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Black Bear Pass and Alpine Loop

Discussion in 'Off-Roading & Trails' started by RedRunner87, Sep 2, 2017.

  1. Sep 2, 2017 at 10:27 AM
    #1
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    This trip started out featuring 3 vehicles; 17 DCB TRD OR Taco, 97 Limited 4Runner and a 01 Disco II. The Disco dropped out before the trip, so we started off by heading out to Black Canyon National, then off to Black Bear Pass and knocked out the Alpine Loop.

    The Start
    [​IMG]IMG_3555 by redrunner87, on Flickr


    A few hours later we finally got to Black Canyon National Park where we would stay for the night.

    [​IMG]IMG_3556 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3558 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170825_181019 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    It was at this point we lost my 97 4Runner. It for some reason stalled out and wouldn't restart. We tow strapped it up to the visiting center, and the Park Ranger allowed us to park it there for a few days. The next morning we left the 4Runner behind and started towards Black Bear Pass in the stock Taco.

    Time to air down

    [​IMG]IMG_3568 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3569 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    Stopped to do some poser shots and get some drone footage

    [​IMG]IMG_3572 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3573 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    At the top- 12,840ft

    [​IMG]IMG_3575 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3577 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3579 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3581 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    Time to start heading towards the switchbacks. We did this trail in my 4Runner last year, and being lifted/locked made us spoiled. The trail is much more difficult being stock and having a longer wheel base.

    My buddy let me take over driving duties, here is spotting me down

    [​IMG]IMG_3585 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3586 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3587 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3589 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3594 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3596 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3600 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3602 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3604 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    A nice view of Telluride down below

    [​IMG]IMG_3606 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3607 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    We hit the point of no return with the Taco. Right before this point a guy in a 2 door Wrangler Rubicon asked if we were going to take "that" down the switchbacks. Our response was "Hell yeah"!

    [​IMG]IMG_3609 by redrunner87, on Flickr


    Time to start

    [​IMG]IMG_3611 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3614 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3615 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3618 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3619 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    Down we go!

    [​IMG]IMG_3622 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    [​IMG]IMG_3624 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3625 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    Made it!

    [​IMG]IMG_20170826_154459 by redrunner87, on Flickr


    A stock Tacoma will make it down Black Bear Pass. We did scrape the skid plates a few times, as well as hit the trailer hitch a few times. We had 2 kind of cringe worthy moments when the stock Goodyear Kevlar tires didn't quite grip the rocks like we wanted to.
     
    GoSlow, DRobs, Doglover2003 and 5 others like this.
  2. Sep 3, 2017 at 9:42 AM
    #2
    TedRCASC

    TedRCASC New Member

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    :canada:Great photos, but not the kind of trail I'd want to take in our 4R. That's for braver men than this 84 year old codger! - Cheers, Ted
     
    SlvrSlug and Oldtoyotaguy like this.
  3. Sep 4, 2017 at 8:46 AM
    #3
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    It is a beautiful area. Honestly my 4Runner made easy work of Black Bear last year. The Taco made it much more difficult
     
    Oldtoyotaguy likes this.
  4. Sep 4, 2017 at 8:46 AM
    #4
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    Off to do the Alpine Loop. We started at Mineral Creek then to Engineer Pass to Cinnamon Pass/Wager Gulch to California Gulch to Corkscrew Gulch/Hurricane Pass

    [​IMG]IMG_3628 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    We didn't get any pictures of Mineral Creek. The trail was pretty brutal on the stock Tacoma, so we spent almost all our time spotting and rock crawling.

    These pictures were past Mineral Creek and going up Engineer Pass

    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_113426 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_141424 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_141437 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_141511 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_152237 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_154945 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_155137 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_155209 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_160004 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_160037 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_160211 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_160217 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3633 by redrunner87, on Flickr


    At the top of Engineer Pass

    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_163040 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_163053 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_163732 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_163952 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_163959 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_183752 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    Once we were on Cinnamon Pass we took the side trail Wager Gulch and went to the Carson Ghost Town.

    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_184208 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_184223 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_20170827_184236 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3637 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3639 by redrunner87, on Flickr
    [​IMG]IMG_3641 by redrunner87, on Flickr
     
  5. Sep 4, 2017 at 10:41 AM
    #5
    TedRCASC

    TedRCASC New Member

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    :canada:More great photos. Thanks again - Ted
     
    mrmike7189 likes this.
  6. Sep 4, 2017 at 11:10 AM
    #6
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    Thanks. I still have the last half to post. You can also check out last years run with my 4Runner. Should be somewhere around here
     
  7. Sep 5, 2017 at 10:00 AM
    #7
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
  8. Sep 5, 2017 at 10:09 AM
    #8
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    After that we headed home and I picked up my Ram, and a car hauler.

    Good news got to play with my winch for the first time!
    [​IMG]IMG_3649 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    all loaded up and heading home

    [​IMG]IMG_3651 by redrunner87, on Flickr

    Not how I wanted to leave the National Park

    [​IMG]IMG_3653 by redrunner87, on Flickr
     
  9. Sep 7, 2017 at 7:57 AM
    #9
    TedRCASC

    TedRCASC New Member

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    • :canada:Yeah, that is a very sad ending to a great adventure. Sure hope it is nothing serious. Cheers, Ted
     
  10. Sep 7, 2017 at 8:09 AM
    #10
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    Thankfully just my starter
     
  11. Sep 7, 2017 at 8:12 AM
    #11
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    Doglover2003 and HammerHead like this.
  12. Sep 8, 2017 at 10:11 AM
    #12
    brochacho

    brochacho New Member

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    Why did the 4Runner die? Did I see a stock Ford Escape in one of those photos??
     
    mrmike7189 likes this.
  13. Sep 8, 2017 at 10:17 AM
    #13
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    I had two issues and we solved one. The starter went out which is why it wouldn't start. We didn't figure out why it was bucking and stalled.

    If there was a stock Escape it was probably on Cinnamon Pass. It was a pretty easy trail for the most part.
     
    mrmike7189 likes this.
  14. Sep 8, 2017 at 12:17 PM
    #14
    brochacho

    brochacho New Member

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    Haha...anything called "Cinnamon Pass" is probably an easy trail. Love the pics thanks for sharing!
     
  15. Sep 11, 2020 at 12:59 PM
    #15
    sof92

    sof92 New Member

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    I have an all-stock, 5th gen, 4R TRD OR and I don’t know if I should get all terrain tires for a trip out there. I was going to do Ophir Pass with my dad (he has a souped up FJ, but I don’t quite trust his spotting haha). Think I need tires? I was waiting until I saved up for a lift...
     
    Doglover2003 likes this.
  16. Sep 11, 2020 at 1:46 PM
    #16
    glwood54

    glwood54 Stop making me buy stuff!

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    You could do Ophir Pass in a Subaru. You'll be fine.
     
    sof92[QUOTED] likes this.
  17. Sep 11, 2020 at 1:59 PM
    #17
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    What @glwood54 said. Ophir isn't bad at all. We did Black Bear in a completely stock Tacoma Off-Road and it handled everything.
     
    sof92[QUOTED] likes this.
  18. Sep 12, 2020 at 7:50 AM
    #18
    mrmike7189

    mrmike7189 New Member

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    Like driving through the "gumdrop forest " in the Candy Land game.......
    I wouldn't take a ford escape down a steep driveway.....nevermind any serious trails. Those things are cheaply built.
     
  19. Sep 12, 2020 at 7:58 AM
    #19
    glwood54

    glwood54 Stop making me buy stuff!

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  20. Sep 12, 2020 at 4:57 PM
    #20
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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  21. Sep 12, 2020 at 9:41 PM
    #21
    glwood54

    glwood54 Stop making me buy stuff!

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    I just wanted @sof92 to see what to expect.

    It is an interesting route to take if you're going from Silverton to Telluride and want to get there over a mountain instead of around it.
     
  22. Sep 13, 2020 at 6:04 AM
    #22
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    I agree with that
     
  23. Sep 13, 2020 at 6:50 AM
    #23
    Oldtoyotaguy

    Oldtoyotaguy Paid cash for it

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    Too bad, for sure. The worst thing about breakdowns on older vehicles is that it makes you doubt them. After you fix it, for peace of mind, give it a thorough once over and change anything doubtful. It’s a nice rig and worth the investment of time and maybe some extra new parts. There’s knowns and unknowns. All you can do is make sure that all the knowns are covered off. Good luck, it looks like there’s lots of good off road miles still to go!
     
  24. Oct 18, 2020 at 7:59 PM
    #24
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    Unfortunately I had to sell her a couple years ago. I am making a comeback with a 5th gen. But I miss the ol girl a lot
     
  25. Oct 19, 2020 at 12:11 PM
    #25
    mrmike7189

    mrmike7189 New Member

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    Beautiful photos thanks for sharing. That looked like a nice trip
     
  26. Oct 19, 2020 at 1:54 PM
    #26
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    It was awesome! Bummed I haven't been down there in a couple years. Hopefully next summer!
     
  27. Oct 22, 2020 at 7:29 AM
    #27
    sof92

    sof92 New Member

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    yea I ended up not doing it and hiking Mt. Sneffels instead (incredible!). But I’ll probably go back and pick another trail to drive.
     
  28. Oct 22, 2020 at 3:27 PM
    #28
    RedRunner87

    RedRunner87 [OP] Mall Crawler LVL Expert

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    What trials did you end up running while you were there?
     

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