Notes & photos from a Colorado Road Trip

[Austin23]

OP and all who have chimed in much appreciated!

We are heading out west shortly on a 7wk trip, for a total of around 7,500Mi . Will be going thru AZ, Utah, Idaho, Montana. Wyoming, then a week in Ouray CO where we rented a house as a base.

I was out in Ouray last year, but didn't have the JLUR. I was driving a Tacoma with an Alucab Canopy Camper you can see in my pic.

I did Yankee Boy to the top and Silverton to Adimas Forks before heading to Moab where unfortunately my trip was cut short due to a family issue.

Wife going with me this year so no camping, but she loves to hike and trail ride.

Really looking forward to exploring all the passes in Ouray this year in the new JLUR!

That's what I call a heckuva road trip. Enjoy the adventure!!

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[Roverboy]

Question for those of you that have done Poughkeepsie Gulch. My JLUR has an AEV 2.5" lift and I'm running 33" BFG KM3's. Wondering if this trail is doable with my build & 33'S picking the right lines?

Watched some videos and it looks like the wall is the most difficult obstacle on the trail. In the videos everyone is running 35's or 37's.

We are traveling solo, but I have winch, full recovery gear, tools and a Garmin Inreach if I need to call for help.

I am a very experienced off roader and have done lots of tough trails and rock crawling in my day but with a more built up vehicle.

 

[76_iron]

I see so many vastly mixed opinions on Black Bear I'm not sure to try it or not when I'm in Ouray next month.

This is an opinion, but I have seen Black Bear eat so many vehicles, I would not do in my own Jeep again, but that's just me. It is mostly easy until it isn't.

 

[BDinTX]

Question for those of you that have done Poughkeepsie Gulch. My JLUR has an AEV 2.5" lift and I'm running 33" BFG KM3's. Wondering if this trail is doable with my build & 33'S picking the right lines?

Watched some videos and it looks like the wall is the most difficult obstacle on the trail. In the videos everyone is running 35's or 37's.

We are traveling solo, but I have winch, full recovery gear, tools and a Garmin Inreach if I need to call for help.

I am a very experienced off roader and have done lots of tough trails and rock crawling in my day but with a more built up vehicle.

Try to coordinate with folks on the facebook page "San Juan Mountain Trails Group" and find a trail buddy. First try for us was in a stock JLUR with a winch and we cut a sidewall before we got to the wall. Second time out we had and 35"s but followed a JKUR on 33"s KM3s. It's not an easy trail but I'd say the vehicle is capable. In our case, I was the problem.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/texas-to-colorado-2021.80100/post-1674737

 

[BDinTX]

I see so many vastly mixed opinions on Black Bear I'm not sure to try it or not when I'm in Ouray next month.

This is a tough trail to gauge for somebody else. It isn't too technically challenging, but the narrow roads and heights can get in the head of some folks. If you lose your focus and stomp the gas rather than the brake it can end very badly.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/texas-to-colorado-2021.80100/post-1674738

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

I see so many vastly mixed opinions on Black Bear I'm not sure to try it or not when I'm in Ouray next month.

Right? I see the guys who say it’s just like an easy dirt road, except there’s a 2,000 ft drop off on one side. Easy peasy. Then others say it’s more treacherous than you can imagine almost all of the way and if you blink too long you’ll die.

Having never been but knowing human nature I believe the truth lies somewhere in between those 2 extremes. I’ll find out 2 weeks from now.

 

[JayJay]

Having never been but knowing human nature I believe the truth lies somewhere in between those 2 extremes. I’ll find out 2 weeks from now.

You're right of course but when things go bad on Black Bear it can be very, very bad.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

You're right of course but when things go bad on Black Bear it can be very, very bad.

Yes, I’ve seen that a number of times. Tragic. I don’t know the details of why that happened. But there are thousands and thousands of safe trips down that trail by all sorts of Jeeps for every catastrophic event like that one.

 

[grimmjeeper]

I see so many vastly mixed opinions on Black Bear I'm not sure to try it or not when I'm in Ouray next month.

There was a pretty good mud slide on the switchbacks recently. I'm not sure what the schedule is for getting it back open.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Right? I see the guys who say it’s just like an easy dirt road, except there’s a 2,000 ft drop off on one side. Easy peasy. Then others say it’s more treacherous than you can imagine almost all of the way and if you blink too long you’ll die.

Having never been but knowing human nature I believe the truth lies somewhere in between those 2 extremes. I’ll find out 2 weeks from now.

I've been on it a few times. It is intimidating and you do need some spotters on some of the switchbacks. I had to 3 point turn a couple of times in a 2dr JK. But I've also seen people do it in a Suburban. There are some obstacles on the way to the switchbacks but the switchbacks are pretty flat. Just narrow and tight corners.

A lot of the challenge is mental. And you do have to pay close attention on the switchbacks. So you do get a lot of variety in evaluations.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

I've been on it a few times. It is intimidating and you do need some spotters on some of the switchbacks. I had to 3 point turn a couple of times in a 2dr JK. But I've also seen people do it in a Suburban. There are some obstacles on the way to the switchbacks but the switchbacks are pretty flat. Just narrow and tight corners.

A lot of the challenge is mental. And you do have to pay close attention on the switchbacks. So you do get a lot of variety in evaluations.

I’ve got a plan. I’ll turn off traction control and power slide the rear end around on the switchbacks an then counter steer and use throttle control and catch traction once the rear end comes around and I’m heading downhill. Piece of cake. I’ve seen it done in a movie before, how hard can it be?

 

[Deleted member 59498]

Black bear does look spooky in the videos. So probably terrifying in person!

 

[Roverboy]

I see so many vastly mixed opinions on Black Bear I'm not sure to try it or not when I'm in Ouray next month.

Same here, on the fence about Black Bear, not sure my wife would enjoy it if the trail is to scary for her. I've got her going on these trips with me now and want her to enjoy the trails and want to do more. I don't want to scare her off. Maybe save Black Bear for a later trip after she gets more seat time in the Jeep.

 

[Roverboy]

Try to coordinate with folks on the facebook page "San Juan Mountain Trails Group" and find a trail buddy. First try for us was in a stock JLUR with a winch and we cut a sidewall before we got to the wall. Second time out we had and 35"s but followed a JKUR on 33"s KM3s. It's not an easy trail but I'd say the vehicle is capable. In our case, I was the problem.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/texas-to-colorado-2021.80100/post-1674737

Great to know thank you!

 

[wibornz]

Right? I see the guys who say it’s just like an easy dirt road, except there’s a 2,000 ft drop off on one side. Easy peasy. Then others say it’s more treacherous than you can imagine almost all of the way and if you blink too long you’ll die.

Having never been but knowing human nature I believe the truth lies somewhere in between those 2 extremes. I’ll find out 2 weeks from now.

You can drive Black Bear pass in 2wd. The trail is not hard. There is an off chamber spot that can and has flopped vehicles on their side. The part running down to the fist water fall has some flex stuff, still not bad. There are some very narrow spots on the switchbacks, if hight bother you, prepare to be bothered. Otherwise you will just drive through the spots. There are a couple turns on the switch backs that require a multi point turn. No big deal. We all have to do that sometimes in a park lot. Only the parking lot you don't put the front tires on the edge of a thousand foot drop off. Black Bear pass is only difficult if big drop offs scare to you.

A few pics from Black Bear pass. Notice in the mirror how close my tire is to the rock? The passenger tires are on the edge of a cliff with a big drop off.

For the most part the trail is like this except for the switch backs.

Going down the swithbacks, expect most of the trail to be like this. A narrow shelf road.....smooth narrow shelf road.

Note how smooth the road is heading down to the switchbacks.

In my opinion, Black Bear Pass is over hyped. It is for the most part an easy trail that requires a lot of focus, because a mistake can be fatal once you start the switchbacks. On the switchbacks, there are places that a few inches or a foot or so are the difference between success and big failure. Like I have said, if big drop off are scary prepare to be scared, if big drops off and high shelf roads do not bother you, it will be ho hum as a trail as far as technical driving, with awesome views.

Once again. Come to a full stop to take a picture. The trail if beautiful.

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