Alpine Loop, CO - Memorial Day Weekend (5/27-29)

[aearles]

[Update] We're going to run the loop this coming weekend (memorial day), see the latest post if you're interested.

I'll be spending the next month and a half or so in SW Colorado, planning to drive/camp the Alpine Loop and Imogene Pass while here if anyone is interested in joining. No dates set, my schedule is pretty flexible.

Also looking for suggestions in the area if anyone has any, that would be awesome. --Thanks!

https://expeditionportal.com/overland-routes-alpine-loop/

 

[CatButt]

I see you are in Silverton...if you have lived there for a bit you know how gorgeous that part of the world is, if you new there you are in for a treat. I grew up in Gunnison,Co. which is an hour from Lake City and used to know those roads and single tracks like the back of my hand. It's been decades since I traveled the dirt roads there but I am building a rig for those types of roads.

I will be in Gunnison this summer so keep your trip updated and maybe we can meet up.

 

[aearles]

Thanks @CatButt, I'm just camped near Silverton currently, I actually travel full-time. I've been here once before but haven't spent much time exploring until now. Planning to be in the area until around the end of June.

 

[Zerobird]

I'll be down there likely in August to run part of the loop. Engineer pass & cinimon pass. Still early planning myself, with nothing set in stone other than to time off work. I'll keep an eye on this post and maybe my timeline will cross yours.

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[Overland-Indiana]

Tagging for review!!

 

[Overland-Indiana]

Wife and I are doing the Alpine Loop summer 2018...I cannot wait!! That article got me even more excited about going.

 

[aearles]

It is beautiful here with a little snow on the mountains... not sure that will be ideal on those high shelf roads, summer may be a better time!

 

[aearles]

Okay, plans have progressed pretty quickly. We have a group of 5 rigs confirmed for Alpine Loop this Memorial Day weekend... assuming the road actually opens. We'll run the loop from South (Silverton) to North (Ouray) Saturday - Sunday, and then some of us plan for a second overnight on the trail so that we can tackle Poughkeepsie Gulch on Monday.

I believe that Imogene Pass will not be open, so we won't make it all the way to Telluride this time.

If anyone is interested in joining, please let me know and I can provide more details.

Just tagging some nearby folks:
@Trevor Pepperdine, @Colorado.cruiser, @Corbet, @920TBS, @jmduran3, @Trailbound, @RD Stone

 

[hallry]

Okay, plans have progressed pretty quickly. We have a group of 5 rigs confirmed for Alpine Loop this Memorial Day weekend... assuming the road actually opens. We'll run the loop from South (Silverton) to North (Ouray) Saturday - Sunday, and then some of us plan for a second overnight on the trail so that we can tackle Poughkeepsie Gulch on Monday.

I believe that Imogene Pass will not be open, so we won't make it all the way to Telluride this time.

If anyone is interested in joining, please let me know and I can provide more details.

Just tagging some nearby folks:
@Trevor Pepperdine, @Colorado.cruiser, @Corbet, @920TBS, @jmduran3, @Trailbound, @RD Stone

Hi guys. I was just up there last week and it keeps snowing. It was closed last I checked. You might want to call.


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[aearles]

Yeah, thanks @hallry, they officially opened Cinnamon yesterday and announced that Engineer would not be open until next weekend. We just drove Animas and Cinnamon, may still do it as out and back this weekend, not sur yet. I don't think there's a bypass to do most of the Loop and come back without engineer.

 

[hallry]

Yeah, thanks @hallry, they officially opened Cinnamon yesterday and announced that Engineer would not be open until next weekend. We just drove Animas and Cinnamon, may still do it as out and back this weekend, not sur yet. I don't think there's a bypass to do most of the Loop and come back without engineer.

I went up as far as the the abandoned buildings at Animas. Here's a few photos.

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[aearles]

Wow, what a difference!

 

[aearles]

 

[aearles]

We drove the Alpine Loop from Silverton out to Engineer Pass and back. As expected, Engineer is still closed, it looks like they had the road plowed of snow but the road collapsed so they're still doing some repairs. We did not circle back and hit the trail west of Engineer, I'll probably go explore that area next weekend once the pass is opened (supposedly 06/02/2017).

Doing the loop 'out & back' was not bad, we spent a lot of time out at Engineer and just hammered back through the entire trail on the way back in a few hours. Most of it is smooth enough to get some speed.

Overall fun trip, even though we didn't get to complete the entire loop. We spent a lot of time in Silverton and Lake City, we camped just beyond Lake City about 5 miles into where the trail picks up. Got up late, drove to Engineer and went tubing in the snow for hours, that was an unexpected blast! We flew back through the trail back to Cinnamon and went tubing there some more since we still had some daylight, and still got back to Silverton before sunset.