Historical Telluride

No worries on Black Bear pass. Just be sure and wear your paracommander if you slip off one of the switchbacks! Wink

Green Disease, Jeeps, Old Iron!

berettajeep wrote:

Great photos! I prefer the original more.

Having never been there, how steep is it where the photo was taken?

I posted this video that was taken about the same time we were there, summer 2016 on the thread that Jpet linked above. It’s from a drone so you get a whole different perspective than from ground level.

If you look at about the 2 minute mark you can see rigs going down the section from my pic.

Stan
48 CJ2A (Grampa's Jeep)
59 Chevy 1/2 ton
Grampa's Jeep Build Thread

In this pic taken from across the way on the climb up tO Imogene Pass you can see the switchbacks of Black Bear on the steep face opposite. The “Steps” come down out of the notch at the top left, you start into the switchbacks.

It’s really not technically difficult, especially in a short wheelbase flattie, but the consequences of a mistake or a malfunction is .... well.... death.

Stan
48 CJ2A (Grampa's Jeep)
59 Chevy 1/2 ton
Grampa's Jeep Build Thread

Drive Red Cone. I was in low range running 5:38s and a V6 and I just slid down the hill even with good tires and a rear powerlock. That is a steep descent. Hit the brakes or stay in control? I went with the control. A guy at the bottom of the hill jumped in his Jeep to get it out of the way. I just smiled and waved as I went past him at an idle

uncamonkey

Those views are just gorgeous! Would love to do them in my jeep some day. Did the Million Dollar Highway out of Ouray, Co several years ago on my Harley. But the jeep trails look breath taking and a wonderful views!

"I think that I have seen it all until tomorrow"

'46 CJ2A # 45124
'47 CJ2A #104643 "Betsy"
'49 CJ2A # ??
'80 XJ
'95 ZJ
'17 WK2

thanks for posting the pictures & videos Stan, they're great. You really appreciate good brakes on that trail.

Thanks for posting the pic's and vids. Would a stock cj2a be able to handle that run? Thanks Joe W

"It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the jeep you've been driving all your life" (Mickey Mantle paraphrase)

The difficulty is to your nerves. but not that technical. What this video at 9:45

CJ2A #29110 "General Willys"
MB #204827 "BAM BAM"

"We do what we can, and we try what we can't"

SE Kansas 46 CJ-2A wrote:

I remember coming down to Telluride on Black Bear Road in the mid-70's in my 1971 Ford F-250 4x4. If you know something about long wheelbase 4x4 trucks and Black Bear Pass you will know that I had a real rough time negotiating the switchbacks on the way down the mountain.

Lets make that extremely rough time!....

I did Black Bear in 2000 with my wife and (at the time) 4 and 6 year old sons. The CJ5 I had then had 4.27 axle gears, 4.1 low in the trans and 2:1 in the t.case. With 32" tires the 34:1 crawl ratio was low enough to not need brakes on any of it. I did appreciate the rear locker though when the TJ ahead of me couldn't back up on the second switchback. He was a little crossed up and was just spinning two tires. He had an ARB, so he got off just fine too once he locked it in, but with open diffs you need to be a little more careful on your line (or have a friend behind who can give you a tug).

On the long wheelbase, I've never done that on Black Bear, but I did drive an '85 F-250 up Mt. Antero. Going up was hard, going down even worse. Once I just couldn't make the turn so I pulled straight through the switchback and backed down to the next one!

This summer my wife and I are planning on going back to Ouray, probably late July or early August. looking forward to that!

Bob

Flatfender wannabe
'71 Ford Bronco