2008 Colorado Touareg 4x4 Rally Dates, July 21-25

[Arkarch]

More news on plowing operations. Lots of news!

Telluride - The Watch - High Country Roads Opening Up.
tinyurl The Watch Newspapers - News, Sports, Weather, Classifieds, Local Events and Businesses in Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, and Norwood Colorado, as well as the Communities of the Western San Juans - High Where to start... the good...

Ross said that despite its challenges, the abundant snowpack is making for a unique jeeping season, with towering walls of snow and a promising wildflower season.

“It’s neat. It’s very unusual in its own right,” she said. “We’re encouraging people to get up there and see it because they may not see it again for another twenty or thirty years.” She’s looking forward to getting up to the Alpine Loop. “I bet the snow banks up there will just be awesome.”

But...

Engineer Pass

A large slide across the first two switchbacks of Engineer Pass left the road buried in debris, Ross said. “The debris was so heavy it looked like the road was gone,” she said. Other than the large slides, however, the road has melted off, according to Chris Miller, Ouray County Road and Bridge Superintendent.

“Right now most of Engineer is pretty much melted off except for the snowslides, and the snowslides are huge,” he said. “We’re crossing one now that’s up to 200 yards long and somewhere around 15 feet deep. In a normal year we don’t have those kinds of slides up there.”

Cinnamon Pass and Yankee Boy

Cinnamon Pass is another story. The pass is clear in both directions, but the high runoff is eroding the road and causing rugged conditions suitable only for expert drivers, Ross said. Yankee Boy Basin is also open to Twin Falls, but Camp Bird Road is subject to high runoff and rockfall as well.

Corkscrew, Poughkeepsie, Governors Basin, Black Bear

Other roads remain closed including the Anvil Mountain Trail, Black Bear Pass, Poughkeepsie Gulch, and Governor’s Basin. Corkscrew Pass is closed indefinitely.

And its noted that Imogene Pass will not be open to mid or third week in July on the SOAJeep Current Status page...
Colorado Adventures, Off Road Jeep tours, Switzerland of America, Inc.

Oh yeah, Aspen re-opens this weekend!

[TREGinginCO]

It certainly has been a strange year. Hell, just today I had to turn the heat back on in the house because it's only 58-degrees outside.

[aircooled]

Amen to that brother RJ. Just talked with the folks in Breckenridge, said it was snowing sideways. Looks like an ice age be a coming.

[Vegas Matt]

Originally Posted by aircooled

Looks like an ice age be a coming.

Cool, I'll bring some skis

It was 104 yesterday afternoon (according to the Touareg Weather Department) while I was chatting with Señor Smith from Texas. Is it sad that summer's not even here yet, and I'm looking forward to the cool-down of late July in the San Juans?

Matt

[aircooled]

Originally Posted by Vegas Matt

Cool, I'll bring some skis

Or bring a blender to make some slushy margaritas from that raw alpine snow.

[Vegas Matt]

We needs us one of these:

The Daiquiri Whacker

[Arkarch]

Originally Posted by Vegas Matt

We needs us one of these:

The Daiquiri Whacker

Nice! I like the starter cable on the side.

Ok, someone needs to bring a big plastic tub to haul the raw alpine snow down to camp.

Does anyone know how to brew beer? We can beat Coors at their own game

[Vegas Matt]

Originally Posted by Arkarch

We can beat Coors at their own game

That's easy!

Step one: Collect mountain snow (non-yellow only, please)
Step two: Wait for snow to melt
Step three: Drink melted snow

Coors: "The brew that makes drinking all day possible"

Matt

(No offense to those who enjoy Coors, I'm just not a fan)

[aircooled]

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I found the solution to our snow problems.

I'll see you on top:

[Yeti]

Sweet, are those cheaper then as set of Nittos? I guess I would have to bring a trailer along to haul them with. I don't think they will fit inside, but at least I would no longer need a full size spare.