chocolate/ melting snow, etc. I always carry water. I remember my first trip in the old CJ was up to Lake Arrowhead in the Big Bear area of SoCal. Super easy, 2wd trail. The club was doing this as a training trip for new Jeep owners through Donavee Jeep dealer. Simple, right? Well, it rained, then snowed almost a foot. People were stuck. We only had a bikini top, and no heat, and I had my then-girlfriend with me. When we got to the top I whipped out my handy backpacking stove for some instant capoccino, and pulled out my mummy bag for Renee. I made her take off her boots and then I strapped her in. By the time we got down, she had an inch of ice caked on the bag but she was warm.

Jeep wise - this was a cakewalk. We had a full size stock Chevy pickup. We did use 4wd. No one got stuck (I was able to back out of my high-center stuck). So, this is more of a one-day expedition type run rather than a technical run. Oh, there was not Texas-style mud either. I got enough of that when I was in Dallas/Ft. Worth!
I do feel a winch is more necessary here in Colorado than it was in SoCal. Here, snow and infrequent mud pits make them more important. A winch and more tires are on my "I want" list.

Oh, I added more pics

[Mudderoy]

Great question! I used to carry tons of stuff in my CJ including alot of light weight backpacking stuff/tricks. There are things I never used snap ring pliers, but things never used except once - like a brass brush for cleaning parts. For these easy trails I didn't need anything but the lunch cooler. I am glad I brought my rain coat because I had to air up in a deluge or icy rain!
In the mountains it ca snow without warning so I usually through in a sleeping bag or two, a backpacking stove and fuel for hot chocolate/ melting snow, etc. I always carry water. I remember my first trip in the old CJ was up to Lake Arrowhead in the Big Bear area of SoCal. Super easy, 2wd trail. The club was doing this as a training trip for new Jeep owners through Donavee Jeep dealer. Simple, right? Well, it rained, then snowed almost a foot. People were stuck. We only had a bikini top, and no heat, and I had my then-girlfriend with me. When we got to the top I whipped out my handy backpacking stove for some instant capoccino, and pulled out my mummy bag for Renee. I made her take off her boots and then I strapped her in. By the time we got down, she had an inch of ice caked on the bag but she was warm.

Jeep wise - this was a cakewalk. We had a full size stock Chevy pickup. We did use 4wd. No one got stuck (I was able to back out of my high-center stuck). So, this is more of a one-day expedition type run rather than a technical run. Oh, there was not Texas-style mud either. I got enough of that when I was in Dallas/Ft. Worth!
I do feel a winch is more necessary here in Colorado than it was in SoCal. Here, snow and infrequent mud pits make them more important. A winch and more tires are on my "I want" list.

Oh, I added more pics

Yeah I notice the additional pictures, thanks! I'm from Houston, so my only off road adventures have been here. I have heard that we don't have mud we have clay! That stuff has a tendency to lock to the lugs of the mudders, you know at anything under 5k rpms. :smiley-laughing021:

[prerunner1982]

I love this part of the country..... I have done Black Bear and Ophir and would love to do them all. We did Black Bear first and what a welcome to SW Colorado trails it was...

I love all the old cabins and mines and stuff.... we don't have anything like that around here, just maybe a ghost town or two.

[4.3LXJ]

CO back trails is on my list of things to do someday too.

[BlueXJ]

Yeah I have a standing invitation to go to Colorado Springs and may go this summer to ride some of those killer trails.

[4.3LXJ]

Better take advantage of it blue.

[Melissa]

Loved the pictures mizedog!!

[alwaysxj]

great pics i think i have seen that trail on extream 4x4. i want to move so bad to co but the wife does not want too.