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Gauging interest in a Colorado Expedition type trip

old_man

old_man

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Loveland, Colorado
For a long time I have wanted to do a multi-day trip around Colorado. I'm not talking about the hardest trails but a mixture from mild to wild.

It would have to be around the same time as ColoradoFest due to the fact that some of the trails are only open that late in the season.

My thoughts were to start off from Denver, run Red Cone and Radical Hill and camp that evening maybe in Buena Vista. The next day might be to do Taylor Pass to Aspen, have lunch, then south over Pearl Pass to Crested Butte where we would spend the second night.

From there we would head over Scofield Pass and Lead King, staying the night in Marble or Crystal.

From there the options are open. We could even add a day at Holy Cross in between Radical Hill and Taylor Pass.

The point is to do some fun wheeling without trying to trash your rig, see some awesome country, take some pictures and enjoy some camping with friends.

Is there any interest in this? This could most likely be done with a stocker with some help with the exception of Holy Cross.
 
The whole thing is a nice relaxing low stress time, with even the possibility of wetting a hook after we set up camp at night or somewhere along the way..
 
Sounds interesting...
 
Very similar to the trip I had planned for this year but had to cancel after the floods. I would very much be down for a trip like this and had actually suggested it for COFest. What better way to celebrate or Festival out great state than by exploring its most beautiful areas in an expedition type trip?
 
I christen it the Colorado TrekFest.

Any ideas on other trails or other input? I am hoping to have my teardrop trailer finished and plan on doing some major BBQ along the way.
 
What about adding a day, starting up I-70, meeting in Idaho Springs. Running Cascade Creek and Saxon Mountain into Georgetown, then down Guanella Pass, Hitting McClellan Mountain/Argentine Pass, cruise down Guanella to the Burning Bear Campground. Then to Grant the next morning to run some stuff down there, Radical, Red Cone, Webster, etc?

..Lol I hope it's a go, that was a bit of research for that leg. I was trying to find camping with fishing, but unless y'all are down for a shortish easy hike. I can't get us fishing on the first day, although depending on what time we're keeping we could always stop at one of the lakes off of Guanella Pass after we come down Saxon Mountain into Georgetown. Before we go down the rest of the pass to Argentine/McClellan.
 
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Sounds like an option. I haven't run those trails. My only reservation would be that those are an easy day trip from the Front Range, but if everybody else is up for it, I'm game. I have always wanted to run Argentine.

I always wanted to scout the west side on foot but with my torn Achilles that probably won't ever happen.
 
The Beginning of Cascade Creek is not more than a half hour up I-70 from where C-470 and I-70 intersect.

If we have an average speed of 5 MPH for ascending Cascade Creek and descending we should be @ roughly 5 hours from Idaho Springs to Georgeton. If we started early, lets call it 8:00 A.M. to meet @ the trail head of Cascade Creek, we'd be in Georgetown for lunch no later than 2:00 P.M. Cruise Down Guanella to Argentine Pass, say we're @ the trail head ready to go @ 3:30 it's at most a 4 hour trail out and back. Leaves us 2ish hours of sunlight to get some more miles down Guanella to Burning Bear, set up camp, and turn in for the night. Should be just about perfect.
 
DigJeepsBrah said:
The Beginning of Cascade Creek is not more than a half hour up I-70 from where C-470 and I-70 intersect.

If we have an average speed of 5 MPH for ascending Cascade Creek and descending we should be @ roughly 5 hours from Idaho Springs to Georgeton. If we started early, lets call it 8:00 A.M. to meet @ the trail head of Cascade Creek, we'd be in Georgetown for lunch no later than 2:00 P.M. Cruise Down Guanella to Argentine Pass, say we're @ the trail head ready to go @ 3:30 it's at most a 4 hour trail out and back. Leaves us 2ish hours of sunlight to get some more miles down Guanella to Burning Bear, set up camp, and turn in for the night. Should be just about perfect.
Click to expand...
Sounds cool. Is there a traildamage.com link for the trail? If so, post it up.
 
Saxon Road has a rock slide at the top of the switchbacks. Some people are driving over it, I won't.
 
That is an in and out the same way, right? Not particularly interested in trying to pull my trailer through an unknown situation.

It will be interesting getting my trailer over Red Cone. It will be fine with one exception. There is a sharp left turn around a tree that may take a bit of manual moving the trailer sideways around the tree.
 
I just went down Saxon the end if summer. I got a lifted K5 blazer over that rock slide with no issues at all.
 
old_man said:
That is an in and out the same way, right? Not particularly interested in trying to pull my trailer through an unknown situation.

It will be interesting getting my trailer over Red Cone. It will be fine with one exception. There is a sharp left turn around a tree that may take a bit of manual moving the trailer sideways around the tree.
Click to expand...

No, Saxon mountain is straight through.
 
I like the idea. I wouldn't haul my trailer over Redcone, though. Also, you guys are much too optimistic about times, in my experience running trails with NAXJA, or anyone. Stuff happens, people stop to take pictures, kids have to pee(as does old guys), dogs need to be let out, people need to eat, my back starts to hurt, and I need to stretch my legs, etc.

And lets not forget, the seemingly inviolable rule that we camp in commercial campgrounds.
 
Well, I'll personally run Argentine pass and Cascade/Saxon before the trip and note my average speeds and arrival/departure times. Also get some good GPS tracks.

...I was actually figuring my trail times would include stops for purging, pictures, and puppies. You can snack and munch away in a Jeep while you're cruising along... I included a lunch break in my day 1 leg. ;)

I'm not apposed to doing Cascade and Saxon for the day, camping near/in George town, doing some fishing. Then doing Argentine Pass the following day if you think time will be an issue.

I really think Cascade Creek and Saxon mountain are worth the time. I haven't ran Argentine Pass but the pictures I see from that trail ride are awesome.

Sorry for my enthusiasm. I'll try to keep it to myself, Fred. :banana:
 
Why? Commercial camp grounds suck. No reason to use them every night. Once later in the trip to be able to take a shower would be nice, but camping along the trail is much more fun.
 
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