crawler#976

Gonna be running the Apline Loop solo- just my wife and I, the second week of Sept. (weather permitting) We'll be driving the trail rig- locked, crawler'd n' caged.

I was wondering if running Poughkeepsie Gulch is a bad plan solo. It looks to be fairly short- 2.5 miles, but that doesn't mean much if it's difficult terrain.

How long does it usually take? Since we're staying 70 miles south of Lake City, I'm trying to get a feel for how much time we can spend on the trail in a day........prolly tow the rig to the trail head, so I know we'll be a couple hours on the pavement just to hit the dirt........

Thanks!

Darren

The Alpine Loop should easily still be open by then. Although, this summer has been very mild and cool. In fact, as I write this, Pikes Peak (CO Spgs) is getting snowed on! So who knows?!

Running Poughkeepsie solo is no big deal. I've done it a couple of times. It is a real bugger if it is wet, though. That mud gets really ooey-gooey and virtually impossible to climb, even when double locked. The trail is quite easy, save for "The Wall" obstacle which has three lines and is the only place that is tough when wet. There has been a fourth line that has been made within the past year, though I doubt it's legal. The route to the far left is the easiest.

I can't remember how long it takes, but I would say around 1-1.5 hours for the 2.5 miles.

crawler#976

Thanks Darren!

Yeah, I've been keeping a weather eye out on the San Juans- 48 Deg and rain at the top of Wolf Creek Pass w/ an overnight low of 38- that's getting close to snow. Hopefully we'll get a break in the monsoons by the time we head up.

Gonna fly fish one day, wheel the next, fish, wheel, fish, wheel, fish, wheel......................I'm ready!

crawler#976

found this while researching the trail



Tough to get to.



.

Darren

Uh, were you researching to buy, Mark?! What the heck? It does sound like a pretty good price, though. Hopefully we can get a Texan to buy it, who will then work to close the road off.

Hope you have another good trip out and hope your fishing luck is better this time around!

crawler#976

We know how the closure thang works too- just went up to show a buddy an old mine shaft- the road was fenced off at an old "patented claim" and a house had been built 200 yards uphill- they couldn't leave the 30' piece of road they owned open It has been open since I've been here, and prolly for 80 years or more prior...........

Sounds like it's been a better summer for Colorado- cooler and wetter than last year, so hopefully we'll catch a few more brownies

Thanks again for the trail help! We'll take some pic's, but they won't be any where near the Darren's 5 Star Colorado quality people are used to.

later

sschaefer3

That entire trail will be beyond easy for you. Take the hardest line at the wall. It will be no big deal for you.

If it's wet, you'll just have to try a little harder. Try going up the crack, not the wall.

crawler#976

thanks for the info Steve!

not that concerned about the difficulty, more concerned about the remoteness of the area in the off season- that's why we try to go after Labor Day. My neighbor was in Colorado two weekends ago on his DR-Z400S - said it was down right crowded on all the passes they ran........

Scary Mc

Did the Alpine Loop this weekend with the GF and dogs. A ton of people between Ouray and Animas Forks, almost nobody anywhere else. It was cold and rainy...

Anyone know the scoop on the rolled Bronco II that you can see from Engineer? Atleast it looked like a Bronco throught the binocs, but it was real buggered up!