Colorado Backyard Trip Report

[joetiger]

It's been a weird summer. My wife and one kid went to Panama and Belize in June. My other kid went with her friends to the Sand Dunes and New Mexico (more on that in a minute) so that left me to my own devices. I took my first full week off from work in over two years and decided nothing more than, I'm going to head west on 285 towards the Rocky Mountains.

The first night, after battling Friday afternoon traffic, I was tired and looking for rest. There were no dispersed spots available on Kenosha Pass but I did get a spot at the Kenosha Pass Campground. I have no photos of this because it cost an unconscionable $22 and I was about 50 yards from the highway.

The next morning I decided to check out St. Elmo, a mining ghost town southwest of Buena Vista. Cool place, but crawling with tourists, Jeeps, and OHV's, all of whom were skillfully avoided in this photo.

There are parallel roads to get in and out on either side of Chalk Creek. Having gone up the smooth dirt road side, I had some fun and went down the bumpy Jeep trail side.

There's a campground back there and I saw a white Syncro Westy nestled into a spot. The campground looks tight and uncomfortable, but there's an ancient town graveyard right next to it. Spooky.

From there I went south/east to Crestone. That's an interesting little town. It's nestled at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains and is home to multiple Buddist, Hindu, and other temples. It's quite endearing in that it's beautiful, in the shadow of fourteeners, and not yet touched by an overload of investment.

I walked around the town's Saturday craft market a bit then drove south out of town on a bumpy dirt road for miles, passing temples and looking for Nat'l Forest access. I found only private land and a lone trailhead. The Buddists have super polite no trespassing signs, though.

Here you can make out prayer flags crossing a stream along the road.

Although any time on the road is good time, I just wasn't feeling it at this point (evident by too much narrative and not enough pics in this report thus far.) I was in no mood to snap photos, a product of having an unusually hard time letting go of the work and life stress I was attempting to leave behind.

I decided to head north back through town to a forest road that terminated at the North Crestone campground/trailhead. All I found there was beautiful but occupied sites punctuated by turnouts with "NO CAMPING" signs affixed. As I was pouting aloud in the late afternoon heat and dreadfully planning my return to the highway in San Luis Valley, a guy ran out into the road and waved me down.

"You don't happen to have a device that will pump up a truck tire, do you?"

"Yeah, I have a compressor that'll do it."

"Oh thank God! Our spare is jammed underneath my truck, I've been trying to get it out since 8 AM and it won't budge. We have to be back to Colorado Springs tonight. You're a lifesaver!"

I got out my Viair, pumped up his truck tire, and helped him and his wife load their gear. We all shook hands as friends, and his last words were, "this site is all yours."

For $7 a night I had stumbled into a secluded, wooded site in the canyon next to a whitewater stream. It was glorious. They say Karma isn't actually instant, but in this case I might have to differ.

I decided to stay for a couple of nights and rolled out the awning and all of my crap.

The North Crestone Trail at the top of the road is a good one. It's a rough, fairly steep trail with flowers and rocks and water and all that stuff that makes the mountains awesome, like a big golden mushroom of some sort.

And an Aspen tree that grew around a rock.

Morning coffee

Waiting out an afternoon rainstorm, playing my guitar poorly with nobody around to tell me so.

Two days in this spot was just what I needed to get my head right. I even got some good solar based on where I had the van positioned.

I somewhat reluctantly left Crestone to head to a few other places in Colorado I'd never been. iOverlander pointed me to a dispersed campsite between Durango and Silverton, so I went south to a very crowded, hot Hwy 160 and headed west.

I took a detour to go see the town of Creede, for no other reason than I never had. It was packed with people. The drive back down along the Rio Grande was nice, though.

Through Durango and heading north on 550, I arrived at the coordinates that iOverlander had provided.

I was in the parking lot of Purgatory ski resort. This was not at all what I was hoping for after a long day of driving.

To be continued.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

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[dobryan]

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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
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The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794

[Microbusdeluxe]

"like a big golden mushroom of some sort." Dude that was a King Bolete (boletus edulis), what the Italians call "porcini", aka "little pig" when it is small. The big ones can get buggy, but basically you bypassed a great little treat.
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[coqcitywesty]

Great report - thx for sharing - looking greatly forward to returning and exploring more of CO once the borders open up again.....
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1991 Westfalia EJ251, 1972 Volvo 1800 ES

[sanchius]

Nice report, JT.... That area down there is a little slice of heaven.
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[designer]

nice write up. My wife and kids are departing town alone (in the subaru) because I, like you, can't leave the work and stress behind. I had some guys lined up for two weeks to start a job today ... so that I could go on our vacation ... and they've ghosted me. So it's tool bags on for this guy.

Good work getting out there. Looking forward to more pics as I miss my home state. Had some bros that lived in Durango - i'm a Routt County kid so opposite end of the state.

-cc-
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__________
87 Syncro Westy : 2.5l

"It is that annoying, accelerating downhill so I can make it up the next hill in the same gear. Foot to floor hoping I can get out of the way of other cars getting onto the highway." - somebody on here around 2013.

[joetiger]

A bit discouraged by the Purgatory parking lot, I continued north. It was around 5:30 PM and I was tired of driving. I was looking for any "National Forest Access" road sign that I could find. I came upon one on the pass to the east of Engineer Mountain and pulled onto it.

It was a rough Jeep trail with lots of washouts and sharp rocks, definitely a trail on which I was really able to use the Syncro clearance, granny gear, and AWD. Super fun if not a bit nerve-rattling considering I had no idea where I was and really just want to find a spot to rest. But really fun!

Around a corner, over a little bridge, and up a hill, I found this spot. Really it's just a turnout, but there was NOBODY out there.

I got all situated, had a look around, had a mule deer run through camp (no pic,) then a woman and her son came bouncing down the trail in a Cherokee.

"Do you know where the trail is to Adrenaline Falls?"

"I have no idea. I don't even know where I am."

They continued on. I had dinner and got a good night's sleep.

The next morning, I had the sun in my face for my morning coffee and couldn't resist a self portrait.

Oddly enough, I also had 5G. I was curious about Adrenaline Falls. It turns out that it was about an eighth of a mile down the mountain from my camp. The trailhead from the road was about 100 yards south of my location.

I packed up and moved the van to the trailhead in this Aspen grove, then walked down the very steep trail.

It's impossible to do justice to the falls. The cliffs on either side were about forty feet, and the falls terminate in a deep pool at the bottom.

I probably wouldn't have jumped off the cliff had there not been two Australian guys down there whooping and hollering and doing it over and over again. It was exhilarating.

They continued to climb-jump-climb-jump while I hoofed it back up the trail, much more difficult going back up than down.

I drove through Silverton and onto the Million Dollar Highway. I've been in Colorado 26 years and had never driven it. I have to say that while it's much shorter than the Icefields Parkway in Canada, there are parts that are every bit as impressive. (I didn't get any pics. Too busy driving.)

I stopped outside of Ouray and got a pic of the town and actually spotted a Vanagon down below, meandering down a street.

From there I went north to Montrose, then east towards Gunnison on Highway 50. After crossing a windy, awful pass down to Curecanti, a highway worker stood on the side of the road holding a stop sign. I rolled up and was told that Highway 50 was closed.

He also had lots of Syncro questions. His brother-in-law is a VW mechanic who has "...a drag Beetle that'll stand up on its back wheels when you floor it."

I had to backtrack twenty miles over that windy pass to Montrose then north on 50 to Delta. I just wanted to get back into the mountains. From Delta, you can see big peaks to the east, so I took 92 toward those peaks. I saw a sign that said "Kebler Pass Open" and drove up, up, up a dirt road that brought me into this stunning high mountain valley.

These pics are all from the same spot.

This moose was perfectly okay with the two SUV's in front of me. But then he made eye contact with me and pinned his ears back like he was going to charge Pigpen. Then he found something else to do.

I crept through this shady aspen grove before the road dropped me down into Crested Butte.

Crested Butte was packed with people and I was in a traffic jam for half an hour just trying to get out. Finally, I made it to Taylor Reservoir and back to what has become one of my most-visited places, Cottonwood Pass.

Sadly this spot had been TRASHED by the prior occupants. I spent a some time cleaning up discarded beer cans and food wrappers before hitting the sack.

The next morning, I made the obligatory stop by Urabus, even though they weren't open yet.

...and made my way back to the house in Denver.

The van ran flawlessly the entire trip. My new grey water tank also did its job satisfactorily. I broke a few things (cupholder, bed support leg, curtain rod) but overall everything worked well.

Upon arrival at home, I was told that my daughter's friend had wrecked her 4Runner and that she and four friends were taking her Beetle to Sand Dunes and beyond.

This idea was unacceptable. The Beetle is in less-than-optimal shape after three years with a high school kid, and there's no way four people and gear would fit.

So, the day after my return, we went and found a new (used) ride for her. She is entering CU as a sophomore, having tested out of freshman classes and earned an IB diploma. She deserves it.

Fuji Heavy Industries makes a great automobile. For all you purists, the comparable Tiguans simply don't compare.

The trip did its job. I was refreshed and ready when I returned. There's a reason that people come from all over the world to check out Colorado. Sometimes I forget that those are the Rocky F**king Mountains. It's good to get out there and remember.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[Steve M.]

Understand the frustrations of population!
Envy your location though!
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[shadetreemech]

Well, there ya go. Right outa the Tao Te Ching.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your report and lookin' at yer pics.

Nice Trip Report.

Dan
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'84 GL 1.9
'01 Volvo V70 T5
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[joetiger]

Thanks folks! I was just starting to get into the daily routine of waking up in the van, making coffee, and figuring out the next stop, then suddenly it was time to come home...I swear I could do it for a lot longer.

[dabaron]

so awesome, great "trip"
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1991 Vanagon GL Camper
i had no idea i wanted to be a mechanic
"burnin oil and cookin coils" -- Destructo

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[mikemtnbike]

nice report and congrats on no running issues significant enough to report!!
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1991 Vanagon GL 2.1 AT Westfauxlia. "Frankie" Totaled https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=764510&highlight=carnage
1995 Eurovan Camper "Marzivan"
2020 GTI SE manual

[GreggK]

EXCELLENT ALL AROUND, BRAVO!!!
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'86 2wd Poptop transplant
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[hardway]

I would be very hesitant to ID any mushroom by a photo. My first thought was Boletus edulis (King bolete) also. We puny humans have not yet begun to identify all of the fungi or insects etc.. But I will absolutely say that it is in the genus Boletus. Of course the splitters are using genetic sequencing to sub-divide Boletus now. As long as the spore surface, ie. the tubes are not red there is almost no possibility of toxicity. Regardless of the species designation I would have been tempted to collect it.

Drying boletes in the sun increases the vitamin D content and definitely increases the flavor. They are great fresh too. I still can taste the Bolete pesto a friend made from a lode that he found at Rainy Pass.

[joetiger]

That mushroom caught my eye because it was in the sun right next to the trail and because it was so big. And, for lack of a better description, it looked like it had been poorly spray-painted gold. I had to stop and check it out. I touched it and it was super firm, like a real dense foam. But I wasn't going to take it.
_________________
Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com

[Red Ryder]

Thanks for taking us along on your journey. I really enjoyed the photos along with your whimsical narrative. We too sometimes forget how blessed we are to live so close to the Sierra Nevada range.

_________________
“Most everyone’s mad here. You may have noticed I am not quite all there myself.” — Cheshire Cat, Adventures of Alice in Wonderland

“Scarlett” — 1990 Vanagon Carat Wolfsburg Edition
Tornado Red

[DanHoug]

i can't believe you had such a great trip with peeling clear coat....

-dan (driving the Rust Queen)

[mtnhome]

Glad you liked Crestone, did you try the Crestone Brewing CO?
I visited Crestone an few years ago and liked it enough that I bought a lot on Cottonwood Creek up high in the Baca. Easy walk to the road you found(Dream Way) that goes past all all the spiritual centers.
I'm planning to build my retirement base camp there and it will definitely be Vanagon friendly. Right now I have a tent platform on the property and just park on the road. Hoping to put a driveway in this year.

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'84 Westy, '93 Subaru ej22 and Subarugears 5speed
Build thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=763098&highlight=

[thatbaldwinlife]

Man we went to a lot of the same places on our trips!
We saw that iOverlander site at Purgatory resort and moved on to the one in our video, Lime Creek road. Not by ourselves but at least not a parking lot.

I knew that Highway 50 would be closed during the week so we made sure to get through on a weekend day. Sucks you had to go all the way around.

Keebler Pass was maybe our favorite area we visited in Colorado. There were still lots of people but it was spread out enough that we didn't notice. Did you get caught in a sheep herd at all on the road? We had to wait a few minutes as a dog herded some past us.

What a great trip report and too bad we couldn't have meet up somewhere for a beer! If you find yourself our in Oregon, let me know.
nate
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1987 Westy
Insta: @Thatbaldwinlife
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[joetiger]