Pearl Pass and Taylor Pass With a Trailer

[mmcan]

Two of the trails I want to finally run this summer are Pearl and Taylor Passes. Wondering if you have any experience taking a trailer over these passes in Colorado, connecting Crested Butte to Aspen the hard and fun way.

Are there many switchbacks to deal with, and how do you handle switchbacks when you encounter the really tight ones?? NOT talking about Black Bear, or something as tight as that, but even some of the ones on Engineer and Cinnamon could pose a problem.

Anyone,...?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sgt Grunt]

What type of trailer???

If it's similar to an m 416... Taylor shouldn't be a problem and Pearl has a few switch backs. There is one on the Aspen side of Pearl that will be a bit hard, however if you use a spotter it should be doable.

 

[Vince1]

You should have no problem with Taylor with a high clearance trailer. Last time I went through there, my son passed behind me in a stock JK Sahara and his buddy with a stock Cherokee with only minor incidents. There are a few rocky areas to spot around and some water crossings. I would not suggest you do it until after July as the snow melt makes it difficult earlier. We are still getting snowfall here so it will be a late melt (picture below was taken last week...within 10 miles of Taylor start..as I headed towards Pyramid Peak, the 14-er visible in the background). It's basically in my backyard and I will be going through there a few times this summer, first time with my newly completed trailer. PM me if you want someone to go with.

 

[BigDaveZJ]

Pulled my M416 over both of those with no issue a couple years back. Here's a link to the trip report: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31254

My concern would be the amount of snow that area has seen this year and when/if it might even be passable. Pearl can stay blocked quite often. If it's open though, absolutely beautiful and one of my favorite trails in the state. I've also pulled mine over Imogene and several others in SW CO. The switchbacks have never been an issue for me, but oncoming traffic can be a PITA sometime.

 

[mmcan]

What type of trailer???

If it's similar to an m 416... Taylor shouldn't be a problem and Pearl has a few switch backs. There is one on the Aspen side of Pearl that will be a bit hard, however if you use a spotter it should be doable.

It would be a high clearance trailer like an AT Chaser or Horizon. So I'm thinking it would be ok from that standpoint.

 

[mmcan]

Pulled my M416 over both of those with no issue a couple years back. Here's a link to the trip report: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31254

My concern would be the amount of snow that area has seen this year and when/if it might even be passable. Pearl can stay blocked quite often. If it's open though, absolutely beautiful and one of my favorite trails in the state. I've also pulled mine over Imogene and several others in SW CO. The switchbacks have never been an issue for me, but oncoming traffic can be a PITA sometime.

This trip would be early August. So I'm hoping it would be clear but o course would check all sources fir info/reports prior to hitting the trail.

Thanks for the link and info. I will be studying this thread!

 

[mmcan]

You should have no problem with Taylor with a high clearance trailer. Last time I went through there, my son passed behind me in a stock JK Sahara and his buddy with a stock Cherokee with only minor incidents. There are a few rocky areas to spot around and some water crossings. I would not suggest you do it until after July as the snow melt makes it difficult earlier. We are still getting snowfall here so it will be a late melt (picture below was taken last week...within 10 miles of Taylor start..as I headed towards Pyramid Peak, the 14-er visible in the background). It's basically in my backyard and I will be going through there a few times this summer, first time with my newly completed trailer. PM me if you want someone to go with.

Great info. My JK should have no trouble with the terrain. And I will keep you posted on our plans. Worst case scenario would be trail's closed and I'll buy the first round!

 

[mmcan]

Pulled my M416 over both of those with no issue a couple years back. Here's a link to the trip report: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31254

My concern would be the amount of snow that area has seen this year and when/if it might even be passable. Pearl can stay blocked quite often. If it's open though, absolutely beautiful and one of my favorite trails in the state. I've also pulled mine over Imogene and several others in SW CO. The switchbacks have never been an issue for me, but oncoming traffic can be a PITA sometime.

That's a great trip report! Great pictures, too. Fires me up!

But I notice you have the trailer in some, but not all of the pictures. Did you set up a base camp and leave it while you explored? Would the other trails have been an issue for the trailer?

 

[BigDaveZJ]

That's a great trip report! Great pictures, too. Fires me up!

But I notice you have the trailer in some, but not all of the pictures. Did you set up a base camp and leave it while you explored? Would the other trails have been an issue for the trailer?

That's exactly what we had done. We left the trailer at Emerald Lake NW of Crested Butte as we camped there for 2 nights, same thing at Mirror Lake near Tin Cup Pass. The only trail we ran that I would really NOT want to take the trailer on from that trip is Schofield Pass due to the length of the shelf road where there is NO room for 2 vehicles to pass each other for quite a long distance.

What do you have in mind for a route through the area?

 

[mmcan]

Re; Dave,... What do you have in mind for a route through the area?

I plan to spend 4-6 days in the greater CB area, probably coming into Gunny via Engineer or Cinnamon again. I had planned to go to Aspen via Pearl, and return via Taylor, or visa versa, while also trying some of the other trails like Italian, and the ones you had done. We might also come into Aspen first, as this is closer to the Vail Valley where we'll be the week before. We like to get out and hike a bit, fly fish, take pics, and just relax. Our plans will be very flexible, and may literally change as the wind blows. We will be on vacation, after all.

I don't at all mind having a base camp at some point, but would want to have the trailer in a central location for those trails, and out of the way of traffic. I would probably have some food and cooking things stored in the trailer, which concerns me for bears, but I'm not sure what else to do with the stuff.

Do you have any recommendations for a good place to base out of? I would want it to be near water, of course, and it doesn't matter to me if it's a lake or a river/stream. It's all good!

I'd also like to see Black's Canyon altho it's a little bit away from the other things we might do. Have you been there? Is it worth hiking in and out of, fishing for a little while if possible?

Thanks for your help and recommendations.

 

[mmcan]

Found this!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30444&highlight=Pearl+Pass

Great thread!

 

[BigDaveZJ]

Found this!

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30444&highlight=Pearl+Pass

Great thread!

One of the many inspirations to my trip! Randy (IntrepidXJ) does some amazing trips.

As for your trip, it sounds like you have a good grasp on the area. We used Emerald Lake as a base camp, but honestly got really lucky in that spot being open. There's really only one spot at the lake, and the lake is next to a graded road accessible by anything with wheels and a motor. I would definitely recommend heading up that way though, even if it is just to run out to Crystal Mill and back if you haven't been there before.

As far as Cinnamon vs Engineer, Cinnamon would be the easier of the two, although the only really "difficult" sections of Engineer are really close to 550 and easily bypassable by coming up into the area via Silverton and Animas Forks. We used a spot on Engineer just west of the Poughkeepsie turnoff for a base camp for 3 nights on this trip: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47988 and there are many more options in the area.

I would probably avoid camping at Blue Mesa Reservoir west of Gunny. Beautiful area, but a lot of wind and not much protection/shelter from it. Gunny is an awesome town too btw, if you get a chance to stop there for a meal, definitely hit up Mario's on Tomichi Ave (Hwy 50, the main E-W drag).

One option from Gunny could be to head up Italian Creek towards Taylor and kind of make a loop out of Italian, Taylor, and Pearl. There a lot of places to camp along that entire area. We camped above Taylor Lake (not to be confused with Taylor Reservoir) on our 2009 trip and it was outstanding. Quite high in elevation, but a beautiful site.

I poured over maps and trip reports for months determining the routes on our two trips to SW CO having a few "must-do's" along the way. You really can't go wrong anywhere down there though.