Late July/Early August Vacation & Wheelin' Trip in Colorado

BVCRD · **Posted:** Mon May 17, 2010 1:59 pm

2mopar_diesels wrote:

BVCRD wrote:

You could head up Hwy 9 towards Guffey. Before you reach Hartsel, there are numerous dirt roads that head west towards Bassam Park and the camp sight. That is a real pretty drive. We sometimes take Hwy 9 when we are going to Canon City. You could go to the Colorado Division of Wildlife page, and there are maps and trails on there of all over the state. You can get maps and GPS coordinates of the area. Zoom in or out, even aerial pics. One book that I never leave home without is the Colorado Atlas and Gazetter. It has topo maps of the entire state including public lands and back roads. GPS too.

http://www.amazon.com/Colorado-Gazettee ... 0899332889

Yup! Already have that one and Charles Wells trail guide books of the state. In fact, the Colorado gazetteer is probably one of the best and most comprehensive in the series of all the states I own (approx 17 as of now). I have it all marked up with details I've written down on the trails I've done.

Will you be available to meet up when I get into town, sometime around the 28th of July?

That probably won't work. My wife is a school principal so we get summers off, and we have a sailboat stored up in Washington St. We go up there the month of July and first week of August and live on the boat, sail the Puget Sound. If our plans change or we come back early, I'll shoot you a PM.

BVCRD · **Posted:** Tue May 18, 2010 10:27 am

Another good trail is towards Winfield past Clear Creek Reservoir. It is about half way between Leadville and BV, take a west turn at the lake.( FR 390) Follow the road for 10-15 miles until you get to 2 ghost towns. The trail continues on up after that.

http://www.rockymountainprofiles.com/Winfield.htm

http://www.coloradoguy.com/vicksburg-wi ... lorado.htm

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:29 am

Just over 1month to go and getting excited!!! I've got it down to one of two areas of the Nat. Forest to camp in when there.........Chalk Creek Canyon or Cottonwood Canyon..........for those familiar with the area which one would be better??? It would be great if we had company also while there camping out, if anyone wants to join us.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:50 am

The CO guys don't get out much these days.

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Fri Jun 18, 2010 2:03 pm

JL Rockies wrote:

The CO guys don't get out much these days.

What about those from Utah then??? LOL!!!

BVCRD · **Posted:** Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:30 pm

2mopar_diesels wrote:

Just over 1month to go and getting excited!!! I've got it down to one of two areas of the Nat. Forest to camp in when there.........Chalk Creek Canyon or Cottonwood Canyon..........for those familiar with the area which one would be better??? It would be great if we had company also while there camping out, if anyone wants to join us.

Chalk Creek. Cottonwood is OK but crazy with 4 wheelers and dirt bikes. One crazy bastad hit my mirror once as he flew by. Chalk takes you up to St. Elmo ghost town and you can connect with Tin Cup Pass to go on over on the Taylor Park side. Nice ride that I do at least once a year. I about got stuck in a water crossing a couple weeks ago. Water will be down when you come out though. There are several side trails from St. Elmo. Some are washed out but may be back in good shape by late July.

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Tue Jun 22, 2010 12:10 pm

2mopar_diesels wrote:

JL Rockies wrote:

The CO guys don't get out much these days.

What about those from Utah then??? LOL!!!

I'm out every weekend... in CO not so much..... especially when it went all "blue state" and junk. :shock:

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Wed Jun 23, 2010 2:33 am

JL Rockies wrote:

2mopar_diesels wrote:

JL Rockies wrote:

The CO guys don't get out much these days.

What about those from Utah then??? LOL!!!

I'm out every weekend... in CO not so much..... especially when it went all "blue state" and junk. :shock:

Still a heck of a lot better than Cali

BVCRD · **Posted:** Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:29 pm

JL Rockies wrote:

2mopar_diesels wrote:

JL Rockies wrote:

The CO guys don't get out much these days.

What about those from Utah then??? LOL!!!

I'm out every weekend... in CO not so much..... especially when it went all "blue state" and junk. :shock:

Yea, that sucks about CO, but we aim to fix that in November.

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Sat Jun 26, 2010 2:55 pm

Just received the newest Colorado guide book in the mail from Fun Treks yesterday (been out less than a month)!!! Charles has done a great job with this (the 3rd edition). And I read through the whole thing in one night. I couldn't put it down. Has me chomping at the bit to get out there soon!!! Only thing negative I can say is about the blind spiral binding. You can't fold it over on itself like a regular type spiral binding. Other that that, it's an amazing update to an otherwise awesome trail guide book!!!

BVCRD · **Posted:** Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:52 pm

2mopar_diesels wrote:

Just received the newest Colorado guide book in the mail from Fun Treks yesterday (been out less than a month)!!! Charles has done a great job with this (the 3rd edition). And I read through the whole thing in one night. I couldn't put it down. Has me chomping at the bit to get out there soon!!! Only thing negative I can say is about the blind spiral binding. You can't fold it over on itself like a regular type spiral binding. Other that that, it's an amazing update to an otherwise awesome trail guide book!!!

I was thinking, you meantioned that you might want to camp right on the river. You can do this about 8-10 miles south of BV, in a campground type situation behind a rafting company, or on down river from Salida in just a pull off place. Not real remote or private, but on the river. Then there are all the pull off boondocker type locations upstream from Cottonwood lake.

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 12:46 pm

BVCRD wrote:

I was thinking, you meantioned that you might want to camp right on the river. You can do this about 8-10 miles south of BV, in a campground type situation behind a rafting company, or on down river from Salida in just a pull off place. Not real remote or private, but on the river. Then there are all the pull off boondocker type locations upstream from Cottonwood lake.

Yeh, the more I look at the maps and guides, I realize the free camping areas around chalk creek canyon is gonna be more convienant to being a centralized base camp for us while there. As most of the trails lead off of St. Elmo rd and Hancock Pass. Would love to camp at Grizzly Lake the whole time, but driving up and down the access rd everyday would get old quick!

BVCRD · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 2:18 pm

2mopar_diesels wrote:

BVCRD wrote:

I was thinking, you meantioned that you might want to camp right on the river. You can do this about 8-10 miles south of BV, in a campground type situation behind a rafting company, or on down river from Salida in just a pull off place. Not real remote or private, but on the river. Then there are all the pull off boondocker type locations upstream from Cottonwood lake.

Yeh, the more I look at the maps and guides, I realize the free camping areas around chalk creek canyon is gonna be more convienant to being a centralized base camp for us while there. As most of the trails lead off of St. Elmo rd and Hancock Pass. Would love to camp at Grizzly Lake the whole time, but driving up and down the access rd everyday would get old quick!

I hear you. On the other side of TinCup Pass, you have to cross a talus slide area to get to Mirror Lake. It is slow going, and I wouldn't want to do it everyday.

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Sun Jun 27, 2010 5:35 pm

I'm just wondering though, is there any dispersed pull-outs along CR162 before you get to St. Elmo? Also, what about campfires?........Whats the rules on that around there right now and into the time when I'm there?

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 12:05 am

Just found a video of a KJ going up Chinaman Gulch while poking around Youtube. Less equiped than mine, so I should have no problem!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FMV3oN7Vrg

SPC657 · **Joined:** Tue May 11, 2010 2:34 pm **Posts:** 83

I would like to go if it is Chinwall. Been trying to get up there all summer. Let me know if you want another tag along.

:CAMPING:

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:00 am

SPC657 wrote:

I would like to go if it is Chinwall. Been trying to get up there all summer. Let me know if you want another tag along.

:CAMPING:

Absolutely!!! I hate doing this stuff alone with nobody to share it with.........my wife now can't go, cause the college changed the starting date, and she starts nursing school the 2nd of Aug instead of the 9th. Let me know when and where you wanna meet up and I'll be there!!!

I'm leaving here in the morning on the 25th, and will be in Cotopaxi, CO the following afternoon on the 26th. Plan to drive through and explore the Arkansas Hills east of Salida/Buena Vista and find a camping spot for that evening. Then making my way down into Nathrop the next morning on the 27th. But, if having company along for the ride, those plans are flexible and can be changed to accommodate.

SPC657 · **Joined:** Tue May 11, 2010 2:34 pm **Posts:** 83

See ya on the 27th :BANANA:

. Looking forward to ridin with another Liberty. Hopefullly I will have my rock rails done by then

.

2mopar_diesels · **Posted:** Tue Jun 29, 2010 3:10 am

SPC657 wrote:

See ya on the 27th :BANANA:

. Looking forward to ridin with another Liberty. Hopefullly I will have my rock rails done by then

.

Looking forward to it!!!.........You planning on camping, getting a cabin somewhere, or room in town or something?

SPC657 · **Joined:** Tue May 11, 2010 2:34 pm **Posts:** 83

Maybe an overnighter of camping. Was also thinking of doing the run over the pass too, will have to see when it gets closer.

:CAMPING:

Late July/Early August Vacation & Wheelin' Trip in Colorado

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