Forum: Oklahomatidbits.com General Forum (go)
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to Carol14 and Mr. Spivey.

Here are title and author for 2 books that I've found very helpful with jeep trails and ghost towns

For Jeep Trails: aside from the widely known Colorado Pass Book (outdated) I got one off of amazon. "Guide to Colorado Backroads and 4 Wheel Drive Trails" by Charles A. Wells. Published by FunTreks Inc. This book was 22.95$ plus shipping off of amazon.

For Ghost Towns : the best I have ever read is............"Ghost Towns of the Colorado Rockies" by Robert L. Brown. published by Caxton Press. This book was 17.95$ off of amazon.

If you can't find these books on amazon......try Overstock.

But like I said - 2 fantastic books. I read em both every few months.

I also got a kick a$$ map of the San Juans......highly detailed topography map of the San Juans that is tacked on the wall in my closet for morning viewing pleasure (if there is such a thing). I bought it in Ouray, but it was made and published by Drake Mountain Maps. Don't know if website exists.....but the fellas that made it are from the area and it is highly accurate. Many of the state maps I had were not. Also do not know if they made maps for Leadville and Crested Butte areas. First year I navigated using state topography maps we thought we were on Engineer Pass but was in fact somewhere in Poughkeepsie Gulch headed towards Gladstone. lol. PK Gulch is outlawed for rental jeeps. so I found out the hard way to always use highly dependable and accurate maps you can trust. O btw, the map was primarily for jeep and walking trails along with ghost towns and most of all - abandoned mining camps.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would

Thanks for the info. Right now, I'm planning on going back next year for spring wildflowers. I would like to take the KLR 650 but I'm not sure about getting on some of those trails.

I bought the DeLorme Gazeteer for Colorado and a couple of books at that great bookstore in Ouray.

I want to do Mt. Evans, the Maroon Bells, maybe Crystal Mill again and then head for the Ouray - Silverton - Telluride area. If I don't take the motorcycle I'll probably be restricted to Jeep tours.

I'm definately hooked.

http://www.pbase.com/lefturn99/fall_colors

easy there Mr. Spivey. lol. The vast majority of the passes (jeep trails) are still closed thru the spring. For the 4x4 adventures we found late august to be the PRIME Time - really anytime in August. Not to really suggest otherwise to ya. If you're gonna try a dirt bike or 4 wheeler up there it might work......but I'd definitely exercise caution. You could go later in the year as thru the summer into september Yankee Boy Basin (goes southwest from Ouray from the Box Canyon area) and the flowers and waterfalls through there are beautiful and surreal. Also if you go to early it's avalanche season. When you are in one of those good book stores there is another extremely interesting book called - "Living (and dying) in Avalanche Country". The risk the miners faced up there in winter was almost a perennial tragendy. But before you get back up there get some books and maps on the jeep trails up there. Just when you think it can't get any better - just wait till you face the white-knuckle challenges of the mountain passes. I think me and about another 8 family members are going up there for 2 weeks in July as at the beginning of August it will time for the annual Knoxville 360 Nationals trip. I've insisted to the point of demanding that we do the passes in 4 wheelers. I know jeeps are more challenging......but I literally want to see every damn trail within 50 miles of Ouray.......no matter the weather. You can cover twice as much space in a 4 wheeler. Besides - if you do Enginner Pass from Ouray to Lake City - or Ophir Pass going to or from Telluride - those trails just beat the livin crap out of you in a jeep. The plus side about jeep tours - is you can see passes you can't legally due in a rental jeep. Such as Poughkeepsie Gulch or the infamous and deadly Black Bear Pass. I'm sure no matter when you go - you will have one of the best trips ever as there aren't even many races (even with absurd car counts Mr. Porter) that can beat the experience of the San Juan Mountains.

Other than that - congratulations Mr. Spivey in your personal discovery of what I will always think is the most beautiful and interesting place on this planet. Sorry I ramble about it so much. That along with racing are probably the 2 so-called "hobbies" I am most passionate about.

The Crystal Mill? isn't that along Webster Pass? or Taylor Pass? thats quite a way up to the northeast ain't it? much further than even Gunnison - I think up by Crested Butte?

Man if you get that book about trails I mentioned - there are some up by Leadville, Buena Vista, and Crested Butte that even from the pics and reading I can tell are truly terrifying. Red Cone being the scariest. You have to have winches and lockers before you even get to the terrifying part due to the boulder fields. Also if it is to your taste - there is a hot balloon tour or company or whatever in Ridgway we went on and it's a breath-taking experience as well. Once I went up there I've had almost a 3-d view whenever I look at topography maps of the area. it was stunning. but I should stop now before I ramble myself right into being late to work.

How much would could a wouldchuck chuck if a 
wouldchuck could chuck would