Driving 550 twice in one day is exhausting!

Train ride is awesome!

Double post

Naveronski said:

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Just got back from Durango/Silverton. Didn't make it to Ouray this trip, but that was based on BB and Imogene still being closed. I think they opened Imogene in the last day or two, but not 100%. Love the area, and the weather is great! Not sure who panda is or why he's a jerk.

OP have any more questions?

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We just got back yesterday from the same area. Not sure if you made it to Ouray, but their 4th parade was incredible. The kids had a blast with the foam cannons and fire trucks. Drone show back in Durango that evening was a total letdown.

We opted for fireworks in Silverton instead of the Durango drone show and were handsomely rewarded for that decision. With the layout of Silverton and the way they launched the ordnance from the grotto, this was one of the best firework displays we've seen.

Sorry to hear about the drone show but it reinforces my decision to skip it.

We were parked on the side of the mountain last week for the Silverton fireworks. It was incredible!

Good call. I could make out the glow of their fireworks just over the mountains. Not sure if you were there earlier in the day, but the flyover was incredible with how the jets swooped down into the canyon and lit off. The waterfight was entertaining as well.

Doing hurricane pass, corkscrew gulch and California gulch tomorrow.

Will head up to cinnamon pass once in Animas forks.

Likely heading back down to Silverton on CR2 then up 550 to do the Red Mtn mining trail that snakes along the east side of 550 through that area. Should pop us back out around Ironton and then back to Ouray.

Imogene, BB and Ophir are all closed into Telluride.

Won't have enough time on the rental to get up to and back from Yankee Boy.

That FunTrek guide book is pretty solid.

California Gulch was great. We went through there on Thursday. One of the trails on the south side by Eureka was closed with significant snow still on it.

mneisch said:

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Good call. I could make out the glow of their fireworks just over the mountains. Not sure if you were there earlier in the day, but the flyover was incredible with how the jets swooped down into the canyon and lit off. The waterfight was entertaining as well.

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Nope, got there around 4pm. We have a toddler, so had nap time at the cabin before we came into town.

The videos of the flyover look great, but I'm sure it was better in person.

Jaytoke said:

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We were parked on the side of the mountain last week for the Silverton fireworks. It was incredible!

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From where we were, the show was great, but getting out after was slow.


Worth it.

Still TONS of snow up in the San Juans.

Two hikers had to be life flighted out of the Marble area yesterday for getting stuck in very rotten high altitude snowpack.

Judging by what I saw yesterday, there will passes and trails that don't open at all this year down south. Snow walls on hurricane pass were well over 6'.

Poughkeepsie Gulch gate was closed.

Saw this in Alamosa today lol. 'MERICA BABY

Perhaps a bit late but if anybody wants to do some fly fishing around Durango, CO- give me a call!

Cory (720) 425-6238

Great job representing Texas. Lol.

8:15pm update: Here's what happened: It is believed that people drove around deep snow on the pass and dug it out themselves for hours this weekend to be able to drive the pass. These enthusiasts then posted on social media that the pass was unofficially open. Officially, however, Black Bear Pass is closed. There is still mitigation work that needs to be done to make it safe to drive, including, but not limited to, clearing rocks remaining from winter rock avalanches that can cause rockslides and injure or kill people.
From Sheriff Bill Masters: "None of the people that were up there today should be able to claim they didn't know Black Bear pass is closed. People are supposed to pay attention to our county's official announcement rather than social media rumors. It is your responsibility to know before venturing into the backcountry, whether hiking a trail, or driving on a pass, if the area is open and can be traveled safely. Black Bear Pass is dangerous, and you need experience and the right vehicle to navigate it safely. Some people have it together and know what they are doing, but some who venture up there are complete ass clowns. Some people are taking children into these dangerous situations, and in some cases it's irresponsible and possibly criminal behavior. Keep in mind, we may not be able to reach you if you have an emergency up there and need assistance, so be prepared to abandon your vehicle, be stranded for days, or be seriously injured and inconvenienced."

7:15pm update: the stuck vehicle and all cars behind it are clear. As a reminder, Black Bear Pass remains officially closed despite social media rumors to the contrary.
Although Black Bear Pass is NOT officially open, we do have a vehicle stuck below "the stairs," partially off the roadway, with the road completely blocked. There are more than a dozen vehicles behind it. Telluride Towing is in route. 1500 ft drop down 4 switchbacks if it goes over the edge.

Black Bear is one of our favorites but even on a good day it's gnarly. What a bunch of idiots. Hope they all got fined and charged the emergency services towing rate by Telly Towing.

JustPanda said:

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Black Bear is one of our favorites but even on a good day it's gnarly. What a bunch of idiots. Hope they all got fined and charged the emergency services towing rate by Telly Towing.

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It's been scrubbed from the group. But someone posted last week on texas overland that they "opened Black Bear". A guy in a full size truck was talking about how they shoveled snow and cleared the road.

And this particular moron in the 4Runner was apparently more scared of scratching his rig on the hillside than making sure he stayed on the road.

And yea everyone following that jackass deserves a fine as well.

I thought there was gate on BB closer to the 550 side.

Was bummed it was closed when I was there in July.

JB said:

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I thought there was gate on BB closer to the 550 side.

Was bummed it was closed when I was there in July.

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I read elsewhere that the gate was open because there are other open trails served via the same entrance.

This has blown up all over the local and state news up here. Really a bad look for Texas. Sounds like they may be looking into more than just fines.

Lol. For what? To appease the Colorado Karen locals* who think they hate Texans?

Those guys should get a ticket for not checking the official website for road closures. And they should take all the crap they are being given. They screwed up.

Also, the Sheriff is exaggerating the situation unless they drove past "closed" signs or around a gate.

I bet that trail gets closed in my lifetime.

*local=moved to CO last year but say I'm local.

How much is that tow fee?

I think the only thing that would have riled the locals more is if those had been Cali plates.

JustPanda said:

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This has blown up all over the local and state news up here. Really a bad look for Texas. Sounds like they may be looking into more than just fines.

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A couple of idiots stuck on a closed trail is a bad look for Texas?? Go buy some more vape pens and get over yourself, dude. You have seriously taken a massive dump on so many threads on this forum with your off putting condescending tone about all things Colorado.

Probs will run into the 2-3+ thousand or more depending on the time spent and resources used. I think it's something like $350/hr for emergency towing including travel time there and back. Then they will get billed by the state/feds for their time and effort and any resources used which isn't cheap either.

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/in-online-post-colorado-sheriff-warns-complete-ass-clowns-to-not-drive-up-black-bear-pass

I don't think the Sheriff exaggerated at all. On the best of days, people roll off and die on BBP. Trying to drive it without it being cleared from this previous avy season is just ******ed especially since there's no cell service as you move closer to the RM summit. My other half got stuck up BBP last summer and once down she said she legit though she may die.

I'm guessing you've never been on it and don't know the perils and dangers in encompasses to make that projection.

If you have to shovel snow for hours to create an opening and then declare on your own that it's unofficially opened after said clearing, you know what you're doing is wrong and deserve the fines, citations, and mockery. I hope it was worth the post because that's what really has people and authorities irked more than just being an idiot and putting themselves in danger. They're really really lucky no one was injured or died.

If they shoveled it and just drove up, that's dumb. Clearing it and posting on a message board that it's open = more serious. It sounds like they are looking at a plethora of potential charges. On the news last night, they even mentioned how they're specifically focused on drivers who were rescued w minor children and if the behavior that led to the rescue would constitute a criminal offense under Colorado law.

I don't think it was just Texans that drove up either. I think where the vitriol is coming from is that they drove here from TX knowing it wasn't open, spent hours opening it on their own accord, and then knowing it was closed, posted on social media to draw attention to themselves after creating a hazard for themselves and others under the aegis of gaining kudos from a message board. It's a bad look…

Edit to add: they supposedly shoveled through more than 4ft of snow to make the clearance. They knew what they were doing was wrong and they knew they were putting others at risk by doing it and posting that it was open.

They were far more than simply ignorant in their behavior which is why people here want consequences. Ignorant is not knowing that what you're doing is unsafe. Driving from TX and then spending hours to open something that's clearly been closed all season involves planning and purpose and then posting it online further shows their intent and not simple ignorance.

And yes, I think you're correct that it won't be open for too much longer at this pace. The ECO Karens have wanted it closed for years and it's already been discussed several times.

It's sad how people's behavior is slowly winnowing down the available areas in the state you can hike and UTV. From 14ers closing due to private property owners restricting access across their properties to the state and feds closing areas like BBP because of dumb ass people creating hazards, the squeeze has started.

So it soooo dangerous but the gate is open Come on.

Been driving over BB and every other trail in the area for 20+ years. It not as bad as you're making it sound.

I'm not gonna defend these guys, but this story is only out there because of the TX plates.

From the few pics I see and from reading the sheriffs update, everyone that "needed to be rescued" could have just walked down the road and been in Telluride in less than a hour. Miss me with the whole endangered children thing. Even if you are at the top of the pass, it's a 2-2.5hr downhill hike to Telluride. Cell service can be spotty, but it's there.

What is the actual story? Or do either of us actually know? I thought some guys came last week, took it upon themselves to clear the trail, posted to SM that it was open, then this group drove the trail based on that info, got 90% of the way through, drove off the road, had to call a tow company, got rescued, then they all just drove down the remaining 10% of the trail?

mneisch said:

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Naveronski said:

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Just got back from Durango/Silverton. Didn't make it to Ouray this trip, but that was based on BB and Imogene still being closed. I think they opened Imogene in the last day or two, but not 100%. Love the area, and the weather is great! Not sure who panda is or why he's a jerk.

OP have any more questions?

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We just got back yesterday from the same area. Not sure if you made it to Ouray, but their 4th parade was incredible. The kids had a blast with the foam cannons and fire trucks. Drone show back in Durango that evening was a total letdown.

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The Ouray parade and fireworks show was incredible when we were there for the 4th a few years back. Will never forget the flyover coming out of nowhere. I actually just made our July 4th '24 reservation for that week with the Ouray RV Park. Really good people there. If you are taking an RV or even just need a small cabin, you can't go wrong with them. 4J RV is also a good one.

So more of the story has come out. The truth is somewhere in the middle. There was nothing marking the trail closed.

A few folks supposedly a part of a volunteer group worked to clear the snow and posted that the road was open.

The county has not gone up there and officially cleared the road to open it. They have claimed the late snow has kept them from doing it. The answers from the county seem pretty dubious. Sounds like they are hoping to just keep it closed this year.

Yes the Texas plates are making this a bigger deal.

Story is all over the place. Unless this group is a part of the same group that shoveled the snow last week.

But I agree these folks must have known at some point the road wasn't really open and they needed to turn around.

OP, hope you had a great trip. Imogene is simply amazing. One of the coolest experiences of my life. My parents sold their place at Purgatory so I won't be going back soon.

There was no way I was going to even attempt Black Bear.

JB said:

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So it soooo dangerous but the gate is open Come on.

Been driving over BB and every other trail in the area for 20+ years. It not as bad as you're making it sound.

I'm not gonna defend these guys, but this story is only out there because of the TX plates.

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Yeah I drove it about 8 years ago on an over landing trip through the SW part of the state and had the thought "really, this is it?". Not because it was a bad trail, it's great and is worth doing, but it just wasn't technically difficult and didn't feel that dangerous. There was a local tour group in a ram 2500 with people in the bed of it going down the switchbacks.

I know people have wrecked and likely died on it, but that's a pretty low bar unfortunately.

Also not defending the people that went on it when it was closed.