Colorado Colors Run 2013 - Planning and Discussion

[Scott B.]

I could be in Leadville late Friday. Between 10:00 pm and midnight or so. Where are folks planning to spend the night Friday night?

Since I will be late on Friday, I'm thinking about a hotel.

Last time in Leadville, I stayed at the Super 8 on the south side of town.

 

[Brian1]

I could be in Leadville late Friday. Between 10:00 pm and midnight or so. Where are folks planning to spend the night Friday night?

I was planning on camping at Camp Hale but I just read online it has been shut down to camping about 2 years ago except at the established campground Too bad because it was a nice open area with a stream and fairly easy to get to.

I don't know where I will be, I'm open for suggestions. Established campgrounds are nice but on a holiday weekend I'm more likely to avoid them and find a primitive site somewhere. Hopefully the scouting report comes back with a good site we can all meet at. Thanks for doing that!

 

[2TimingTom]

So I know the intent of this trip is to "see colors" (it might be a little early yet), but what about checking out a plane crash site?

http://coloradowreckchasing.com/TaylorB24/TayB24.html

This crash is right near Crested Butte. From what I've been told, the direct road up near here in paved, but I know of a more fun dirt road (I don't know if it's "trail" status or not) that goes over, around and back into this area. This crash site is fairly close to the road, so no major hiking required.

 

[Happy Jack]

Sorry, not ignoring this, I'm out of town. I'll check back in when I get more time.

 

[bronchole]

Hmmmmm, last weekend I put a truss across the rear axle that has provisions for a traction bar. I also went to install my new stock replacment springs. Problem is that the springs that I thought were sagged out stock ones are actually sagged out 4" Superlift springs. It looks like I won't be able to get new spring before the trip so I guess I will drag my ass around a bit.

Moving on to the traction bar, new transfer case mount and rear tire rack. Lot to do, not allot of time to do it in.

 

[Happy Jack]

It's been a long time since I camped up around Leadville. There are places up on Weston Pass south of Leadville, but you will most likely have to go up a long way to find an open spot if you get in late on Friday of Labor day weekend. Years ago I camped up north but south of the Holy Cross turn off. Not sure if you can still. If you can it will most likely already have someone in there. I'm in Buena Vista now. The folks I meet here were camped at Camp Hale last weekend. They were run out by a Ranger.

Guess I'll wait for the scouting report also.

 

[Brian1]

There are places up on Weston Pass south of Leadville,

That's what I'm thinking now. I should get there around 3-4 on that Friday. There is 1 other possibility I know of now plus whatever 2timingtom finds out.

 

[Rick]

Do you want this put up as a notice? If so I need the dates.

 

[bronchole]

I am getting excited, doing some research:


https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msi...l=39.202994,-106.173935&spn=0.325639,0.826721

http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=41

http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=110

http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=42

http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=116

 

[Scott B.]

Meeting Place

IIRC, there is a grocery store on the north side of town. Why don't we plan on meeting there Saturday morning?

Since some people are camping (possibly at different locations), and some are hoteling, this will give everyone a common meeting place. And, anyone can stop for last minute provisions.

Anyone know the name of the store?

 

[bronchole]

Looks like there is a Safeway at the North end of town right next to a True value and a few gas stations. Sounds like a good place to meet up.

Do we have a head count yet? Do we know who is staying where? Do we have an itinerary of what trails we are planning to do on which days?

Here is my plan:

I will be staying most of the time at my friends Pete's house in Colorado Springs.

Saturday 8/24: Arrive in Colorado springs in time for a wedding.

Sunday 8/25-Tuesday 8/27: Help my newly wedded nephew pack his household to move to Wisconsin
Wednesday 8/28: free day. Maybe do some local wheeling if I can hook up with someone. Something within 1.5 hours of Colorado springs so it can be a day trip.

Thursday 8/29: Free in the morning but I must be in Denver in the early evening to pick up my friend Pete who is flying back from driving my nephews moving van to Wisconsin.

Friday 8/30: another free day

Saturday 8/31: Meet up with the Explorer forum guys for the CCW runs. We will likely be spending the night either camped with one of the explorer forum crowd or rent a cheap hotel room. My buddy Pete and his wife will almost defiantly be wheeling with us also. They are just not sure weather they will be wheeling his built to the max 1963 Willis wagon or their stockish Samurai.

Sunday 9/1: More wheeling with the CCW crowd. My buddy may go back home to Colorado Springs on this evening. Depends on our plans for Monday Morning. Depending on what the CCW crowd is up to we may move on to an alternate wheeling location on the way home. I would need to hook up with another 4x4 to do this though. I am not a fan of wheeling alone.

Monday 9/2: May be up for a bit of morning wheeling, but we will defiantly be homeward bound by lunch time. Our intention is to stop over somewhere along the way. Maybe Mesquite or Las Vegas. If we moved on to an alternate wheeling location then we will have to take that in to consideration.

Tuesday 9/3: Final leg of the trip. We must be home this evening.

Somewhere in that schedule I may need to help Pete do some......... maintenance on his Willis Wagon.

 

[2TimingTom]

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msi...l=39.202994,-106.173935&spn=0.325639,0.826721

Scouting report:
There are TONS of free camping spots on the yellow trail in the trees south of Leadville. I even saw a bunch of people camped on the north fork of Halfmoon Creek (we skipped the southern fork). There are also a few pay-to-camp sites mixed in. These served as bathrooms and trash dumps for us as we camped nearby. There are really so many I decided against trying to mark specific ones.

 

[bronchole]

That all looks good. I wonder how packed its going to be on Labor Day weekend?

 

[MickeySpiers]

Scouting report:
There are TONS of free camping spots on the yellow trail in the trees south of Leadville.

I need to start researching a place to shack up - looks as tho we're basing out of Leadville now, not Ouray? I'm good with that, just need to know where to book the hotel.

 

[Turdle]

Well, we're out.
Have fun and be sure to post lots of pictures for us web wheelers.

 

[bronchole]

Well, we're out.

Sorry to hear that, I was looking forward to meeting the "fishing lure powder coat guy" that sold the finish on my intake manifold to Jim (nssj2)

 

[Turdle]

Sorry to hear that, I was looking forward to meeting the "fishing lure powder coat guy" that sold the finish on my intake manifold to Jim (nssj2)

That was a free gift --handed out with a bunch of freebies at the 2008 CCR

Jim got it because he was the only one who showed up with a 5.0 under the hood, besides us.

I just had to put that stuff on something--

 

[Scott B.]

Well, we're out.
Have fun and be sure to post lots of pictures for us web wheelers.

Sorry to hear that, Jon. Hope all is well with you all.

I was looking forward to showing off my V8!

 

[2TimingTom]

For those getting into Leadville early, I STRONGLY recommend Half Moon Creek.

At the top of the northern fork, you get to Champion Mill and can get your rig pictured next to it similar to this:

Plus there are 2 axle/floor board deep water crossings (with 33s and a 2" BL). Always a good time.

The southern fork of the trail is more of the same. There is a difficult section exiting one of the water crossings and it ends at a mine that isn't nearly as neat as Champion.

I plan on doing a full trip report in my trip thread in the Colorado Contingent section. With lots of pics!

 

[Scott B.]

...

I plan on doing a full trip report in my trip thread in the Colorado Contingent section. With lots of pics!

Could you please post a link in this thread?

Awesome picture, BTW...