Summit County Colorado trails

[Mike Hewett]

Well, I have had a change in plans and am now planning on going to Summit county Colorado instead of the Ouray area. I know the mountains are nicer in Ouray, but the drive is too far for the amount of time I have.

I have read about the trails, but thought I would check in with the bronco crew before deciding where exactly to go. I just want to travel easy to medium trails since I will have the family with me. I was thinking about Peru Creek. Anyone ran this trail? I know it has some more difficult trails to the side of it in case I get board. I will be leaving June 29th to head out there.

 

[Cut Up 75]

There is Wheeler Lake by Breckenridge, also check out www.colorado4x4.org they have good info there.

 

[coachbarnes]

Lot's of good trails and old abandoned mines outside of Leadville. Mesquito pass is a good trip with nice views and moderate wheelin'. Might still have too much snow to pass right now, though. Ouray area is my favorite also, but Summit county (and the immediate surrounding areas) are terrific as well. Much better than we have here in Texas!

 

[73stallion]

please, be careful if you go exploring abandoned mines!!!! if you must go in, take a candle, or some kind of open flame. if the flame goes out, get out. there's not enough air to breathe. take someone in with you and leave someone outside in case you need help.

better yet, don't risk it. just stay out of abandoned mines. i used to work at the phoenix gold mine in idaho springs, we used to teach safety all the time.

 

[coachbarnes]

please, be careful if you go exploring abandoned mines!!!! if you must go in, take a candle, or some kind of open flame. if the flame goes out, get out. there's not enough air to breathe. take someone in with you and leave someone outside in case you need help.

better yet, don't risk it. just stay out of abandoned mines. i used to work at the phoenix gold mine in idaho springs, we used to teach safety all the time.

Some people take all the fun out of things!;D

Actually, I wasn't suggesting going "into" the mines -- but I love taking pics around them and seeing all the old structures where the hard core miners used to live. Here's a few pics from a run over Mesquito Pass last year.

 

[COBlu77]

I've lived and "wheeled" in CO my whole life and I agree with the poster from Minturn. Try Wheeler Lake and then head south to Buena Vista and do Tincup and Hancock passes. Summit County has gotten too crowded and most of the good places are now off limits. Ask the same question on www.colorado4x4.org and you'll get lots of other suggestions and probably a few pictures. Go during the week if you can. Weekends can be crazy. The most difficult situations you have are trying to get around other offroaders on shelf roads.

BTW, I haven't found an abandoned mine that you could actually get into for 30 years. Almost dropped an FJ40 into one in the 70's up above Central City.

 

[Steve]

BTW, I haven't found an abandoned mine that you could actually get into for 30 years.

I have. I know where there are a bunch in the Ouray/Silverton area. I would never, ever, consider even taking a few steps into one tho, I kinda like living.

IMO if you're coming from Iowa already, spend the extra 3 hours it'll take to get to Ouray.

 

[COBlu77]

IMO if you're coming from Iowa already, spend the extra 3 hours it'll take to get to Ouray.

I definately agree there. The San Juans are how most people would envision 4 wheeling in CO. Not that the rest is bad, but the San Juans are definately a "gotta see" if you've come all that way and are into 4 wheeling.

Of all the vacations we've taken over the years, our favorite is our trip to the San Juans in our then new Bronco (to us) 20 years ago. It was bone stock and we packed it full of camping gear and tried to hit every 4WD pass we could on the way. My wife will never forget asking me to drive on Engineer Pass and the transfer case slipping out of Low on a steep descent in the fog and rain. You should have seen the look on her face. What a trip!

We hope to re-create that vacation as soon as the kids are in college with the same Bronco.

 

[1sicbronconut]

A couple of nice trails in the Buena Vista area are Grizly lake, ends at a bueatiful lake. iron Chest is fun but does require some rock crawling, I'd say 33" tires. Mount Antero is also right there by the other trails I mentioned. I'd have to say the San Juans are also my favorite, of course living 1 1/2 hours away from them helps ;D Just a reminder that the Rocky Mountian rendevous is still on for the last weekend of July in Ouray.

 

[cbearly]

You can also check out http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php.
They have great trail discriptions and trip reports for a lot of trails in Colorado.

I agree with other postings above that it is worth a couple of hours extra drive to see the Ouray area.

 

[Brewbro21]

please, be careful if you go exploring abandoned mines!!!! if you must go in, take a candle, or some kind of open flame. if the flame goes out, get out. there's not enough air to breathe. take someone in with you and leave someone outside in case you need help.

better yet, don't risk it. just stay out of abandoned mines. i used to work at the phoenix gold mine in idaho springs, we used to teach safety all the time.

If you go into a coal mine "do not" take an open flame in there, if there is a pocket of methane you will cause an explosion, that is even worse, and more common then an oxygen defficient atmosphere and black damp.

I like going and exploring old mines but I have the equipment to do it safely, I work at a coal mine so I bring my cap lamp and meter.

 

[Steve]

I like going and exploring old mines but I have the equipment to do it safely, I work at a coal mine so I bring my cap lamp and meter.

[hijack]

Many of the old hardrock mines in CO were originally horizontal shafts. When the ore body/seam played out they would often move back towards the entrance and sink vertical shafts in search of new ore. When those played out or they didn't find anything they'd put boards across them and move on somewhere else. Many of those vertical shafts are now covered by rotten wood, with enough dirt on top that you can't see them until you step on them. At that point you're dead. There are lots of these still open the mountains of Colorado. It won't matter if you have an oxygen/explosimeter with you or not, that won't help when you fall into a very deep vertical shaft.

[/hijack]

 

[Mike Hewett]

I don't plan on exploring any mines, although that would be fun. The only thing I am exploring are the trails! I don't want to run into any rattlers

 

[Steve]

I don't want to run into any rattlers

In 30+ years of wheeling in the CO mountains I've never seen a rattler at high altitude.

 

[cbearly]

In 30+ years of wheeling in the CO mountains I've never seen a rattler at high altitude.

Me neither... unless you count all the rattles that my Bronco makes on the trails. ;D