DTX2023Tremor
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Another trip on the calendar for planning. This one's about 11 months out, and mountain lodging in July is competitive enough that it needs to start now.
The trip: basecamp in Lake City, day runs on the Alpine Loop. Three trail days — a bonus day Thursday for anyone arriving early, then the two main passes Friday and Saturday.
Where we'd stay: Castle Lakes Campground and Cabins, nine miles south of Lake City on Cinnamon Pass Road. Same model as Moab and the Utah trip — RV sites, tent sites, and log cabins all at one property, plus a lodge with a rec room, pool tables, a store, laundry, and showers. You drive out of camp directly onto the Alpine Loop, no trailering.
The trails:
Full-size friendly. Both passes are regularly run by full-size trucks from the Lake City side, which is the more forgiving approach. To be clear about what we're not doing: no Black Bear Pass, no Imogene. Those are the ones that get full-size trucks in trouble and they're not on this itinerary.
That said, these are one-lane shelf roads in places with no guardrail and long drops. Passing means someone backs up or pulls into a turnout. It's not technical, but it demands attention and a spotter-friendly attitude.
Two things to plan around:
Monsoon season. July brings afternoon thunderstorms with lightning above treeline, and both passes are well above it. We'll do dawn starts and be off the high sections by early afternoon. That's not optional — it's how you run these passes in July. It also gets us up and over ahead of the day's Jeep and side-by-side traffic, which matters on one-lane road in a convoy of full-size trucks.
Altitude. Camp sits around 9,400 ft and the passes top out near 12,800. If you're coming from Texas or anywhere near sea level, that's a real adjustment. Arriving Wednesday and doing an easy day Thursday is partly by design. Hydrate more than you think you need to.
The upside of late July: American Basin, just east of the Cinnamon summit, is one of the most photographed wildflower spots in Colorado and July is peak. Cinnamon's summit often still has snow on it, which makes for good pictures and doesn't affect passability.
Vote in the poll up top. If you're in, I'll follow up with a form for accommodation preference and arrival day. I'm calling the property about a group block and when their 2027 reservations open.
Ask questions and poke holes.
The trip: basecamp in Lake City, day runs on the Alpine Loop. Three trail days — a bonus day Thursday for anyone arriving early, then the two main passes Friday and Saturday.
Where we'd stay: Castle Lakes Campground and Cabins, nine miles south of Lake City on Cinnamon Pass Road. Same model as Moab and the Utah trip — RV sites, tent sites, and log cabins all at one property, plus a lodge with a rec room, pool tables, a store, laundry, and showers. You drive out of camp directly onto the Alpine Loop, no trailering.
The trails:
- Thu 7/22 (bonus) — Wager Gulch to Carson Ghost Town. Short, moderate, and it starts a few miles from camp. Good shakedown at altitude for anyone arriving early.
- Fri 7/23 — Cinnamon Pass, 12,640 ft, over to Animas Forks and back. Optional California Gulch on the return.
- Sat 7/24 — Engineer Pass, 12,800 ft, out and back via Henson Creek. The marquee day.
Full-size friendly. Both passes are regularly run by full-size trucks from the Lake City side, which is the more forgiving approach. To be clear about what we're not doing: no Black Bear Pass, no Imogene. Those are the ones that get full-size trucks in trouble and they're not on this itinerary.
That said, these are one-lane shelf roads in places with no guardrail and long drops. Passing means someone backs up or pulls into a turnout. It's not technical, but it demands attention and a spotter-friendly attitude.
Two things to plan around:
Monsoon season. July brings afternoon thunderstorms with lightning above treeline, and both passes are well above it. We'll do dawn starts and be off the high sections by early afternoon. That's not optional — it's how you run these passes in July. It also gets us up and over ahead of the day's Jeep and side-by-side traffic, which matters on one-lane road in a convoy of full-size trucks.
Altitude. Camp sits around 9,400 ft and the passes top out near 12,800. If you're coming from Texas or anywhere near sea level, that's a real adjustment. Arriving Wednesday and doing an easy day Thursday is partly by design. Hydrate more than you think you need to.
The upside of late July: American Basin, just east of the Cinnamon summit, is one of the most photographed wildflower spots in Colorado and July is peak. Cinnamon's summit often still has snow on it, which makes for good pictures and doesn't affect passability.
Vote in the poll up top. If you're in, I'll follow up with a form for accommodation preference and arrival day. I'm calling the property about a group block and when their 2027 reservations open.
Ask questions and poke holes.
![What did you do to your Tremor today? [2019-2024]](https://www.fordtremor.com/data/files/featured_images/featuredimages_thumb_5.webp?1788325539)
![What did you do to your Tremor today? [2019-2024]](https://www.fordtremor.com/data/files/featured_images/featuredimages_thumb_6.webp?1788325539)
