black bear pass

black dog · **Joined:** Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:31 pm **Posts:** 46

I have been wheeling for 8 yrs with a samurai that I'm not afraid to roll and are starting to plan a trip out west. I was wondering if a stock kj crd with 225 duratracs with skid plates and renegade rails with open diffs can do black bear? what other trails are doable? I was planning to go to cali to see the redwoods and was wondering about anything else out that way that is fun?

kskj · **Posted:** Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:29 am

You could make it but you will use the skids. You will have to watch out on the switch backs with a open diff. I did it twice last year first time no problem but the second time I tried to take the switch back in one turn, got a wheel in the air and could not back out of it. Went real slow inches from the edge and made it . You can take just about every other trail in that area.

AZKJ · **Posted:** Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:58 am

black dog wrote:

I was wondering if a stock kj crd with 225 duratracs with skid plates and renegade rails with open diffs can do black bear? what other trails are doable? I was planning to go to cali to see the redwoods and was wondering about anything else out that way that is fun?

A stock height can very easily do Black Bear (with a little scraping as mentioned above) and most of the other trails in the Ouray/Silverton area. The only two trails I have not done up there in a KJ are Poughkeepsie Gulch and Governor's Basin, both rated difficult. A word of advice.... don't try any of the switchbacks on Black Bear in one turn unless you want to risk going over the side... not a good idea, it's a long way down. They are all two and three point turns.

LOL... forget the redwoods. If you want to do trails, spend a few days in Colorado and then go to Moab. Unless you're on a very loooooong vacation, you won't have time to make it to California.

Check out the Charles A. Wells guidebooks for Colorado and Moab. You can order the books and/or download the waypoints for free at FunTreks, but I would recommend buying them. If you do buy any of the books, spend the extra $5.00 and get the spiral bound books, they'll last longer.

Do a search, there are tons of pics on this site of Colorado and Moab. Here's a couple of pics of Silverdiesel in his red CRD with a 1" lift going down an 8' ledge in Moab. The trail is the southern portion of Fins and Things....

JL Rockies · **Posted:** Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:23 pm

I am putting a trip together in July for that area.

black dog · **Joined:** Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:31 pm **Posts:** 46

thanks for the advice. I drive 18 wheeler and I don't have a computer along, so I'm a little slow to respond. I'd love to come on the july trip I'll have to look into my time off more to see if I can swing it. I would love to dump a bunch of money into my kj but I'm saving for a SVT Raptor because the wife wants me to get a truck so she can have my jeep.

AZKJ · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:58 am

black dog wrote:

thanks for the advice. I drive 18 wheeler and I don't have a computer along, so I'm a little slow to respond. I'd love to come on the july trip I'll have to look into my time off more to see if I can swing it. I would love to dump a bunch of money into my kj but I'm saving for a SVT Raptor because the wife wants me to get a truck so she can have my jeep.

A stock height KJ can do all the trails with skids and good AT tires with the exception of Poughkeepsie and maybe Governor's Basin. No need to dump a bunch of money in it for a trip to the San Juan's.

durangotang · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 1:36 am

If you let me know when you're doing the trip I should be able to show you around... tons of fun stuff here... even some awesome trails outside of Durango that aren't in the books... just ask kskj :JEEPIN:

BVCRD · **Posted:** Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:39 am

durangotang wrote:

If you let me know when you're doing the trip I should be able to show you around... tons of fun stuff here... even some awesome trails outside of Durango that aren't in the books... just ask kskj :JEEPIN:

30+ years ago, I went riding down by Durango. From Wolf Creek, just before you get into Durango, you turn south, then in a few miles, you head back west into the hills. There was a big ole mill or something back in there. My memory is foggy and I doubt I could drive to it tody, but does this ring a bell?

AZKJ · **Posted:** Fri Mar 12, 2010 1:35 pm

durangotang wrote:

If you let me know when you're doing the trip I should be able to show you around... tons of fun stuff here... even some awesome trails outside of Durango that aren't in the books... just ask kskj :JEEPIN:

Care to share some GPS waypoints or maps of some of those trails around Durango? We'll be going back up to the San Juans in Sep. This will be our 6th trip in 9 years.

Edit: I came up with a few trails in the Massey book I have... most are between Cortez and Durango (north of Hwy 160 and west of Hwy 550). Any recommendations as to which ones to do?? Most of the listed trails seem to be pretty tame, but within a network of more difficult trails. Any idea where i can get more information on some medium rated trails??

Thanks

BVCRD · **Posted:** Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:11 pm

AZKJ wrote:

durangotang wrote:

If you let me know when you're doing the trip I should be able to show you around... tons of fun stuff here... even some awesome trails outside of Durango that aren't in the books... just ask kskj :JEEPIN:

Care to share some GPS waypoints or maps of some of those trails around Durango? We'll be going back up to the San Juans in Sep. This will be our 6th trip in 9 years.

Edit: I came up with a few trails in the Massey book I have... most are between Cortez and Durango (north of Hwy 160 and west of Hwy 550). Any recommendations as to which ones to do?? Most of the listed trails seem to be pretty tame, but within a network of more difficult trails. Any idea where i can get more information on some medium rated trails??

Thanks

I use a book called....Guide To Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails by Charles A. Wells. It's about 250 pages long, and has pics and complete details of the trails including ratings. Not all of the trails are in there, but all of the major ones are with several side roads. Nothing around Durango is in it however.

wecwbe · **Posted:** Sat Apr 03, 2010 9:42 pm

yellocoyote wrote:

A stocker wouldn't make it all the way through Poughkeepsie Gulch - you'd probably be fine up to the 'wall' section, and then you'd have to turn around and go back. But even up to that point, it's a fun trail. When the group ran there last year, there were only a couple of KJ's (definitely not stock) that made it without the aid of winch help.

Photos from Poughkeepsie Gulch trail:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=287474&id=851890051&l=b3aff2e21d

I don't remember Governor's Basin being all that bad either - real narrow in places, but doable.

I agree on Poughkeepsie Gulch. The wall is pretty tough. I did it in my TJ several years ago before I had my lockers (I think I had my lift by then but I'm not sure). It took several tries on different lines and a bit more tire spinning than I'd like to admit to get up it. I think lockers would make it much easier. I remember it being pretty eroded (has to be worse now) so you are going to need some pretty good clearance. I don't remember there being a bypass on the wall so Jayme is right - you would have to turn around.

Black Bear has one area... I think it is called pucker point, that is a narrow rocky section just before you get to the swithcbacks that is a little challenging. The switchbacks that are pretty tight :shock:

. It is a great trail though. Really beautiful. I think a stocker can do it.

I did a lot of trails up there but I don't remember Governor's Basin. I guess I'll have to go back.

There are a lot of really good trails around Ouray and many of them are just hard enough to keep the crowds down. There are a lot of trails you can do stock and it is one of the most beautiful places you will find.

black bear pass

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