Trip Report... ”Rocky Mountain High Altitude Expedition - 2007”
The drive from Phoenix, AZ to Ouray, CO was 560 miles. It took us 11½ hours, which included two fuel stops and stops for pictures and dinner. Gas was $2.67 a gallon in Phoenix, $3.24 on the Navajo Reservation in northeast Arizona and $3.19 in Ouray.
Our base camp for the Expedition was Ouray, CO… a small, but expensive tourist town. most all of the motels were booked solid the entire time we were there. Ouray is situated in a mountain valley at 7,730 feet above sea level. The town is surrounded on three sides by 13,000 - 14,000 foot mountains. Ouray is centrally located for the 500 miles of trails in the area.
We met my old Air Force buddy who drove up from Colorado Springs. He was driving a blue ‘05 KJ Sport with full skids and Michelin A/T tires.
The trails… while not technically difficult, they are very rocky and can pose a problem for a stock KJ. Full skids and good A/T tires ARE a must. A lift would be a big plus. Besides being rocky, the trails are very scenic, narrow and most have steep drop-offs... definetly not for those with a fear of heights.
Most trails start out in forested land and quickly climb above the tree line into the tundra and then on to the high mountain passes. Most of the passes are between 12,000 and 13,000 feet high. Lack of oxygen makes for dull headaches and shortness of breath.
I highly recommend this trip for anyone who wants to get off road and see nature at it‘s best. Four wheeling in the San Juan Mountains around Ouray and the trails in Moab, UT (a three hour drive to the west), are what 4x4’s are made for. It doesn’t get any better.
The weather was great. It was sunny and in the low to mid 70’s in the mountains. It rained in the afternoons and made it interesting coming back down the trails. A few shallow water crossings were encountered.
If any folks from Arizona show an interest in making the trip to Ouray, I would gladly post and lead a trip for next summer, between mid-July and mid-September. The four wheeling season is short. All of the trails are finally open by mid July and wild flowers are abundant. Early to mid September is a good time to catch the Aspens changing colors. I would suggest a trip of at least five days to make it worth the time and effort of getting there… two days travel up and back, and three days on the trails. Motel rooms are expensive and reservations should be made several months in advance to guaranty a room. We stayed in an older, but cozy Comfort Inn @ $116.00 a night. The rates drop to about $75.00 to $95.00 after Labor Day.
As promised, here are a few of the 760 pictures I took. Just click on the thumbnails to view a larger pic….
The Painted Desert near Tuba City, AZ...
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Ouray, CO... base camp for the Expedition.
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The Alpine Loop (Engineer and Cinnamon Pass)...
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Scenic Brooklyn Road...
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Ophir Pass...
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Last Dollar Road...
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Clear Lake Trail...
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