Questions about particular trails around the Leadville & Montezuma areas

Thanks for the on-line online resources for trails!

Some questions about particular trails (I have been reading the 4WD adventures/Colorado book and reviewing the http://www.4x4trails.net website).

Are the following trails (classified as either 4 or 5) suitable for a 2001 XJ with the the “upcountry” package, recovery gear and stock tires??

Trails out of Leadville:
• Mosquito Pass? (if trial has been plowed and is open)
• Mount Bross Trail?
• Weston Pass? & Breakneck Pass/Browns Pass?

Trails to and around the Montezuma area:
• Georgia Pass?
• Middle Fork & Swan Trail?
• Santa Fe Peak Trail?
• Webster Pass (I have been following the other thread)
• Handcart Gulch Trail?

Other trails around the Montezuma area worth exploring with a stock XJ in early June??

Also, how safe are vehicles if left parked off trail over night unattended? Of the trails listed above, any ones with a higher security risk? My wife and I are entertaining the thought of parking the Jeep off trail and do some extended backpacking. Any suggestions??? We don’t want to return to a Jeep that has been ransacked!

Again, many many thanks. Any details you can provide will be tremendously appreciated. This data will help us plan our trip, avoid trouble…

edward tasch
Austin, Texas USA

You should be able to do any of the easy/moderate trails in an Up Country XJ.

Have you wheeled in Colorado before? If not, the bigger factor can be "pucker" as a lot of these "easier" trails have a ledge road component, and turning around can be dangerous to impossible in some sections.

Mosquito pass is the highest vehicular pass in North America at over 13,000 ft. It doesn't get plowed as it is not suitable for that type of equipment. Make sure you are aclimated to the base elevation before going up that high if you are going to be by yourself. What is easy in a group can be frightening and possibly dangerous by yourself. Watch for thunderstorms by midday in exposed areas. Drink as much water as possible.

Bross is a 14'er. No way you'll get to the top in early June unless the snowmelt has been more dramatic than I've heard.

I haven't run the other passes, but the ones I recognize are scenic trails...higher elevations could still have snow right now. Be careful of ascending the South face of a trail and expecting the North face to be clear (make sure you have time to turn around and head back down).

Typically your vehicle is safer the farther the trailhead parking is away from a city, but I wouldn't leave anything valuable in it. I wouldn't avoid a backpacking trip for fear of a break-in in central Colorado.

The trails in Charles Wells' book, which it seems you have, are probably your "bang for the buck trails and he should have good info on when trails open and what they are like.

Anyway, early June is a risk in terms of snow blockage for the higher elevation scenic central Colorado trails. August/Sept are the best months, particularly September when the Aspen leaves turn gold.

Have fun!

Nay

I did Mosquito last year with the Budget-Boosted XJ and 30s, and thought it was a great 'scenery' trail. The wind at the top was horrendous though, and I only spent long enough there to snap a couple pictures before heading down the lee side and snapping a few more pics in what remained of the glacier...

The west side of the Weston Pass trail is a highclearance (stock XJ is fine) scenic. The east side of the pass is a maintained dirt road. Not a very hard trail and cool camping on the west side. Nice day hiking as well.

You will be fine on Georgia Pass as I have run it a few times stock. Nice trail, nice looking singletrack if you Mountain Bike and pretty good views of the Breckenridge ski area.

I wouldn't worry much about leaving your Jeep overnight.

Many thanks for the information.

I will be in the Breckenridge area from June 14th -18th driving a stock/upcountry steel blue 2001 XJ with Texas (BigBend) plates.

This is a recon visit. Next visit the XJ will have MTR’s, winch, disconnects & rocker guards....

Let me know if you guys ever need any info about the trails in the Big Bend part of Texas.

edward tasch
Austin, Texas USA

Theres' trails in Texas??? I thought it was all flat!! :doh:
Led