Engineer Pass and trailers

[Kendal1219]

Hello all,

I hate to start a thread on this, but perhaps it could inform more folks than just me. Does anyone know if the trails and passes around Silverton, CO allow you to tow an offroad trailer? I know it would probably not be prudent on something like Black Bear Pass, but I was hoping to tow mine down Engineer pass to my campsite. I came across an online magazine article that said "trailers and mobile homes are not allowed".

 

[TG Smith]

Kendal:

I live in CO and have seen trailers on several trails in that part of the state. Don't know about Engineer specifically but you might grab this book: Funtreks Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4WD Trails (3rd Edition) www.funtreks.com

I have the book and use it extensively. Hope this helps.

 

[Kendal1219]

Kendal:

I live in CO and have seen trailers on several trails in that part of the state. Don't know about Engineer specifically but you might grab this book: Funtreks Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4WD Trails (3rd Edition) www.funtreks.com

I have the book and use it extensively. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the reply. I will have to take a look at that book.

 

[Abel Villesca]

I've pulled my Adventure Trailers Chaser over both. Some of the switchbacks require some extra maneuvering, but otherwise no worries. My tow vehicle is short wheelbase, so keep that in mind.

 

[Aspen Trails Trailers]

You can see a video heading up to Engineer pass, ran out of video on the Go Pro before I got there. No big deal and I have never been told I could not do it. Went over Ophir, Imogene and Engineer and Black Bear last fall. Only went to the top of Black Bear, but think Black Bear could be done, but would require winching the trailer side ways an one switch back.

www.aspenXtrails.com


Bob

 

[TexGX]

Was up there last summer and a sign starting out from Lake City does say no trailers. I stayed at a campground one night so I could take a shower and park the trailer to explore some without it.

TexGX

 

[FredB]

I've run cinnamon and engineers from all four entrances, I don't recall seeing a sign, but I haven't been there for a few years. Why would you want to pull a trailer over engineer's? The campgrounds are all under the pass, and available from Lake City or Ouray, or Silverton.

 

[rxinhed]

All the signage on the Ouray side. Click on pic a few times to enlarge.

 

[FredB]

I don't see no trailers, I see 4X4(which by the way, the natives ignore, any decent two wheel drive truck can get over it) only.

 

[Aspen Trails Trailers]

Last September the climb after Poughkeepsie had some ledges developing, some about a foot tall, but no reason a good 4x4 and trailer could not do it. I spent the whole week there doing the trails with my trailer. Unfortunately the roads look like freeways in the video. Between the trailer working well and the GOPRO working better than I thought, it showed very little.

As to why would you want to pull a trailer over, because it is there. Same reason you take the 4x4. Some like to camp at altitude, IE Imogene at tree line is a great way to see the stars. I love it up there.

 

[FredB]

Sure, I do this because when I was a kid, I could hump a backpack, and I love being above treeline. But there is no good place to park a trailer to camp above treeline on Engineers. I got strapped over Imogene, it was overheating badly. Poughkeepsie is about the only trail that needs 4wd in the area. I wish I could modify my 241OR to run 2-lo, lock up the rear, and you can run most of Colorado trails that way. But I digress.

 

[FredB]

There might be a place to camp in the eastside of Engineers, just above Walden cabin, but I would be careful. It's tundra, and just pulling off the road is frowned upon, and probably illegal. Then there is the issue of lightning. Have you ever been above treeline when the lightning is hitting all around you? I have, it's scary.

 

[Chili]

Last time I was up there was last July (2012), but I don't see why you couldn't. We camp just below the tree line between Engineer and Lake City and towed our truck bed trailer up to our campsite without issue last year. We also saw one of the shepherds towing a much larger trailer past us, to the other side of Engineer.

My trailer:




People also say you need a Jeep to do the loop but we did it last year in our stock Suburban Z71, and a friend did it in his F250 Crew Cab. I think you would have more trouble on the Cinnamon Pass / Lake City side, just because of some of the tight switchbacks.

 

[Kendal1219]

Thank you all for the replies. The plan for my trip is to leave the Houston area of Texas, spend the night in New Mexico, and then go through Engineer Pass to the other side where we plan to camp. The trailer I'll have behind me is an old Bantam T3-C that I have reworked a little bit.

 

[TheThom]

I know these lands are open to everyone, but as a guy who grew up an hour form there it kind of makes me sad that EVERYBODY travels there to visit. It's kind of like our secret got out....