2025 San Juan's & Yampa Bench Road
|
1)
Corkscrew Pass campsite. 2) US-550. 3) Black Bear trailhead, 4) top of
the switchbacks & the powerhouse, 5) base of the switchbacks, 6)
Telluride park, 7) camp on Ophir pass |
| Panorama Click for a larger size |
| That's a nice front-door-of-tent view. |
| On
the move - we'll coast down to US-550, turn left on the highway for a
few miles, and then start Black Bear Pass, pass through Telluride and
take the highway south to Ophir Pass. |
| There are three mountains in the area that are
named Red Mountain 1, 2, 3. Looking at the map, this could be Red
Mountain #2. |
| The
day is taking a bit of a turn for "Florida". At the nice parking lot /
trailhead for Corkscrew Pass at US-550 his jeep died (at least it died
at the perfect place it could have!). It ended up being an electronic
ignition part. He phoned his friend who was just up the road in Ouray
with their camper and pickup. They'll hunt for a part (Montrose) and
were able to meet up with the group the next morning. The hood of my Jeep - a large oil / dust blemish. The odometer has 220K miles that I think is fairly correct. The motor's getting tired. I believe there is a bit of blow-by for the cylinder/rings. With higher demand of freeway driving (made harder by going up and over the mountains from Denver to Grand Junction), oil blows out of any seal it can. The dipstick can go from oil "full" to oil "low" in one tank of fuel (if I push it hard). If I don't push it hard - on the same over mountain trek - the oil level won't drop (but then loaded semi's are passing me uphill). |
| The Red Mountain mining district. |
| I
have caught up with the group at the Black Bear trailhead at US-550.
Another couple, in the white vehicle ahead of me, will travel with us
for the trail. |
| Wyoming |
| ?Maryland? |
| ?Maryland? |
| Wyoming |
| Colorado |
| Others joining in. Right hand drive. Mechanical diesel that was running rich at elevation. |
| Black Bear Pass |
| Big views |
| At the iconic portion of the Black Bear Pass
trail where it DROPS down to the town of Telluride through several
tight switchbacks. |
| Several switchback to process. Many requiring
multi-point turns. |
| I
found out, after watching the older, shorter wheelbase CJ-5's,
multi-point turning the switchbacks, where I was able to turn through a
switchback in one fluid turn with my longer wheelbase - I asked why.
Their front axles have a ?closed? U-Joint stile where I have an ?open?
U-Joint style - that can turn with greater range allowing for a tighter
turning radius. |
| The multi-point turn. |
| I'll have a multi-point turn here as well. |
| The powerhouse |
| Panorama Click for a larger size |
| We
parked and will take a short stroll out to the powerhouse. It is
private property so there's not much to see (it would be nice to walk
on the walkway around the building). |
| Waterpipe from an up-mountain lake/reservoir |
| Out
from Telluride and down the highway to the town of Ophir. At the far
end of the valley we can make out the trail at the left edge of the
valley and heading up to the right. Camp will be somewhat in the trees
that the trail cuts through. It was just a wide spot alongside the
trail - we made it work. |
| Aspen trees. |
| Camp |
| Majestic mountains nicely lit |
| Tent is up - take some photos with the
remaining light. |
