Bill,

The trail starts at Red Mountian Pass between Ouray and Silerton on Hwy 550.
It is relatively easy to begin with, however starts to tighten up after the
pass itself, where it becomes one way (west towards Telluride). It becomes
visually discoincerting, as you face directly down Ingram creek and over a
cliff, with Telluride in the distance far below. As you make the first left
hand three point turn it gradually gets narrower as you cross the falls and
skirt the cliff face to approach the first, very narrow and tight
switchback. The first four switchbacks are the toughest, by the time you get
to the fifth, which is a the road up to the powerhouse, the road become much
wider and two way. You're basically home free at that point.

Re: full size ANYTHING on that trail, DON'T DO IT past the Pass itself.
You'll be ok until you get to the turn above Ingram falls, but the four
upper switchbacks aren't worth the risk, and you can't back out.

FWIW, after the first switchback the next two can lull you a bit, but #4 is
as tough as the first one to many of us.

There's enough room for a standard width / wheelbase Jeep to get down, but
it looks much more difficult than it is and quite unforgiving.
"William Oliveri" <wuji@bigvalley.net> wrote in message
news:2ncutqFv8g3fU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Given the recent news regarding Black Bear Pass I am wondering just how
much
> room is there for a jeep to get down?
>
> How much "maneuver" room is there?
>
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/image...ear/blacke.jpg
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/image...ear/blackc.jpg
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/html/blkbear.html
>
> Bill
>
>

 

Bill,

The trail starts at Red Mountian Pass between Ouray and Silerton on Hwy 550.
It is relatively easy to begin with, however starts to tighten up after the
pass itself, where it becomes one way (west towards Telluride). It becomes
visually discoincerting, as you face directly down Ingram creek and over a
cliff, with Telluride in the distance far below. As you make the first left
hand three point turn it gradually gets narrower as you cross the falls and
skirt the cliff face to approach the first, very narrow and tight
switchback. The first four switchbacks are the toughest, by the time you get
to the fifth, which is a the road up to the powerhouse, the road become much
wider and two way. You're basically home free at that point.

Re: full size ANYTHING on that trail, DON'T DO IT past the Pass itself.
You'll be ok until you get to the turn above Ingram falls, but the four
upper switchbacks aren't worth the risk, and you can't back out.

FWIW, after the first switchback the next two can lull you a bit, but #4 is
as tough as the first one to many of us.

There's enough room for a standard width / wheelbase Jeep to get down, but
it looks much more difficult than it is and quite unforgiving.
"William Oliveri" <wuji@bigvalley.net> wrote in message
news:2ncutqFv8g3fU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Given the recent news regarding Black Bear Pass I am wondering just how
much
> room is there for a jeep to get down?
>
> How much "maneuver" room is there?
>
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/image...ear/blacke.jpg
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/image...ear/blackc.jpg
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/html/blkbear.html
>
> Bill
>
>

 

Bill,

The trail starts at Red Mountian Pass between Ouray and Silerton on Hwy 550.
It is relatively easy to begin with, however starts to tighten up after the
pass itself, where it becomes one way (west towards Telluride). It becomes
visually discoincerting, as you face directly down Ingram creek and over a
cliff, with Telluride in the distance far below. As you make the first left
hand three point turn it gradually gets narrower as you cross the falls and
skirt the cliff face to approach the first, very narrow and tight
switchback. The first four switchbacks are the toughest, by the time you get
to the fifth, which is a the road up to the powerhouse, the road become much
wider and two way. You're basically home free at that point.

Re: full size ANYTHING on that trail, DON'T DO IT past the Pass itself.
You'll be ok until you get to the turn above Ingram falls, but the four
upper switchbacks aren't worth the risk, and you can't back out.

FWIW, after the first switchback the next two can lull you a bit, but #4 is
as tough as the first one to many of us.

There's enough room for a standard width / wheelbase Jeep to get down, but
it looks much more difficult than it is and quite unforgiving.
"William Oliveri" <wuji@bigvalley.net> wrote in message
news:2ncutqFv8g3fU1@uni-berlin.de...
> Given the recent news regarding Black Bear Pass I am wondering just how
much
> room is there for a jeep to get down?
>
> How much "maneuver" room is there?
>
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/image...ear/blacke.jpg
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/image...ear/blackc.jpg
> http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/html/blkbear.html
>
> Bill
>
>

 

I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
cab.


On 05 Aug 2004 00:26:42 GMT, ebmvi@aol.comxxx (Evan) wrote:

>the pass is a great drive and well maintained, there is about 100 yards that
>is the only problem. I would say it's 8' wide, and solid rock, with 90 degree
>turn, there are 3 to 5 12"-14" stare steps, there is a creek skirting the road
>at the turn, it creates a 3-4 story waterfall, as the road turns sharply to
>the right.
>
>I can imagine in the rain, that two things would create a problem, the rock
>would be slick, and the creek would not take much to be out of it's banks and
>on the rock,
>
>There is not a lot of room to maneuvering, but enough for a full size.
>
>83 CJ 8, a work in progress
>http://hometown.aol.com/ebmvi/MyTJindex.html
>Take out the "XXX" to e-mail me

 

I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
cab.


On 05 Aug 2004 00:26:42 GMT, ebmvi@aol.comxxx (Evan) wrote:

>the pass is a great drive and well maintained, there is about 100 yards that
>is the only problem. I would say it's 8' wide, and solid rock, with 90 degree
>turn, there are 3 to 5 12"-14" stare steps, there is a creek skirting the road
>at the turn, it creates a 3-4 story waterfall, as the road turns sharply to
>the right.
>
>I can imagine in the rain, that two things would create a problem, the rock
>would be slick, and the creek would not take much to be out of it's banks and
>on the rock,
>
>There is not a lot of room to maneuvering, but enough for a full size.
>
>83 CJ 8, a work in progress
>http://hometown.aol.com/ebmvi/MyTJindex.html
>Take out the "XXX" to e-mail me

 

I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
cab.


On 05 Aug 2004 00:26:42 GMT, ebmvi@aol.comxxx (Evan) wrote:

>the pass is a great drive and well maintained, there is about 100 yards that
>is the only problem. I would say it's 8' wide, and solid rock, with 90 degree
>turn, there are 3 to 5 12"-14" stare steps, there is a creek skirting the road
>at the turn, it creates a 3-4 story waterfall, as the road turns sharply to
>the right.
>
>I can imagine in the rain, that two things would create a problem, the rock
>would be slick, and the creek would not take much to be out of it's banks and
>on the rock,
>
>There is not a lot of room to maneuvering, but enough for a full size.
>
>83 CJ 8, a work in progress
>http://hometown.aol.com/ebmvi/MyTJindex.html
>Take out the "XXX" to e-mail me

 

I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
cab.


On 05 Aug 2004 00:26:42 GMT, ebmvi@aol.comxxx (Evan) wrote:

>the pass is a great drive and well maintained, there is about 100 yards that
>is the only problem. I would say it's 8' wide, and solid rock, with 90 degree
>turn, there are 3 to 5 12"-14" stare steps, there is a creek skirting the road
>at the turn, it creates a 3-4 story waterfall, as the road turns sharply to
>the right.
>
>I can imagine in the rain, that two things would create a problem, the rock
>would be slick, and the creek would not take much to be out of it's banks and
>on the rock,
>
>There is not a lot of room to maneuvering, but enough for a full size.
>
>83 CJ 8, a work in progress
>http://hometown.aol.com/ebmvi/MyTJindex.html
>Take out the "XXX" to e-mail me

 

"James Gemmill" <gemmilljim@hotmail,com> wrote in message
news:8pc3h0poao8ij35sh4nopi0pcacguog1no@4ax.com...
> I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
> ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
> cab.

With the right technique, or recklessness, you can do a lot. I once saw a
2wd small Toyota pickup drive up a fire lookout road that I'd previously
considered a moderate 4wd only road. The biggest problem was a series of
6"-8" stair steps on a slick granite hill. He must have charged up the hill
and over the stair steps, so who knows what he did to the tires and
suspension.

-John

 

"James Gemmill" <gemmilljim@hotmail,com> wrote in message
news:8pc3h0poao8ij35sh4nopi0pcacguog1no@4ax.com...
> I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
> ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
> cab.

With the right technique, or recklessness, you can do a lot. I once saw a
2wd small Toyota pickup drive up a fire lookout road that I'd previously
considered a moderate 4wd only road. The biggest problem was a series of
6"-8" stair steps on a slick granite hill. He must have charged up the hill
and over the stair steps, so who knows what he did to the tires and
suspension.

-John

 

"James Gemmill" <gemmilljim@hotmail,com> wrote in message
news:8pc3h0poao8ij35sh4nopi0pcacguog1no@4ax.com...
> I watched a full sized pickup travel Bl;ack Bear a couple of years
> ago. He was slow, but made it, F150 longbed as I recall. Standard
> cab.

With the right technique, or recklessness, you can do a lot. I once saw a
2wd small Toyota pickup drive up a fire lookout road that I'd previously
considered a moderate 4wd only road. The biggest problem was a series of
6"-8" stair steps on a slick granite hill. He must have charged up the hill
and over the stair steps, so who knows what he did to the tires and
suspension.

-John