Colorado Vacation

[qpjeep420]

Part 1

On September 11th the wife and I left north Mississippi heading to Colorado for 2 weeks and I am just getting around to posting this trip report. I posted a trip planning thread on here and would like to thank everyone who gave suggestions.

We hit the road early afternoon on a Friday and drove to Wellington Kansas and stayed in a KOA cabin for the night. On the road early the next morning and on to Salida CO where we had to pick up our daughter who had been staying with her aunt the previous 2 weeks.





They have a nice view!

After a nice evening with family and a good nights sleep we were off to Medano Pass. While driving up the pass road we somehow missed the actual pass and all the signs. We stopped for lunch just past the pass and then continued up the road. After a short while we turned on to a road that was more like a ditch. Not much wider than the jeep with a mountain on 1 side and a 3 foot high berm on the other. I knew better but I continued on...but not for long. This trail came to a point where I would be scared to proceed on anything but a horse. So now what? Can't go on, can't turn around, and we were between 1/4 and 1/2 mile in. Time to test my reverse skills. It was a 2 hour pain in the ******. But we got out with nothing broke or injured. Sorry, I was so flustered I did not get any pics or video of that cluster.
Besides my mistake and needing to reverse out of that "ditch-road" the trailer I built did great. This was the only pass I pulled the trailer on.



We found a great campsite just outside the park. Later that evening we had some mule deer walk through camp. The stars were amazing that night.





The next morning we drove into the park and explored around for a couple hours. This place is magical!


Happy girl!








In my opinion this is the best National Park Sign view of any National Park I have been to.

After leaving GSDNP we made the drive to Ouray where we would stay till Friday.

More to come...

 

[qpjeep420]

Part 2

We got to the Ouray area around 3pm. After looking for a free camp site north of town turned up empty we started looking for any camp site we could find. Everything was full. So after calling around a few places we finally found a room for the night at "The Historic Western"



This hotel was great. It was built in 1891 and has a very old west vibe. Most rooms share a bathroom with the rest of the hall, but we got (for a little more $) a room with a private bath. Private bath means a tub in the middle of the room behind 2 changing screens.



Made me feel like a cowboy bathing in there while looking out the window at the mountains.
I have missed out on running Black Bear Pass a couple times in the past because of snow. Not gonna happen this time. So after a good nights rest we left the trailer at the hotel and headed for Black Bear.


On the way up we passed this guy. That is a BIG bulldozer. If you like driving these trails and see one of these guys, say "thank you for keeping the trails open."


My girls exploring. My wife really figured out the not much oxygen up here thing on this walk.






Its hard to believe the road I'm on is the road over there.

more to come...

 

[qpjeep420]

Part 2 cont.

On Black Bear Road above the steps.





A couple from the steps.






And a couple from the switch backs.


Me getting my daughter getting her shot of Bridal Vail Falls.

From the falls me and my daughter hiked the trail down to town and let my wife drive the jeep to meet us. What a beautiful trail. But crowded. After getting down into Telluride we had some great pizza at High Pie. After checking out town for a bit we took the highway back to Ouray so we could get the trailer and find a spot to camp for the next 3 nights.

More to come...

 

[1leglance]

Wow what a change for you guys compared to home.....always good to make memories with the wife & kido, keep it coming

 

[qpjeep420]

Part 3

We found a real nice spot to camp right at the entrance to Corkscrew Gulch. Had a nice chill afternoon and evening around camp.





That evening I met a very nice gentlemen and his son from Utah. They were in the area bow hunting elk. I am a big bow hunter and would love to hunt elk someday, so we had some nice conversation. He ended up offering us a few trout they had caught that afternoon. Fresh trout sounded great.


And they were!

The next morning we headed up Corkscrew Gulch, California Pass, and Hurricane Pass to Animas forks.










Lake Como

After Animas forks we drove into Silverton for some lunch, then back to Ironton area and explored around a little. Another great night camping in Colorado.

More to come...

 

[qpjeep420]

Part 3 cont...

On our last full day in the Ouray area I let my wife sleep in while I walked around in the national forest around camp. We went and saw the Box Canyon Falls in Ouray.




It was an easy short walk to the falls. Very cool area.


Me and my wife in the box canyon.


Me and my daughter at the high bridge at Box Canyon.

After some good burgers in Ouray the wife and daughter had a horse ride set up. So I drove them up to Dexter Creek for the ride.




The folks at Bachelor's Stable were great. Very friendly and good gentle stock. The guides horse had a loose shoe, so after the ride he gave it to my daughter for a souvenir. After 1 more night at our camp site it will be on to Grand Mesa.

More to come...

 

[qpjeep420]

Part 4

After leaving camp outside Ouray we headed to Montrose for groceries and to do laundry. Then we drove to grand Mesa Lodge for our 2 night cabin stay.




Nice comfortable rustic cabin on Island Lake.


Local residents






The color on the aspens was getting good








We had a great weekend on Grand Mesa. It looks like a good place to come back for a hunting or fishing trip. We had a great trail ride while there. Beautiful forest! We did not ride to Lands End, had heard the smoke would limit the view. What a wonderful place to relax.

More to come...

 

[qpjeep420]

After a 2 night stay on Grand Mesa it was off to the Marble area.




But first a quick stop at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. Another amazing place. That is a deep ditch!


Every camp spot we tried around Marble was full, so we ended up just outside Carbondale at Upper Prince Creek Campground. It was nice and clean in a scrub oak forest.





More to come...

 

[krick3tt]

Thanks for showing so much of my state over the hood of your Jeep. We really do have a very scenic state. Glad you enjoyed it and I enjoyer your photos.

 

[qpjeep420]

Thanks for showing so much of my state over the hood of your Jeep. We really do have a very scenic state. Glad you enjoyed it and I enjoyer your photos.

Thank you! I can't wait to go back, since my wife won't let us move there.

 

[qpjeep420]

The next day was a drive to the Crystal Mill and run Lead King Basin. This is my favorite jeep trail of all I have done in my 4 trips to Colorado.
I did this trail last August and have been to the Mill 2 times before, but my wife and daughter have only seen pictures. It is for sure worth going to again.
Looking over Beaver Lake in Marble.


On the drive to Crystal Mill.


Crystal Mill


My wife in the town of Crystal.




Shelf road on the Lead King Basin trail.





The Upper Crystal River.

 

[qpjeep420]

This is one of the most beautiful areas in Colorado in my opinion. No matter what else I see or do when I am there I always take a couple days for the Marble area.

Driving up out of the basin.


This is the start of the climb up Sheep Mt. The Charles Wells Trail book describes this as "a fun side trip up Sheep Mt." And it is, but I think he should say a little more. High clearance is a must, with good driving skills. And it get a little tippy in places with no place to pass. But so worth it if you and your rig are up for it.


The payoff at the top of Sheep Mt. I think I see the Bells!


And I think Aspen is on the other side of this.


Back to camp for Elk burgers. Off to Twin Lakes tomorrow

More to come...

 

[BritKLR]

Well done Dad! you and your wife shared a heck of an experience with your daughter!

 

[qpjeep420]

We took a quick stop in Aspen before heading over Independence Pass. Our plan was to find a free spot to camp above Twin Lakes that we had seen on i-overlander. Just before getting into Twin Lakes we saw Twin Peaks Campground( a NFS campground) and drove thru just to check it out, and it was too beautiful to pass up!




I don't know what else to say about this spot but, WOW!!!


We had this little trail just below camp that led to...


this little mountain stream.

After setting camp we drove to see what the camp we passed up looked like.


Not too bad


Or here. There are some real nice free spots above Twin Lakes with great views.

More to come...

 

[qpjeep420]

The next day we met up with my Aunt, Uncle and cousin. My cousin , my daughter and I went for a short hike on the CT near Winfield ghost town. The rest went shopping in Leadville.




Beware of hula hoopers in the road.


We hiked in from the Huron Peak trail head a short ways.


Another beautiful scene!
While enjoying this view 2 guys hiked up the trail heading somewhere above Lake Anne with backpacks full of Graylings to restock alpine lakes. That has to be a cool job to have hiking this trail as part of it.


Hiking back out of the valley.




After our hike we stopped by the ghost town of Vicksburg before going to Leadville to have dinner with family.