Report The San Juan's are still VERY snowed in...

[Greg]

With this Winter's dismal snow pack and warm Spring (well, it was warm a few weeks ago) I was thinking that perhaps the San Juan mountain trails would be partly open. I had heard reports that the county guys had been working on the passes within the last month and that they had a good start on Engineer Pass. Now I wasn't expecting to make it OVER any passes, but at least drive on some of the trails. I wanted to play in the snow and see how the trails were melting... turns out they weren't! Yankee Boy basin wasn't really accessible, the dozer had stopped clearing snow at the bathrooms. Imogene Pass wasn't plowed past the bridge and the Alpine Loop was still snowed in at one of the big switchbacks! Luckily Corkscrew had been bulldozed recently and even though there was fresh snow, it wasn't bad. We turned back around 11k feet elevation and called that good enough. It was beautiful down there, snow, hail and rain... with a lot of runoff and mud. Love exploring the San Juans this time of year!

I was very impressed with how well those BFG KO2 tires stuck in the snow, I kept waiting for them to slip and they never did... even on the steepest parts of the snow-covered road! I'm very happy with the spring rate of the Outback Suspension springs from TeraFlex, they're firm but in control. I think the JKU will only ride better loaded up with gear.

Video.... the first half is from Moab, last weekend. :greg:

[video=youtube;5DusSbSvwso]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DusSbSvwso[/video]

 

[ttora4runner]

Nice.

 

[YOUKNOW]

Very cool, Will the run off from this area run into the Colorado River?

 

[Greg]

Nice.

It was a blast to be up there with all the snow!

Very cool, Will the run off from this area run into the Colorado River?

Everything on the West side of the Continental Divide will eventually run into the Colorado, so yeah... I'm curious what the snow pack percentage in that part of CO is now, after these last few storms.

 

[ttora4runner]

It was a blast to be up there with all the snow!




Everything on the West side of the Continental Divide will eventually run into the Colorado, so yeah... I'm curious what the snow pack percentage in that part of CO is now, after these last few storms.

I think in one of reports I saw some parts of Colorado are somewhere between 200-300% normal for rainfall. Pikes Peaks has been hammered with snow over here in Colorado Springs with these recent storms.

 

[Greg]

I think in one of reports I saw some parts of Colorado are somewhere between 200-300% normal for rainfall. Pikes Peaks has been hammered with snow over here in Colorado Springs with these recent storms.

That's crazy, this May has been a life saver for moisture in the mountains in some parts of CO this year.

 

[Tonkaman]

I'm impressed that Colorado spends the money to clear those roads. I've never driven any of that area, when is the snow usually all cleared out?

 

[Greg]

I'm impressed that Colorado spends the money to clear those roads. I've never driven any of that area, when is the snow usually all cleared out?

It's the County that clears them, but those roads are a huge tourist attraction and money maker for the small mountain towns in the area... so it makes sense for them to work hard to have them opened. It seems like the trails are usually opened middle of June or at latest beginning of July, but that all depends on the snow remaining in the mountains. I've had pics next to a 30' tall bank of snow that the County plowed thru to open the roads.... truly impressive work!

 

[Tonkaman]

I would absolutely love to get the girls somewhere like that. Once it's cleared enough to drive through I'll take a weekend trip before it begins melting off

 

[Greg]

I would absolutely love to get the girls somewhere like that. Once it's cleared enough to drive through I'll take a weekend trip before it begins melting off

Spend the 4th of July down there if you can swing it, the town of Silverton puts on an amazing fireworks display (long as they're not banned) and the temps in the mountains are cool for July... matter of fact, nights are downright COLD, if you're camping. Summer in the San Juans is amazing, it's like the best parts of AF Canyon x100.

 

[Tonkaman]

Thanks for the advise, I'm going to try making it happen

 

[ttora4runner]

Spend the 4th of July down there if you can swing it, the town of Silverton puts on an amazing fireworks display (long as they're not banned) and the temps in the mountains are cool for July... matter of fact, nights are downright COLD, if you're camping.

I may make the trip over to see that.

 

[Herzog]

You are putting that JKU to some good use!

 

[Greg]

Thanks for the advise, I'm going to try making it happen

I may make the trip over to see that.

We'll probably pull it off too, would be fun to get together!

You are putting that JKU to some good use!

Gotta break it in right!

 

[CobraNutt]

Looks like fun! ...and a little pucker at 1:54? lol! I miss my CO mountains, although I didn't get to spend much time in the San Juans...I spent a lot of time in the Sange de Christo range though! We used to head up to the Crestone Needles 2-3 times a year to hike and climb. Ahhh, the good old days!

 

[Greg]

Looks like fun! ...and a little pucker at 1:54? lol! I miss my CO mountains, although I didn't get to spend much time in the San Juans...I spent a lot of time in the Sange de Christo range though! We used to head up to the Crestone Needles 2-3 times a year to hike and climb. Ahhh, the good old days!

Yeah!! The passenger side mirror was around 6-8" away from the wall after I slid off my line... my air pressure was too high, I was at 18 front, 15 rear and should have been 5 PSI lower on both ends.

I love the San Juans, but need to spend more time in the other ranges in Colorado just to see something different! I should work on hiking some of Colorado's Fourteeners!