Weather in Silverton..... - Colorado (CO) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Muzzle of Bees · 07-23-2010, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzlover

Well, some buddies of mine went up to Yankee Boy a couple of weekends ago. There was basically a traffic jam up there. Both are old-line western Colorado residents and they were disgusted. That is the problem: if the trail is easy, it's crowded. If the trail is bad--well, no crowds, but you have to be able to drive a hazardous trail.

I used to go to the western San Juans a lot (around Telluride, Ouray, Silverton, etc.). I go much less now, mainly because I'm sick of too many vehicles (many driven by fools) on the trails, too much noise from trail bikes, etc. I have other far less known places that I can go, and still have peace, quiet, and solitude. And, no, I'm not going to write about them on this forum.

Anyone who lives in a popular area has that to deal with. I have lost many of the great places I used to frequent here in Austin because of all of the people too. I don’t give up my new favorite places either. They are hard to find nowadays.
I understand your strong aversion. But tourism does feed the fire there, and here in Austin as well.
I guess we were lucky and only saw a handful of folks. Two tourist jeeps at Yankee Boy Basin. Not many people in those. We did see a couple of ATV’s also.
I would bet anything I have a harder time time finding peace and quiet than you do.

80skeys · 07-23-2010, 10:59 AM

Forget jeeps, SUVs, trucks, or land cruisers. Just take out an ATV (four wheeler). Small profile, you can go where the rest of those vehicles can't, you can hug the side of the mountain if you don't like drop-offs. And there aren't any rental clauses that restrict you from going off road cuz it's an ATV!

jim9251 · 07-23-2010, 02:02 PM

jazz I've learned NOT to take any of the trails on the weekend. In fact right now I don't like driving 550 or 62 on the weekends. Insanity. When I do go out "Jeeping" it's on Monday or Tuesday mornings, early. I think I know of one of the lesser known roads you speak of. Never saw another person all day except for a rancher who waved when he passed me. I need a horse. I'm learning!

jazzlover · 07-23-2010, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim9251

jazz I've learned NOT to take any of the trails on the weekend. In fact right now I don't like driving 550 or 62 on the weekends. Insanity. When I do go out "Jeeping" it's on Monday or Tuesday mornings, early. I think I know of one of the lesser known roads you speak of. Never saw another person all day except for a rancher who waved when he passed me. I need a horse. I'm learning!

A good plan. For some strange reason, "dumbass" and "weekend" just seem to converge quite unpleasantly in the San Juans these past few years.

Many of the "unknown" trails I frequent are nowhere near the western San Juans.

As an aside, though I save several friends who are avid trail-bikers, I believe those stinky, noisy damned things should be banned from the public lands. ATV's, driven responsibly are OK, but I think the fine for riding them (or driving a 4WD) on unauthorized trails should be raised to minimum fine big enough to get people's attention--say $5,000 for a first offense, and $10,000 for a second. That would stop a lot of nonsense in the backcountry. A good tradeoff would be allowing ATV's to be licensed as motor vehicles allowed to be driven on non-multiple-lane highways and roads (Arizona, Wyoming, Idaho, South Dakota, Montana, and Utah--Utah on a limited basis--allow this), so people don't have to trailer them for miles to get to the backcountry. I knew a guy when I lived in Wyoming who used his ATV for years to commute to work in downtown Cheyenne.

FL Developer · 07-23-2010, 04:13 PM

Thanks for all the information! Those pictures are awesome! Don't worry I will not be there unescorted in a rental jeep with a tourist shirt on. I'm meeting people experienced in that type of terrain with modified jeeps/samurais and atv's and somewhat familiar with the area.

I'm making note of some of the trail names mentioned here. I guess I should have rephrased my question to which trails offer the best views and are the most scenic.

C'mon jazzlover, what's the names of the places you go? I won't tell anybody...

Just kidding. I understand and can respect that. I deal with the same situations on a daily basis.

parfleche · 07-23-2010, 05:04 PM

x 2 on not wheeling on the weekends its insane nowadys. nothing like a giant pickup hauling 6 atv,s comming at you at 50 mph while loosing it on the washboards to scare the carp out of you. i wheel weekdays only as i can work weekends if i want instead ,and let the crazies have thier 2 days of insanity.

Ziasforever · 07-26-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim9251

That's why I said Silverton to Animas Forks to Engineer Mountain. I took Engineer Pass from Ouray and it was fun but I would never recommend it to someone who isn't 4wd savy. Honestly, I would recommend to anyone visiting to go to one of the Jeep tour places in Ouray, sit back and let them drive.

BTW last night a guy drove off Engineer Pass. It's been raining hard here and the back roads are not in the best shape.

The last time was I up at Engineer pass I was in my granddad's 2wd pickup. I don't remember the road being that bad but it was from the Lake City/Henson Creek side.

Ziasforever · 07-26-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL Developer

C'mon jazzlover, what's the names of the places you go? I won't tell anybody...

If I had to guess and I'm not Jazzlover so I don't speak for him, but if I had to guess he doesn't go anywhere anymore in Colorado. It's probably too crowded. He probably goes someplace else for recreation.

I was up past Lake San Cristobal on the way to Cinnammon pass last year after Labor Day and I couldn't believe the ATV's, Jeeps and people. Just unbelievable.

jazzlover · 07-26-2010, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ziasforever

The last time was I up at Engineer pass I was in my granddad's 2wd pickup. I don't remember the road being that bad but it was from the Lake City/Henson Creek side.

I was to the top of Engineer on the Lake City side many years back in an old rear-whele-drive sedan--not easy, but doable. The east side is still in better shape than the west side below the turnoff to Animas Forks, but I wouldn't take a car up there now. The west side is really getting fairly rough--a stock 4WD will do it if driven with care, but probably won't be able to make it in a few years if the road continues to deteriorate at its present rate.

Going over Engineer is a real challenge in the middle of the night--I did that, too, in my younger days.

As to the comment of all of Colorado getting too crowded for me, there is some truth to that. I still know some of those uncrowded "secret places" that most people, especially the "pilgrims," don't know about, and I intend to keep them thay way.

jim9251 · 07-26-2010, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jazzlover

I still know some of those uncrowded "secret places" that most people, especially the "pilgrims," don't know about, and I intend to keep them thay way.

I've found two here, plan to keep them all to myself. Sat all day and didn't see another person. I like that.

"Whoa, take 'er easy there, Pilgrim". - John Wayne