I just came check back from checking out the areas as follows.
The Shrine Pass is not going to work. The road was dry from within a few hundred feet of the entrance then back muddy as I approached the first hill with quite a bit snow on the road in some areas. Even if the road where to be dry by Friday, I don't think the ground we'd be camping on would be solid.
The Independence pass was very nice, dry and ready for camping, but I couldn't find any BLM area for camping near Twin Lakes and going over the pass with an Airstream would not be an easy task.
I like the Camp Hale area which is nice and dry and ready for camping right now. There were a few people boon docking today. The area has a creek running through it, nice flat areas for camping, and biking would be easy on the gravel roads in the area. On the down side it is close to hwy 24, doesn't offer a lot of trees in the spots we could camp, and has a place across the hwy that rents ATVs which might be an issue.
I like the Turquoise lake area very much. As I entered a gravel road near the lake I ran into a ranger on his way out. He recommended a great location. The area is totally dry with great flat spots for camping. It has a river running through it, and has fantastic views of both mount Massive, and MT. Webber the highest mountain in the state. We could camp by the river, in a heavily treed area, or in an open area for better views of the mountains. The site has easy access and is only a few miles from Clavicle. The only downside I see is that this spot is about 15 miles further away from I 70.
I think it's time to decide on our location and I'd like to hear input from everyone who is coming. I hope one of these spots will work logistically for everyone as I don't have another day off of work until the rally. I can set up wherever we decide on Thursday night to make sure we get the best spot in case there may be other boon dockers.
I just came check back from checking out the areas as follows.
The Shrine Pass is not going to work.
The Independence pass was very nice, dry and ready for camping, but I couldn't find any BLM area for camping near Twin Lakes and going over the pass with an Airstream would not be an easy task.
I like the Camp Hale area which is nice and dry and ready for camping right now.
On the down side it is close to hwy 24, doesn't offer a lot of trees in the spots we could camp, and has a place across the hwy that rents ATVs which might be an issue.
I like the Turquoise lake area very much. As I entered a gravel road near the lake I ran into a ranger on his way out. He recommended a great location. The area is totally dry with great flat spots for camping.
The site has easy access and is only a few miles from Clavicle. The only downside I see is that this spot is about 15 miles further away from I 70.
I think it's time to decide on our location and I'd like to hear input from everyone who is coming.
Charlie
Quote heavily snipped.
Charlie my vote(s) would be:
1. Turquoise lake area
2. Camp Hale area. ATVs make nice moving targets
Either location should work for us since we will be heading North on 285 out of NM
I think I overused my spell check on the last post, and rushed through it.
Since I can't figure out how to edit the post, the 2 mountains I was referring to at the Turquoise lake area are Mt. Massive, and Mt. Elbert.
The town just a few miles from this site is Leadville.
I'll get with everyone Sunday evening for our final destination, and details.
Thanks for being patient with the change of plans.
Charlie
The area that the ranger recommended is by Turquoise lake, perhaps a mile from the lake which is only a few miles outside of Leadville. I'd estimate within 30 min. further from I 70 then Camp Hale is. I don't know how to digimap buy I marked this spot with my Garmin as N39*14.759' W106*22.729' I'm off to work now, but I'll get with everyone this evening.
Thanks: Charlie
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2airishuman
all of the final suggestions read great...
the atv area least on the list.
for clarification is the 'ranger' recommendation
the turquoise lake area or something else near leadville?
i'm a little confused now by the options...
15 miles further from the interstate doesn't seem like a big issue...
ANY chance u can mark up a digimap map shot with the locations?
Charlie and I talked for a long time last evening and we agreed there are only two realistic sites. Guanella Pass is beautiful (well, all of the Colorado mountains are), but access from I-70 is very steep, can have a lot of traffic, and has some challenging switchbacks for long trailers going uphill.
The area near Turquoise Lake, if I understand what Charlie told me and what he posted in #62, has a lot of meadows, creeks, lodgepole pines. It is quite pretty and I have a vague idea how to get there. We have a friend with a second home nearby, but we haven't been there in a few years, so memory is a bit weak. The Lake is almost directly west of Leadville, elev. 10,000+. Access is from downtown Leadville I think. Weather forecast for Friday, June 20, high 71˚; Sat., 35˚ and 67˚. Leadville is a funky old mining town which has seen many ups and downs and has a lot of historic sites. The most recent news from there is a flooded mine tunnel and the fear the blockages will break lose and flood the Arkansas River valley with some pretty toxic mine acids. I am unsure of the exact location of this problem, but it is on the east side of the area and I think it's a bit south of downtown, no worry for us.
Leadville has things to see (National Mining Museum, Tabor Opera House, other historic sites), decent pizza joint, sometimes good restaurants (depends on the year). California Gulch is east of town (where the blocked mine tunnel is) and where the 19th century silver boom occurred. There's a high altitude 4wd road to the top of Mosquito Pass. On the west side of Turquoise Lake there's a 4wd mining road to Hagerman Pass and eventually you end up in the Roaring Fork Valley. All of this is easily accessible from Camp Hale as it's only 15 miles from there to Leadville.
Camp Hale is probably a little easier to find as it's right along the highway. There's a large flat area—graded during WWII for the training camp. For me it's a shorter drive and I might be able to make to there that evening before dark. Nonetheless, I can go either way on a site. At most it's a difference of 24 miles, but that's enough to possibly put us after 9 pm (205 mile trip). (unless someone wants to put out flares, carbon arc lamps and a pull through site for us—not good at backing in the dark, some would say not too good at any time). I can't leave before 5 and maybe later because I'm running a 4 hour meeting that day in Delta. I really want to get there Friday, but it'll depend on when I can get out of Delta and traffic. We will probably stay until Monday morning.
For those of you coming from the south, note that Ride the Rockies is happening. This is a big bike tour sponsored by the Denver Post and a Denver TV station. You can check the route by Googling "Ride the Rockies". On Friday they will be going to Buena Vista via Cottonwood Pass (directly west). Saturday they go to Breckenridge which means a lot of bikes on US 285 to Fairplay. Friday afternoon and evening there will be a lot of bikes in Buena Vista and many may be exhausted stragglers doing strange things on the road. These guys will have been on the road all week and a lot of them aren't in good enough shape for this grueling ride. Every year there are injuries and some years someone dies. Be careful around them.
Also watch for Colorado state patrol speed traps on US 285 and the Fairplay locals used to hide where 285 goes through the edge of town.
I can't wait to see Charlie's very unique and apparently very rare trailer.
I'm back to upper case. It sure was hard to not use it. Good luck traveling east—I don't think you'll be going to the flooded areas if your roundtrip is 1,000 miles, though Wakeeney was flooded right after we were through there. Do Airstreams float?
We'll probably decide while driving whether we can make it Friday evening and if we decide to go for it, I can call Charlie on his cellphone and let him know to light the bonfires.
The lake won't be chilly, it'll be cold, good for chilling beer only.
I may be in the area, can anyone play or is this a members only thing?
__________________ "If a man does not have an ideal and try to live up to it, then he becomes a mean, base and sordid creature, no matter how successful." Letter to his son Kermit, quoted in Theodore Roosevelt by Joseph Bucklin Bishop, 1915
Any non Wbcci member can check out a rally to see if they're interested in a club providing there is room, and room is not a problem here.
I'm very new to the 4 corners unit but HowardE is coming and I believe he's a little more knowledgeable then I am for those who may have questions.
With you're attending and 2air that would put us at 7 Airstreams with one more possible.
Charlie
Charlie
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