2017 Ouray Colorado @ Colorado West Jeeps - Event Date: 15 Aug. 2017 - 17 Aug. 2017 |
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Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Offline Points: 4953 |
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This wasn't really an event!, just a few friends spending some time together. To have an "Event" in Ouray would be very difficult, as most of the trails are accessed south of town on highway 550 (million dollar highway). This is a main road with no shoulder and 1000 ft drop, and from town to the closest trail there is about 2000 ft rise in altitude. To run 550 with more than a dozen Flattys really hozes up traffic. On top of that, Black Bear/Imogene is a 10+ hour day with a dozen Jeeps, the Alpine Loop most likely longer, we had some issues and got as far as Animas Forks and ended up running to Silverton and back to Ouray. Most of the famous trails are very long, rough and over 10,000 ft, our beloved Go-Devil has little extra to offer at these heights, if not tuned to perfection, vapor lock is a killer..... My advise to anyone going, keep the group small or less than 10 Jeeps, or break up into groups of 10 or less, this will keep things moving, also bring everything you need with, if you stay in or near Ouray, there is little to offer, no convenience stores of any kind and the closest grocery store is 10 miles away. I will return some day as it's a wonderful place to visit and the scenery is unbelievable. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from going, just bringing the realities to light. Lee |
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LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A “If you wait, you only get older” 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
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Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Offline Points: 4953 |
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Also many thanks to Nivrat (Mike Tarvin) & Baja4 (Ward Williams) for advise and guiding us through Black Bear and Imogene, your knowledge and experience of the area was amazing! and made the day very enjoyable.
Lee |
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LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A “If you wait, you only get older” 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
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aboyandhisdog
Member Joined: 10 June 2011 Location: Fort Collins Status: Offline Points: 465 |
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Lee, thanks a lot for the explanation! I would have loved to have gone, but now understand that it wasn't an "open" trip and that you needed to keep the numbers in check. Appreciate your honesty!
Hope to make the cut some day as it really does look like a terrific trip! Was "Colorado West Jeeps" leading the trip? They're a jeep tour company in Ouray? Probably a good way to go. |
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Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Offline Points: 4953 |
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Thanks Tom! Nivrat is a tour guide and had the day off, and offered to guide us over Black Bear/Imogene, Ward was in town with his wife and served as tail gunner. Wonderful people!..... The rest of the time we were "Self guided". We found wonderful trails in Governors Basin, an outstanding day! Lee |
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LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A “If you wait, you only get older” 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
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aboyandhisdog
Member Joined: 10 June 2011 Location: Fort Collins Status: Offline Points: 465 |
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Sweet! So, does Nivrat work for Colorado West Jeeps? I guess more to the point...do they do trips for folks if they bring their own jeep? Is it a "book way in advance" kind of deal or can we just show up and expect to get on the trail that day or the next? How many days were you guys jeeping around the area? Any other good trails we should know about? Did you guys camp or find a motel or B&B somewhere? I may just have to drag Hawky and Tumbleweed down there some day!
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Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Offline Points: 4953 |
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Tom IDK who Nivrat works for. If you buy maps and a trail guide and have the time it's not hard to navigate and the trails are well marked. Do Not Go Alone!. We camped at the KOA 4 miles north of town, a very nice place where bears come and visit at night I'm not kidding!.
Lee |
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LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A “If you wait, you only get older” 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
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64CJ5
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 15 Nov. 2013 Location: NE Wyoming Status: Offline Points: 946 |
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Hay Tom, Ruthie & I went to a Jeep Jamboree in Ouray in September, 1998. A really great trip, we ran Imogene Pass, got to Telluride via the Dallas Divide. Animas Forks, California Pass & Corkscrew Gulch. That was a two day Jamboree.
I picked up a Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails by Charles A. Wells. You are familiar with area 3 in this guide book, it is Buena Vista, Monarch. Mike's back yard. Wells has guide books for other areas too. Till we Jeep again. Tom |
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64CJ5 "Eeyore"
01TJ "Tigger" 52 M38 Severely demilitarized, "Popeye" The Coast Guard Jeep. 14 JK "Jake" To Trust Government Defys Both History and Reason. PUBLIC LAND Owner/User |
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tumbleweed
Member Joined: 31 Jan. 2011 Location: Bedford, Texas Status: Offline Points: 654 |
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Good morning ya'll,
Lee, I certainly appreciate the feedback. I was just curious about the get together. Mike does a fantastic job of coordinating 50+ Jeeps on the FCT, and I could not imagine that many in the Ouray area trying to maneuver the mountain trails, lodging, parking, etc. Sometimes its best to keep the crowd small. Tom, this is one trip I would love to make as I have had friends do jeep trails and visit ghost towns or old mines in that area. I used to take the Million Dollar Highway to my moms house in Grand Junction every year from Houston, TX. What a long drive but always enjoyed the scenery. For sure a trip to make one day with friends. Man I'm sure going to miss everyone at FCT this year :-( Great video and awesome pictures - thanks for sharing............ Tumbleweed
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49 CJ3A - Smokey
53 Willys Wagon - Wylie |
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Lee MN
Member Joined: 13 Aug. 2008 Location: Harris, MN Status: Offline Points: 4953 |
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I'm not saying an event is out of the question, I was told by a local that a Toyota group does one in July with 800 vehicles (not sure if that's true or not!), LOL, that's a heads up to those planning on going, check the schedule in advance. A flatty event fall colors style would be a huge PIA for the organizer. Perhaps today I can post up a few photos. Back to work tomorrow
Lee |
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LEE
44 GPW-The Perfected Willys 49 2A “If you wait, you only get older” 67 M715 American Made Rolling History |
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jpet
Moderator Group Sponsor Member x 5 Joined: 30 Apr. 2008 Location: Ramsey, IL Status: Offline Points: 11174 |
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I opted to leave BAM BAM home and ride along to keep the vehicle count down.
The season is short. due to snow. You have to go between 4th of July and Labor day if you want ensure good weather. I think nivrat told me that Black Bear did not open till the 1st week of July this year. There is an FJ Summit get together the 2nd or 3rd week of July each year. Two years in a row, I have went the 4th week of July and it has not been crowded.
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CJ2A #29110 "General Willys"
MB #204827 "BAM BAM" "We do what we can, and we try what we can't" |
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m38mike
Member Joined: 23 Apr. 2007 Location: Colorado High Country Status: Offline Points: 3798 |
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I hope someone will organize another run in this country for next year. I don't think I'll attend though. While the country is amazingly dramatic in it's grandeur, the rough trails, and bench or shelf roads are more than Nancy could stand. Quite frankly, she was scared on some of those trails. And my Blue Mule is not set up very well for some of the rock crawling we did. Since I subscribe to the philosophy "Happy Wife, Happy Life", I'll be looking for some milder, less dramatic trails to explore in the future. I do agree that small groups of a dozen or less work best in this country. Turnouts on some trails are few and far between. Smaller groups mean you impact other trail riders less. And it's easier to make decisions about where to go. And to make sure everyone is keeping up.
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M38Mike
46 CJ2A SAMCJ2A 4?-5? CJ2A/3A/M38 Jigsaw 51 M38 Green Jeanne 52 M38 Blue Mule, 51 M100 Blue Mule Tale 52 XM38EV1 Electro-Willys, 52 M100 Juice Box |
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athawk11
Member Joined: 18 Jan. 2012 Location: Arvada,Colorado Status: Offline Points: 4151 |
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I most surely wanted to attend this small gathering. But...as good as my little green 3A performs; I
still had reservations whether it…and its driver could handle trails like this. If it hasn’t been stressed enough, I’ll
double down. I would never take a flat
fender on a trail like this if I were not 100% certain that the vehicle is in
TOP mechanical condition. And the driver
also needs to have his/her head on a swivel at all times. There is no second chance up there. Very little room for error.
All said, I'm still envious of you guys. Only .00000001% of the human race has seen what you have seen. A trip to remember. Hawk
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1- 1946 CJ2A
2- 1949 CJ3A |
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Fred Coldwell
Member Joined: 18 Nov. 2005 Location: Denver, CO. Status: Offline Points: 437 |
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Hi Tom:
I believe Nivrat (Mike) works for Switzerland of America 4x4 in Ouray, CO. Here is their web site, which is informative to explore: https://soajeep.com/trail-maps-conditions/trail-conditions/ |
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Happy Jeep Trails,
Fred Coldwell Denver, CO 1944 CJ2-09 - X-33 1945 CJ2-26 - X-50 |
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Unkamonkey
Member Joined: 23 Mar. 2016 Location: Greeley CO Status: Offline Points: 2093 |
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I usually go up with 3 or 4 other Jeeps. A real pain to pull out to let a larger group pass by especially if there are few pullouts on the trail
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uncamonkey
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TERRY
Member Sponsor Member Joined: 22 May 2007 Location: BOULDER COLORADO Status: Online Points: 3401 |
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Waaaaaaaay back in the day (1961), the descent into Telluride way one way up on the half hour and down on the even hour, cause you did not want to pass on that road.
Is it only 1 way down now? |
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BOULDER 48 2A
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Oilleaker1
Member Joined: 06 Sep. 2011 Location: Black Hills, SD Status: Offline Points: 4412 |
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So who made sure to flag each end???????? How would that work when each person could leave at different times? It's only one way (down) now. Personally, I would not want to drive it up . Backing up at the switchbacks, and spinning on the loose rocks would not be good.
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Green Disease, Jeeps, Old Iron!
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Grumpy1
Member Joined: 19 Sep. 2015 Location: Casper Wy Status: Offline Points: 153 |
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I hear the local 4x4 club goes up once a year. I think it would be a real challenge to go UP Black Bear. Don't know where to find the date, sure someone knows.
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nivrat
Member Joined: 27 May 2014 Location: Glendale, AZ. Status: Offline Points: 195 |
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Guess I'll jump in here...
First, may I just say that it was a joy to meet everyone. Thanks to Lee for PM'ing me with the heads up. You guys showing up right when I had a day off couldn't have worked out better. Thanks for the kind words, and anytime you guys come to town i'll be happy to join you. You all proved that a bone stock flattie can conquer Black Bear and then some. I only wish I would've had my flattie up here this year instead of my 7 Yes I work for Switzerland in the summer but it was actually leading other people on my own that caused me to meet the owners and being offered the opportunity to work for them. I still freelance but only when it doesn't conflict with my responsibilities there. Planning a trip here? PM me ahead of time; ill be happy to help if I can. Feel free to PM me anytime with any questions you may have. Best, Mike
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