Colorado's Alpine Loop - Page 2

86Scotty · 04-05-2021, 07:23 PM

That's one of my favorite areas. If you care to share a little more about your trip plans I'm sure many here can make more suggestions, including myself. Not just for trails/roads but for campsites, restaurants, etc. If I could handle the weather and make a living I would live in Ouray Colorado.

crob0221 · 04-06-2021, 09:51 AM

We also took the route between Ouray and Mineral Point in our 4X4 EB E350, but in the downhill direction. That was by far the nastiest part of that loop and it had me sweating! Engineer and Cinnamon passes are both very doable. There are tight switchbacks with high exposure, but that is the nature of those old mining roads! Well worth it.

b. rock · 04-06-2021, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

That's one of my favorite areas. If you care to share a little more about your trip plans I'm sure many here can make more suggestions, including myself. Not just for trails/roads but for campsites, restaurants, etc. If I could handle the weather and make a living I would live in Ouray Colorado.

I hear you on making a living there, but what about the weather doesn't sit well? That's pretty much my ideal mountain climate. I passed on buying a cabin for $60k there back in '09. Definitely regretting that one these days.

Also, for anyone in the area and kind of on the adventurous side, the town built a via ferrata in their ice climbing park. You'll need a proper harness + helmet but otherwise I'd highly recommend it. Telluride has one too but it's a little more raw/rugged - also highly recommended, just do Ouray's first. Both free and open to the public.

wander · 04-06-2021, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

That's one of my favorite areas. If you care to share a little more about your trip plans I'm sure many here can make more suggestions, including myself. Not just for trails/roads but for campsites, restaurants, etc. If I could handle the weather and make a living I would live in Ouray Colorado.

Thank you! Our plans are fluid at the moment. We're getting a 4wd conversion and lift at Timberline Vans, Golden, CO, which will be complete sometime in early June. I know that's not a good time to go above the treeline, but we may be hanging around. Our main objective for this trip is a shake down cruise (to borrow a Navy term).

I found the Alpine Loop from a book I recently bought called Colorado Above the Treeline by Jeremy Agnew. I'm also researching on the Trails Offroad website. I also purchased the two Colorado guides from the FunTreks site.

When things get firmed up, I will certainly post.

Thanks, again!

wander · 04-06-2021, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crob0221

We also took the route between Ouray and Mineral Point in our 4X4 EB E350, but in the downhill direction. That was by far the nastiest part of that loop and it had me sweating! Engineer and Cinnamon passes are both very doable. There are tight switchbacks with high exposure, but that is the nature of those old mining roads! Well worth it.

I watched a YouTube video of that stretch. Uhm, no thanks.

86Scotty · 04-06-2021, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b. rock

I hear you on making a living there, but what about the weather doesn't sit well? That's pretty much my ideal mountain climate. I passed on buying a cabin for $60k there back in '09. Definitely regretting that one these days.

Also, for anyone in the area and kind of on the adventurous side, the town built a via ferrata in their ice climbing park. You'll need a proper harness + helmet but otherwise I'd highly recommend it. Telluride has one too but it's a little more raw/rugged - also highly recommended, just do Ouray's first. Both free and open to the public.

Great info. I hate the humidity in the Southern Appalachians but love the laid back vibe and cheap living. I also like our 4 seasons. I think Ouray might be a little heavy on the winter side for me.

b. rock · 04-06-2021, 02:31 PM

Ah gotcha. Ridgway, right outside of the valley and a little lower in elevation might be the ticket then. Still pretty laid back and *used* to be cheap but that ship may have sailed. Same for Montrose.

Also - for those looking at the CO high country, it looks to be opening up fairly early this year. Not a real heavy snow pack + warm early season temps. The big march storm snow cycle residual mostly been blown away by wind, there's already bare spots in places I wouldn't expect to see for another few weeks.

You might just get lucky in early June.

wander · 04-06-2021, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b. rock

Ah gotcha. Ridgway, right outside of the valley and a little lower in elevation might be the ticket then. Still pretty laid back and *used* to be cheap but that ship may have sailed. Same for Montrose.

Also - for those looking at the CO high country, it looks to be opening up fairly early this year. Not a real heavy snow pack + warm early season temps. The big march storm snow cycle residual mostly been blown away by wind, there's already bare spots in places I wouldn't expect to see for another few weeks.

You might just get lucky in early June.

Thanks, b. rock. I'll check that out.

b. rock · 04-07-2021, 09:33 AM

Right on. Enjoy looking around Timberline's parking lot, I was there a couple weeks ago and there was lots of eye candy.

bozwell13 · 04-11-2021, 11:37 AM

I live in Durango, just did Alpine last summer and was shocked, it has changed a lot over the last few years. It's packed, super packed with tourists in UTVs, they drive like idiots gas flat to the floor. They have removed all of the road dirt with spinning tires leaving just the bedrock. The Loop is far far rougher than I have ever seen it. Every camp spot (there are very few, and now fenced so little off the road parking for a van, we're no longer welcome to disperse camp?) was packed with multiple people. If you park a camper van on the road you are blasted with clouds of dust every few minutes by said UTVs roaring by, even at night. The road to Carson City ghost town used to be easy, is now technical and not for a van, is so torn up I had to choose my line very carefully in a suburban with 2.5 lift, 285s or risk big rocker damage. I was shocked and very very disappointed at the changes. I have never seen so many out of staters back there nor ever seen such poor back woods etiquette. I'm not trying to be a buzz kill but I would not take my extended Quigley back there these days but would have a few years ago. That said, it is awesome country so if you go. My advice is start very early in the day, go slow, choose your line, enjoy the views, tolerate the UTVs (grrr) find a camp spot by 2-3 pm, after that campers are stacked on top of each other with people running around at 50mph frantically looking for a spot as the sun goes down. Keep in mind, if you are a flatlander, everything up there is above 10000 ft, high altitude edema, is a big deal, very common and a lot of people experience it most when they try to sleep. Your health, fitness has no bearing on HAE, some fat guys are fine, some pro althlete's drop like flies. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.