Jeep rolling off Black Bear Road

[Zoomad75]

I've been over Tincup a lot and I don't think you can go anywhere off of the summit than the trail itself now. At least in a vehicle that is. I know you can hike up to the peak, but nothing else.

Mt. Antero is a trail Larry and I did 13 years ago. Summit is at 13k and most of the trail is exposed shelf switchbacks well above timberline. Oh and its two way since the trail is a up and back type.


That's my old K5 near the top crossing the scree field.


Here's an idea of the tightness of the trail itself and the elevation gain in the switchbacks alone.


Red Cone is a little different to climb and come back down. It's different as it does not go up or down via switchbacks. It goes up and over following the spine of the mountain. So the bonus is great drop off views from BOTH sides of the truck. It's ok going up but coming down from the summit is three distinct straight downhill sections that get worse as you go. The last section is the worst as it is like coming down on marbles with a lumpy uneven surface. I had my hands full so I neglected to take shots coming down.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

I've been over Tincup a lot and I don't think you can go anywhere off of the summit than the trail itself now. At least in a vehicle that is. I know you can hike up to the peak, but nothing else.

Mt. Antero is a trail Larry and I did 13 years ago. Summit is at 13k and most of the trail is exposed shelf switchbacks well above timberline. Oh and its two way since the trail is a up and back type...

I was talking about up above the town of Tincup. Tincup Pass used to be real easy, just a rough dirt road, but I guess it has eroded and/or been tore up in the past 30 years. Summer of 1989* I took the wife and kids up there one evening in my 2wd pickup, and we met a young couple in a 69 Impala coming over from the east. That first little stretch down the west side was a bit rough for them.

I never went up Mt. Antero since we spent most of the time on the west side. Living and working up in the mountains you just get busy and don't really get out to play all that much. And I spent so much time being banged around on cats and skidders that 4 wheeling sort of lost its appeal for a long time. I preferred to just go for a hike. After my wife wrecked her Bug, for a while we used it as a dune buggy on jeep trails. It did practically everything but just couldn't climb the steep hills at high altitude. We couldn't get it up Flag Mt so we just drove back down to the saddle and hiked up Italian.


*PS: actually I think it was in 1989 when some kids rolled a jeep off a trail on the south side of Fairview Peak. There were fatalities. I didn't know them but I knew people who knew them.

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

I was talking about up above the town of Tincup. Tincup Pass used to be real easy, just a rough dirt road, but I guess it has eroded and/or been tore up in the past 30 years. Summer of 1989* I took the wife and kids up there one evening in my 2wd pickup, and we met a young couple in a 69 Impala coming over from the east. That first little stretch down the west side was a bit rough for them.

I never went up Mt. Antero since we spent most of the time on the west side. Living and working up in the mountains you just get busy and don't really get out to play all that much. And I spent so much time being banged around on cats and skidders that 4 wheeling sort of lost its appeal for a long time. I preferred to just go for a hike. After my wife wrecked her Bug, for a while we used it as a dune buggy on jeep trails. It did practically everything but just couldn't climb the steep hills at high altitude. We couldn't get it up Flag Mt so we just drove back down to the saddle and hiked up Italian.


*PS: actually I think it was in 1989 when some kids rolled a jeep off a trail on the south side of Fairview Peak. There were fatalities. I didn't know them but I knew people who knew them.

Ah, the town of Tincup...Duh. Didn't think about the town as we usually drive through on the way to Taylor to hook up with Taylor pass or Reno Creek. Now the trail of Tincup at least to me is still pretty much rough dirt road. There are still some rougher parts, but for the most part a stock 4wd truck could handle it with a few scrapes on the underbelly. It's not for crossovers though. We came across a Mazda a couple of years ago within sight of the summit coming from the west side. We all laughed like hell when we saw it. Beat to hell is the best way to describe it.


Some guys in a Toyota ran into us at the summit and gave us the scoop. The driver was trying to get to Salida and some local in Taylor said Tincup pass was the most direct route (Cottonwood pass was closed then as they were paving it). He had walked to their campsite on the east side below the summit asking for help to get a call out to get a tow truck up there. I'm pretty sure he was going to be in for a very expensive tow out of there.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

I've been over Tincup a lot and I don't think you can go anywhere off of the summit than the trail itself now. At least in a vehicle that is. I know you can hike up to the peak, but nothing else.

Mt. Antero is a trail Larry and I did 13 years ago. Summit is at 13k and most of the trail is exposed shelf switchbacks well above timberline. Oh and its two way since the trail is a up and back type.


That's my old K5 near the top crossing the scree field.


Here's an idea of the tightness of the trail itself and the elevation gain in the switchbacks alone.


Red Cone is a little different to climb and come back down. It's different as it does not go up or down via switchbacks. It goes up and over following the spine of the mountain. So the bonus is great drop off views from BOTH sides of the truck. It's ok going up but coming down from the summit is three distinct straight downhill sections that get worse as you go. The last section is the worst as it is like coming down on marbles with a lumpy uneven surface. I had my hands full so I neglected to take shots coming down.

So I watched some YT videos and it looks like Webster Pass itself is pretty easy - mostly just a dirt road that a 2wd pickup could handle?

We've got a 2016 K2500Hd rclb with a Leer high roof topper set up for camping/sleeping. Based on previous experience, I think I could take it most places without much problem, but I don't want to beat it up too much nor scare my wife (even though we did lots of jeep trails long ago).

Since she still has family in C.S. I guess we will be wandering down there once a year or so (I'd rather just explore MT). So just cataloging some interesting excursions coming and going.

[Zoomad75]

Originally Posted by '63GENIII

Really thought it was going to be the Jeep taking the video that was going over the edge. The red one caught me off guard!

That video was giving me the willies when things were going right! The conversation after between the driver and his GF was probably not all that great either.

Zoomad - "It's ok going up but coming down from the summit is three distinct straight downhill sections that get worse as you go. The last section is the worst as it is like coming down on marbles with a lumpy uneven surface. I had my hands full so I neglected to take shots coming down."

There isn't a bucket big enough to hold all of the "nopes" that I'd have for that! Just the thought of that downhill.... yeah, no way.

I went into that one somewhat blind. I knew it was a steep climb and decent, but it was a little more than I expected. But here's a good video taken from my mirror mount. Still does not translate how steep the last section was. I was on the brake pedal with both feet, legs fully extended, sliding under my seat belt as I was a little shy of being vertical as the truck was going down. Even with both feet clamping down on the brake pedal the tires were still sliding on the loose dirt. I knew Hydroboost needed to be in my future from that point.
https://youtu.be/dEAWtOgqQ4A

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

So I watched some YT videos and it looks like Webster Pass itself is pretty easy - mostly just a dirt road that a 2wd pickup could handle?

We've got a 2016 K2500Hd rclb with a Leer high roof topper set up for camping/sleeping. Based on previous experience, I think I could take it most places without much problem, but I don't want to beat it up too much nor scare my wife (even though we did lots of jeep trails long ago).

Since she still has family in C.S. I guess we will be wandering down there once a year or so (I'd rather just explore MT). So just cataloging some interesting excursions coming and going.

Webster isn't bad, but it's not always open. You can see the junction with Webster in my video above near the end. There's always a snow bank right at the summit of Webster. Depending on the previous winter's snowfall and how the summer temps have been the snow may still be there until August. That video was taken in July. No chance we could have got through it as it was over 8 ft deep on the trail side down from the summit. It forced us to go all the way down to Breckenridge come back through Fairplay.

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Zoomad75

I went into that one somewhat blind. I knew it was a steep climb and decent, but it was a little more than I expected. But here's a good video taken from my mirror mount. Still does not translate how steep the last section was. I was on the brake pedal with both feet, legs fully extended, sliding under my seat belt as I was a little shy of being vertical as the truck was going down. Even with both feet clamping down on the brake pedal the tires were still sliding on the loose dirt. I knew Hydroboost needed to be in my future from that point.
https://youtu.be/dEAWtOgqQ4A



Webster isn't bad, but it's not always open. You can see the junction with Webster in my video above near the end. There's always a snow bank right at the summit of Webster. Depending on the previous winter's snowfall and how the summer temps have been the snow may still be there until August. That video was taken in July. No chance we could have got through it as it was over 8 ft deep on the trail side down from the summit. It forced us to go all the way down to Breckenridge come back through Fairplay.

That's why I hate automatics in 4wd. I figured that out about two weeks after I bought my brand new 1973 K20 with TH350. It's all okay until the wheels start locking up.

So now I have yet another one but it had to be so my wife could also drive it. This 6 speed is different, though. I haven't had it off road, but just going down my driveway you can leave it in Drive and keep your foot off the gas and it will just idle down real slow, instead of running away like every other automatic we have or had. Same out on the road, take your foot off the gas going down most hills and it will slow right down almost like a manual. I'm almost liking it

Obviously many of those roads aren't open until July/August. First time I tried to go over Tincup Pass there was a drift like that right below the top so I had to drive back down to BV and go over Cottonwood like a sane person

Not "four wheeling" but the last logging/trucking job I did was up off of Old Cochetopa Pass. There was an insane logging road cut in there by the FS. It wound around nice and easy for miles and then suddenly went up this really steep loose rock hill. I couldn't load my trailer so going up empty was spin/catch spin/catch in 2nd gear all the way. The product was big green poles and coming down loaded in 1st gear I had to stand on the brakes with all my strength just to hold it back and stopping on the grade was out of the question. Just hoped I didn't meet some hunters insisting on uphill right of way! It was a contract job, so much per piece delivered, and the guy who had the timber sale couldn't understand why I didn't load more logs Yeah, a diesel and a jake brake maybe ...