Colorado Trails and Camping Trip

[Mister Bevilaqua]

People are just unhinged these days, it’s sad and a microcosm into a bigger issue.

Didn’t realize that about NR tags, interesting. NM has monster elk and have some buddies down that way that have harvested some huge elk. It’s such a haul for me that I stick with NW CO and WY.

The public units have gotten so bad and the DOW here couldn’t manage their way out of a wet paper bag. Good luck with whichever way you go and crazy to think archery will be starting in in less that 6 weeks.

That’s a deal, you take NM and leave em up here for me. lol

We are leaning towards NW NM because they are rumored to be some of the biggest in the country and the drive would be a touch closer.

 

[NOCO Tremor]

Makes sense for the drive and you’re right, the herds there are plentiful and don’t get the same amount of pressure. My buddy guides down there and I’ve seen some pics of some jaw dropping bulls. That area around Raton and Trinidad near the NM/CO border has some monsters. I’m sure it gets even better as you press into that NW corner.
I can’t wait for the season to start, I just hope it’s cooler out than last year. I’m still sweating

Hope you dart one of a lifetime

 

[TellurideTremor]

For the record. I live in Texas full time but spend as much time in Colorado and Utah as work allows.

We have been going to Telluride and the surrounding areas for a long time. I built my truck for all the adventures we go on. That’s the background for the name.

We see the prejudice against the Texans (who spend a ton of money there and actually own a lot of the real estate (rentals) in the area.

At a local bar on the most recent trip there was a derogatory comment made towards me and my family being from Texas…instead of my normal response around tourists being the ones that fuel the economy, I simply said “if you don’t want Texans coming to Telluride, why don’t you talk to the Telluride Tourism Board to take down the massive “Visit Telluride” billboard in Dallas!

Blank stares back.

In all seriousness. My comment above was a joke. Telluride and all of Southwest Colorado is an absolute treasure for all. I hope everyone gets to enjoy it.

My comment was only because it’s getting more and more crowded as people discover what I have called for a long time, the best little Mountain Town in the World.

 

[Mister Bevilaqua]

For the record. I live in Texas full time but spend as much time in Colorado and Utah as work allows.

We have been going to Telluride and the surrounding areas for a long time. I built my truck for all the adventures we go on. That’s the background for the name.

We see the prejudice against the Texans (who spend a ton of money there and actually own a lot of the real estate (rentals) in the area.

At a local bar on the most recent trip there was a derogatory comment made towards me and my family being from Texas…instead of my normal response around tourists being the ones that fuel the economy, I simply said “if you don’t want Texans coming to Telluride, why don’t you talk to the Telluride Tourism Board to take down the massive “Visit Telluride” billboard in Dallas!

Blank stares back.

In all seriousness. My comment above was a joke. Telluride and all of Southwest Colorado is an absolute treasure for all. I hope everyone gets to enjoy it.

My comment was only because it’s getting more and more crowded as people discover what I have called for a long time, the best little Mountain Town in the World.

I still prefer Buena Vista and Lake City over the rest but there's no doubt Telluride is one of the best, aside from the price and rude locals. We've been going up to the San Juans for years now, it never gets old but the sentiments of those in the area towards outsiders/visitors sure is and I'll likely start to look elsewhere for a place to spend my summer and winter travels. Nothing great lasts forever and I fear Colorado in general has played out, at least in my book.

 

[speeddev]

My standard answer is NO, Telluride is terrible. Go to Breckenridge instead.

But on here. I’ll say you’re close to the right place.

Head on into town from there. From Colorado Ave turn left on Aspen. Right on Columbia and then left on Oak.

Proceed all the way up and then hit Imogene Pass!

TLDR: We were very fortunate to get to experience an awesome week filled with some trails and beautiful scenery, and camping. I absolutely love this truck now that I'm getting to do "Tremor things".

@TellurideTremor I wish we had the time--Imogene was on my shortlist of must do but just didn't fit into our cramped schedule! Our trip consisted of the following:

--Drive nonstop from Houston to Ouray. Unfortunately, several hours of torrential downpours between Amarillo and Albuquerque and a couple of other things put us way behind our plan. As a result, we did the Million Dollar Highway portion in the dark, arriving in Ouray around midnight.
--Next day was Engineer Pass--simply epic, and left in awe of the capability of the truck. Some of the not too tight, but rocky switchbacks and off-camber turns really let the suspension flex and she just idled over everything. There was a spot or two where I was glad to have the skid plates as I learned how to pick better lines. Pretty cool to see as a first-timer! Had some nice conversations with Jeepers at the top of the pass who were watching me follow them and were impressed. We ended up in Lake City for dinner, beers, and margaritas at Beny's, and then camped out at Wupperman Campground in Lake San Cristobal for the night--beautiful place.
--Following morning was tackling Cinnamon Pass and its endless picturesque landscape. We ended up in Silverton and then picked up Ophir Pass just north of there--such a different, rocky terrain there! After completing this, we drove up to Alta Lakes and camped out at another epic spot.
--The third day we started off with a leisurely breakfast, breaking down camp, and then a drive to Telluride (her first time so she wanted to check out the shops) and some pizza and beer at the Brown Dog. This was followed by a beautiful and relaxing drive to Durango for a hotel night, and a visit to Steamworks Brewing Company.
--Our last day started with a drive to Pagosa Springs, a day-pass at the Hot Springs resort for some R&R and rare day drinking, and then overnight accommodation at the Pagosa River Domes (first time staying in a dome--very neat!).
--On Friday morning, we departed early and made the nonstop trek back to Houston.

All in all, we had an awesome week. We were supposed to go with 3 or 4 other Jeep friends who all work together. Unfortunately, they had a work meltdown and had to cancel. For those that have followed at all, we relocated to Guam shortly after I took delivery of my Tremor and were there for 2 years. I had 6000 mi on my truck at the 2 year and 2 month mark back in April. I've put 8,000 mi on it since then in 3 months. The more I drive it, the more I love it. I've been fortunate to have owned some very cool vehicles, and this Tremor has quickly moved its way to the top of the list as the most functionally satisfying one I've owned. Zero issues except for a minor (and fortunately temporary) "sticking" of the DEF gauge descending on Cinnamon Pass as were getting bumped around. I went from 2000+ mi range to a quarter tank and refill soon--I was convinced I was going to get out and see a leak. It recovered on its own and no problems since.

A few takeways about my truck:

--I feel justified in my full Carli Pintop suspension. Smooth and soft ride on the freeway (as long as she's loaded!), more than capable for a truck this size on the trails, and then turn around and pull 24k!
--I was impressed with the Nitto RG 35s I had on my Tundra. Now having done some real offroading, and extended highway driving on the 37s on this truck, I like them that much more.
--Absolutely love the massage seats--couldn't imagine not having them.
--The range of the S&B 60 gallon tank is a game changer.
--The Morrflate quad system, coupled with my ARB dual was a huge timesaver
--The multiple USB-Cs, dual cigarette lighter plugs, along with the power distribution I set up for the bed was very useful. We used the Jackery power station to run the Iceco fridge at night and the truck to run it during the day. Super convenient.
--As expected, the fuel economy (calculated, not from the computer) goes down the toilet with speed...approximately 12.5 averaging 80, but almost 16 mpg at 65, and linear between there. This was, of course, with my gear pods on the roof rack. I'm guessing about +1 without them.
--The roof rack and gear pod combo is not intrusive at 65, you can hear it at 70, it starts getting louder at 75, and is definitely loud at 80+

Sorry for the long post. I'm just on a bit of a high because of how much we enjoyed the truck and wanted to share. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you all in Big Bend in November, and also to many more trips around the country.

I'll share some pics and videos when I have more time. Cheers!

 

[speeddev]

Black Bear is open again, and people have gotten Suburbans and H1 Hummers down the road. Just sayin'....

Disclaimer--I'm new at offroad trails. I'd consider doing Black Bear after maybe doing it with someone else first. I've got some Jeep buddies that have pinstripes from there and I'm not interested in those on my truck...yet!

 

[speeddev]

I've done Black Bear on bikes and in multiple 4x4's over the years, did it in a Power Wagon on 37's a few years back, full size trucks can get it done. Hit all of the Alpine Loop, you're right there and it's totally worth it. We are heading up tomorrow, we will be on Enduros running the CO BDR and then looping back south to Dolores/Cortez once we hit the Wyoming border.

We did the Alpine Loop. Saw quite a few enduros. I'd love to do some of that on a GS. Chatted with several guys on Engineer and they were hurting physically from the ride...I can only imagine how taxing it would be!

 

[speeddev]

For the record. I live in Texas full time but spend as much time in Colorado and Utah as work allows.

We have been going to Telluride and the surrounding areas for a long time. I built my truck for all the adventures we go on. That’s the background for the name.

We see the prejudice against the Texans (who spend a ton of money there and actually own a lot of the real estate (rentals) in the area.

At a local bar on the most recent trip there was a derogatory comment made towards me and my family being from Texas…instead of my normal response around tourists being the ones that fuel the economy, I simply said “if you don’t want Texans coming to Telluride, why don’t you talk to the Telluride Tourism Board to take down the massive “Visit Telluride” billboard in Dallas!

Blank stares back.

In all seriousness. My comment above was a joke. Telluride and all of Southwest Colorado is an absolute treasure for all. I hope everyone gets to enjoy it.

My comment was only because it’s getting more and more crowded as people discover what I have called for a long time, the best little Mountain Town in the World.

FWIW, as you can imagine, I saw probably saw as many Texas plates as I did Colorado. Every single person we ran into and chatted with the entire time, in the towns or the trails, was warm and welcoming. It was a great experience!

 

[Mister Bevilaqua]

We did the Alpine Loop. Saw quite a few enduros. I'd love to do some of that on a GS. Chatted with several guys on Engineer and they were hurting physically from the ride...I can only imagine how taxing it would be!

It all depends on the bike you ride, your fitness level, how you handle altitude and the amount of gear you drag along. I keep things light on BDR's riding my KTM 500 setup to carry Mosko 40's. I enjoy the passes/Loop much more on a bike because 1) you're three times faster being able to eat up the chop and get around large groups of Jeeps and SxS's and 2) the suspension on the bikes makes for a much smoother ride overall. We are rolling out here in a few hours, looking forward to escaping all of this rain and humidity for a week.

Do you have a GS? If so I am in Bay City and I have a GSA and a few buddies in the area have GS/GSA's as well and we ride semi regularly. Let me know if you want to meet up and ride sometime.

 

[Mister Bevilaqua]

How my 500 is setup for Colorado.

 

[speeddev]

It all depends on the bike you ride, your fitness level, how you handle altitude and the amount of gear you drag along. I keep things light on BDR's riding my KTM 500 setup to carry Mosko 40's. I enjoy the passes/Loop much more on a bike because 1) you're three times faster being able to eat up the chop and get around large groups of Jeeps and SxS's and 2) the suspension on the bikes makes for a much smoother ride overall. We are rolling out here in a few hours, looking forward to escaping all of this rain and humidity for a week.

Do you have a GS? If so I am in Bay City and I have a GSA and a few buddies in the area have GS/GSA's as well and we ride semi regularly. Let me know if you want to meet up and ride sometime.

Great stuff. I don't have a GS...wish I did. It's on my list of "wanted toys". But I have been riding forever, currently have a HD RG, have had numerous sport bikes, and occasionally enjoy track work on a rented S1000RR. Have a great, safe ride...cheers!

 

[TellurideTremor]

TLDR: We were very fortunate to get to experience an awesome week filled with some trails and beautiful scenery, and camping. I absolutely love this truck now that I'm getting to do "Tremor things".

@TellurideTremor I wish we had the time--Imogene was on my shortlist of must do but just didn't fit into our cramped schedule! Our trip consisted of the following:

--Drive nonstop from Houston to Ouray. Unfortunately, several hours of torrential downpours between Amarillo and Albuquerque and a couple of other things put us way behind our plan. As a result, we did the Million Dollar Highway portion in the dark, arriving in Ouray around midnight.
--Next day was Engineer Pass--simply epic, and left in awe of the capability of the truck. Some of the not too tight, but rocky switchbacks and off-camber turns really let the suspension flex and she just idled over everything. There was a spot or two where I was glad to have the skid plates as I learned how to pick better lines. Pretty cool to see as a first-timer! Had some nice conversations with Jeepers at the top of the pass who were watching me follow them and were impressed. We ended up in Lake City for dinner, beers, and margaritas at Beny's, and then camped out at Wupperman Campground in Lake San Cristobal for the night--beautiful place.
--Following morning was tackling Cinnamon Pass and its endless picturesque landscape. We ended up in Silverton and then picked up Ophir Pass just north of there--such a different, rocky terrain there! After completing this, we drove up to Alta Lakes and camped out at another epic spot.
--The third day we started off with a leisurely breakfast, breaking down camp, and then a drive to Telluride (her first time so she wanted to check out the shops) and some pizza and beer at the Brown Dog. This was followed by a beautiful and relaxing drive to Durango for a hotel night, and a visit to Steamworks Brewing Company.
--Our last day started with a drive to Pagosa Springs, a day-pass at the Hot Springs resort for some R&R and rare day drinking, and then overnight accommodation at the Pagosa River Domes (first time staying in a dome--very neat!).
--On Friday morning, we departed early and made the nonstop trek back to Houston.

All in all, we had an awesome week. We were supposed to go with 3 or 4 other Jeep friends who all work together. Unfortunately, they had a work meltdown and had to cancel. For those that have followed at all, we relocated to Guam shortly after I took delivery of my Tremor and were there for 2 years. I had 6000 mi on my truck at the 2 year and 2 month mark back in April. I've put 8,000 mi on it since then in 3 months. The more I drive it, the more I love it. I've been fortunate to have owned some very cool vehicles, and this Tremor has quickly moved its way to the top of the list as the most functionally satisfying one I've owned. Zero issues except for a minor (and fortunately temporary) "sticking" of the DEF gauge descending on Cinnamon Pass as were getting bumped around. I went from 2000+ mi range to a quarter tank and refill soon--I was convinced I was going to get out and see a leak. It recovered on its own and no problems since.

A few takeways about my truck:

--I feel justified in my full Carli Pintop suspension. Smooth and soft ride on the freeway (as long as she's loaded!), more than capable for a truck this size on the trails, and then turn around and pull 24k!
--I was impressed with the Nitto RG 35s I had on my Tundra. Now having done some real offroading, and extended highway driving on the 37s on this truck, I like them that much more.
--Absolutely love the massage seats--couldn't imagine not having them.
--The range of the S&B 60 gallon tank is a game changer.
--The Morrflate quad system, coupled with my ARB dual was a huge timesaver
--The multiple USB-Cs, dual cigarette lighter plugs, along with the power distribution I set up for the bed was very useful. We used the Jackery power station to run the Iceco fridge at night and the truck to run it during the day. Super convenient.
--As expected, the fuel economy (calculated, not from the computer) goes down the toilet with speed...approximately 12.5 averaging 80, but almost 16 mpg at 65, and linear between there. This was, of course, with my gear pods on the roof rack. I'm guessing about +1 without them.
--The roof rack and gear pod combo is not intrusive at 65, you can hear it at 70, it starts getting louder at 75, and is definitely loud at 80+

Sorry for the long post. I'm just on a bit of a high because of how much we enjoyed the truck and wanted to share. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you all in Big Bend in November, and also to many more trips around the country.

I'll share some pics and videos when I have more time. Cheers!

Sounds like an awesome trip! You hit some really great trails my friend

 

[Godzilla/Tremornator]

happenstance

met another tremor, yes he was from waxahachie, texas. imagine that!!!! on the alpine loop last year, cinnamon pass to be exact.

Anyway, a tremor meet-up in the San Juan's would be awesome too!!!!!!

20 Tremors on black bear, that would really short circuit some jeepers

 

[NOCO Tremor]

For the record. I live in Texas full time but spend as much time in Colorado and Utah as work allows.

We have been going to Telluride and the surrounding areas for a long time. I built my truck for all the adventures we go on. That’s the background for the name.

We see the prejudice against the Texans (who spend a ton of money there and actually own a lot of the real estate (rentals) in the area.

At a local bar on the most recent trip there was a derogatory comment made towards me and my family being from Texas…instead of my normal response around tourists being the ones that fuel the economy, I simply said “if you don’t want Texans coming to Telluride, why don’t you talk to the Telluride Tourism Board to take down the massive “Visit Telluride” billboard in Dallas!

Blank stares back.

In all seriousness. My comment above was a joke. Telluride and all of Southwest Colorado is an absolute treasure for all. I hope everyone gets to enjoy it.

My comment was only because it’s getting more and more crowded as people discover what I have called for a long time, the best little Mountain Town in the World.

Do you think a tremor on 37”s could get over Imogene?

 

[Godzilla/Tremornator]

Do you think a tremor on 37”s could get over Imogene?

I've done it easy on 35s

you will not have any problem

just pay attention to the road
it's an incredible drive & view

with that said:
not responsible for your mistakes

you'll be fine

 

[NOCO Tremor]

I've done it easy on 35s

you will not have any problem

just pay attention to the road
it's an incredible drive & view

Roger that, thank you. Great pics!

 

[Mister Bevilaqua]

Do you think a tremor on 37”s could get over Imogene?

Easily.

 

[Briski]

A lot of the trails are cut for jeep size vehicles (width). I haven’t been on that one so…don’t know.
Cheers

 

[Briski]

For the record. I live in Texas full time but spend as much time in Colorado and Utah as work allows.

We have been going to Telluride and the surrounding areas for a long time. I built my truck for all the adventures we go on. That’s the background for the name.

We see the prejudice against the Texans (who spend a ton of money there and actually own a lot of the real estate (rentals) in the area.

At a local bar on the most recent trip there was a derogatory comment made towards me and my family being from Texas…instead of my normal response around tourists being the ones that fuel the economy, I simply said “if you don’t want Texans coming to Telluride, why don’t you talk to the Telluride Tourism Board to take down the massive “Visit Telluride” billboard in Dallas!

Blank stares back.

In all seriousness. My comment above was a joke. Telluride and all of Southwest Colorado is an absolute treasure for all. I hope everyone gets to enjoy it.

My comment was only because it’s getting more and more crowded as people discover what I have called for a long time, the best little Mountain Town in the World.

Exactly!

 

[MileHigh]

I've lived on the Front Range of CO my whole life and there are a lot of people that are not originally from here. Who cares where you're from, you're here now. I have Texan neighbors that are great people. The reason that people want to move here or play here is the same reason I never left here. It's a great place. Telluride is gorgeous, and it's not a secret, hence the $32million houses. The skiing and off roading is fantastic. I don't think I would ever drive my Tremor over some of the passes down there because its heavy and expensive. I'm sure it could do it I would just rather use it to tow some toys. For a nice scenic paved drive check out Red Mountain Pass between Silverton to Ridgeway then go soak at Orvis hot springs. Come to CO and spend your money here. I'll be giving it back when I go to where you're from.