Road trip/Adventure/offroading to Utah and Colorado...

[PetitFrereArmada]

I am leaving tomorrow for a adventure trip to Colorado and Utah. It is m first time going to both places, so I am looking forward to it.

I am locked and loaded and ready for take off. I plan to do some offroading. Nothing crazy, just what my Armada can handle. I have 2 books that will help me with suggestions of some good trails and what i can do and what I cannot do when I choose to go offoading.

Just making a thread so I can upload my trip pictures later or as I go.

Any suggestions would be welcome. But this trip is going to be short as it is only about 7 days. But I plan to do a longer one (hopefully 11 days road trip ) in 2 months, if my planning goes ok.

Driving to Telluride, CO for a day. Just to have a feel of the area and look around.
Next day, driving to Moab, UT. Stay there for 4 days until I leave for my journey back to Texas.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

The books to help me with what trails I can do and those that I cannot do.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

And my truck all ready for the adventure. For more pics...

http://www.clubarmada.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24056&page=28

 

[Martinjmpr]

You can leave the Colorado book at home. We're still several feet deep in snow in the mountains. Don't figure on being able to do any of those trails until mid to late June, or possibly mid July.

 

[RockyMtnFamily]

All the passes in Colorado are still under snow and will likely not be open for this trip out. I heard a few days ago that Yankee Boy Basin near Ouray is open to the waterfalls. Most passes do not open until mid to late June, or early July.

I suggest you spend some time on her for the trail conditions:
http://bushducks.com/

That said, you may want to take Lizard Head pass from Cortez to Telluride, very pretty scenery along that stretch. Take the scenic route to Moab through Norwood, I believe it is 141. It will take you 3-4 hours to get there but is a very scenic drive as well. I look forward to seeing pictures from your trip.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Just checked Bushducks and apparently Cinnamon is open on the West side from Silverton to the top of the pass. This was last weekend, though, and I'm not sure how much snow the San Juans got. Ophir is partially open too. Everything else is closed according to Bushducks.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

You can leave the Colorado book at home. We're still several feet deep in snow in the mountains. Don't figure on being able to do any of those trails until mid to late June, or possibly mid July.

I see. Thanks for that tip. And it is because the trails would be closed that made me to decide to plan to return to Colorado in 2 months. Well, it all depends if my plans work out. Then I will return to Colorado around July 18th for hopefully a 11 days around Colorado. But that plan is still in the works and not confirmed yet.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

All the passes in Colorado are still under snow and will likely not be open for this trip out. I heard a few days ago that Yankee Boy Basin near Ouray is open to the waterfalls. Most passes do not open until mid to late June, or early July.

I suggest you spend some time on her for the trail conditions:
http://bushducks.com/

That said, you may want to take Lizard Head pass from Cortez to Telluride, very pretty scenery along that stretch. Take the scenic route to Moab through Norwood, I believe it is 141. It will take you 3-4 hours to get there but is a very scenic drive as well. I look forward to seeing pictures from your trip.

Thanks for the link and the tip. Because of these closures, that is why I decided to go to Moab, UT. But my stopping in Telluide is really just to have a little feel of how Colorado looks like. Besides, there is the mountain film festival going on right now. So, I may stop by it. And then someone said one can still drive to the Bridal Veil waterfals. I may do that if that is true.

https://www.mountainfilm.org/

 

[mattiep11]

HEY WHAT CAN I HELP with, I'm in telluride and can help your regional trip out, i know my way thru to moab as well if u need advice pm me


we got snow the past week here so people are skiing again and not looking into the driving of passes yet...i just posted pics of the black bear and imogene under four corners chapter...( i have several pics that r recent of the passes which i can see from my balcony) i drove past ophir the other day and its still snowed in ... lizard head had snow almost to the road... people were still snowmobiling.... if that helps.... i was in ridgeway side last week and grass was green in town but the snow was still very much present 10000 and above

link to my post:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-IN-THE-SAN-JUANS!!-Telluride-ouray-silverton

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

HEY WHAT CAN I HELP with, I'm in telluride and can help your regional trip out, i know my way thru to moab as well if u need advice pm me


we got snow the past week here so people are skiing again and not looking into the driving of passes yet...i just posted pics of the black bear and imogene under four corners chapter...( i have several pics that r recent of the passes which i can see from my balcony) i drove past ophir the other day and its still snowed in ... lizard head had snow almost to the road... people were still snowmobiling.... if that helps.... i was in ridgeway side last week and grass was green in town but the snow was still very much present 10000 and above

link to my post:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-IN-THE-SAN-JUANS!!-Telluride-ouray-silverton

Thanks a lot for that info and pics. I look forward to seeing that snow myself. I leave in about 2 hours for my trip to Telluride. I couldn't get a hotel there, but found one in Placerville. The Angler Inn in Placerville. It looks like a nice decent place. But I will spend only on night there then head to Moab, UT the next day.

As I leave in 2 hours, I am planning to drive non stop for 24 hours, just stopping for gas and occasional rests. So, if I do not get so tired to spend the night somewhere, I will be getting to Telluride about noon tomorrow.

I am sending you a PM right away...

 

[mph]

safe travels...enjoy your journey...i'll look for you in Moab! e

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

safe travels...enjoy your journey...i'll look for you in Moab! e

That would be great. Well, you know how to find me.

"Bond. James Bond."

So, let me know how I can say hell to you when I see you. Feel free to PM me.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

I will use this to put pics of all the states I go through.

Entering NM at 10:30pm

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

So, I left at 11am. Smooth sailing. Went a little in OK, so took pic by welcome sign. After that temperature started dropping. Bad weather sets in. Very bad torrrential pour as I am approaching NM. Speed limit is 75, I can barely keep my Armada at 65. Eighteen wheelers passing me up. Well, I am tired also.

Then get to Welcome to NM at about 10:30pm.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

The weather is too cold now and the rain has been too harsh on me. So, I pull up at the next best gas station for some rest. Love's. I had to get some warm clothes to put on. The cold is too much for shorts and a tshirt.

It is past midnight at this Love's gas station in Tucumcari, NM and I decide to eat something, rest for an hour and should be back on the road as soon as I finish posting this. I will be getting to my destination in Telluride, CO at about 8am. So, straight driving from Texas. It will be about 22 hours of being on the road.