2020 CO/Moab Wheelin' Trip Planning

#1
Going to start compiling our trip plans here. Anyone with knowledge please feel free to comment and offer suggestions.

We anticipate leaving early AM 9/3/20 and returning to the SC area loosely 9/14/20 range.

Itinerary:
Day 1 9/3-Drive to Kansas City area (940 Miles, ~15 hours towing). This is a loose milestone, and conditions will determine actual distance traveled. Anticipated leave time of 6AM to arrive by 9PM EST. (8PM Local Time).
Day 2 9/4-Sleep day one off, Drive to Leadville, CO area (700 Miles, ~12 hours towing). Also a loose milestone. Anticipated leave time of 8AM to arrive by 10PM CST. (9PM Local Time).
Day 3 9/5- Drive to Holy Cross trail access (Blodget Campground). Wheel Holy Cross trail (~4 Hours) then load back up for the decent to Moab (285 Miles, ~6 hours towing).
Day 4 9/6-Rest day. Will be much needed. Explore town of Moab and hit trails close to town.
Day 5-10 9/7-9/10-Moab Trails (TBD)
Day 11 9/11 - Black Bear Pass and any other trails there is time for in area
Day 12-14 9/12-9/14- Drive back to SC.

The initial portion of the trip is an aggressive schedule. I have allowed myself time off 9/3-9/15 in case we need to modify days. All of the above dependent on current state of the US...


Group Traveling:
Myself, Shannon
Todd, Madeline
Jimbo, Dale
Deano is a maybe

Not discouraging anyone from joining but would like to keep trail groups small so we can cover ground. Would be cool to have a couple more rigs to join us. I am currently lining up lodging for Moab. Will more than likely be a Condo from Air BNB with a garage. I intend on driving the CJ most trailheads. Taking the RZR also and plan for a dedicated RZR day to cover some ground. Anyone w/o one will likely rent one this day.

Other than Holy Cross and some Moab stuff, I don't plan on this being even a remotely "hardcore" trip. Holy Cross is not hardcore either but will likely be the tougher of trails covered.


I really have to finish this CJ so I can get some seat/trail time on it!!! MOTIVATION!!
 
#2
Also, as mentioned. I know this is an aggressive schedule. I appreciate input but not negativity.

Welcomed input:
Trails to hit
Restaurants
Breweries
Must see's along the way

Unwelcomed input:
No way you can make that

Cant' never could, Won't never would. :flipoff2

I intentionally left room on the front and back side of the trip in order to allow for unforeseen things.
 
#3
I’m going to see if I can get the gps map from Eric for your rzr day. It was I think 120 miles but super chill awsome views and killer winery at the end on the river
 
#6
That sounds totally doable. Long days, but worth it.

Leadville is really cool.
High mountain pies was a decent eat.
High and Tight barbershop was a good cut
Head up Half Moon Creek for a really cool old Ore mine and photo op.

Moab
Don't get your hopes up for Moab Brewing Company. It is a decent meal, but nothing special.
Most trails you can't go wrong with. It is all fun.
Watch out for the big mexican restaurant in town. They don't even have white cheese for your chips....

I sure wish I had a tow rig. Sounds like lots of fun.
 
#8
I'd might consider dropping a moab day to add a colorado day. I liked Ouray better than moab. If not NBD, just a random jimbo thought
 
#9
Or drive straight there and gain a driving day. When we went a few years ago we drove straight there and straight back.
 
#10
I'm good with losing a driving day possibly, or a Moab day. I am definitely wheeling Holy Cross on the way out. That's been on my bucket list since Stacy David and Trucks were on Sunday mornings on TNT.
 
#12
When it comes to scenic amazing wheeling, Colorado wins in my mind. It was amazing and I only saw a tiny bit. I had a fill of Moab in two days last year in a rental jeep. I could wheel there for days on end, but in just two days I was happy. If you are looking for a nasty nasty trail where a couple of people can watch give Boulder Canyon a try outside Montrose CO. That was the nastest trail I have ever been on. Cracked my 14bolt center section on there.
 

LBarr2002

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#13
We are booked for Entrada @ Moab unit 632 for 9/6-9/11.
Tentative Plan:
9/3 Afternoon: Load and leave from BL, drive through the night
9/4 stop evening, hopefully Albuquerque area
9/5 arrive in Moab (or close) and get cheap hotel
9/6 check into house
9/11 depart morning

This will be Me, Burgundy, Tripp, Chase, Angelica, Brooks, Emily. Taylor and Rosa will already be out that way for the Rubicon with Dial and Brent and meet us in Moab.

We'll play it by ear, but discussed joining you for Black Bear on the way back.
 
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#15
Per a native to the Telluride area, it would be best to do Ophir pass into Silverton, then Black Bear into Telluride. Black Bear is one way from Silverton to Telluride. So, coming back from the Moab area, doing Ophir first would make more sense to maximize the trail scene.
 
#17
Tentative Moab trail plans:
9/6 Sunday: Top of the world trail. Day long trail. Not extremely difficult. If day goes well, get some RZR time in.
9/7 Monday: Pritchett Canyon. Day long trail. Difficult.
9/8 Tuesday: Hells Revenge, Fins & Things, Rusty Nail to Golden Spike
9/9 Wednesday: Poison Spyder Mesa and Moab Rim.

Ouray area trail plans:
9/10 Thursday: Drive to Ouray from Moab. Hit some shorter trails TBD.
9/11 Friday: Black Bear to Ophir

Ideally we would do Black Bear to Ophir Thursday if the drive went well. (3 Hour Drive). Then Friday hit some more stuff (Governor Basin, Mineral Creek, Poughkeepsie Gulch)...

I planned this out on the beach. Made notes in my book. Will update when I get home.
 
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#18
Tentative Moab trail plans:
9/6 Sunday: Top of the world trail. Day long trail. Not extremely difficult.
9/7 Monday: Pritchett Canyon. Day long trail. Difficult.
9/8 Tuesday: Hells Revenge and another close by. Can't remember what else I planned...
9/9 Wednesday: Poison Spyder Mesa and Moab Rim.

I planned this out on the beach. Made notes in my book. Will update when I get home.

I would only add that Pritchett is hard by Moab standards. This isn't going to take you all day in your jeep. In my buggy I could run the entire trail out to the end in around an hour or less. Last trip out I ran it out and back 3 times in a few hours running parts for other people. Of course that is not lollygagging. First time out we ran the whole thing plus the trail up to the sand dunes out and back in a day with lots of play time.

Last year I took the family on Fins & Things and then Hells Revenge. It was a solid day and we just took it slow and enjoyed ourselves. Fins and Things isn't crazy, but it is close by and has some fun little ledges and climbs. A great place to warm up to having traction. I would likely do that before heading for Pritchett Canyon -> Behind the Rocks -> dunes for sand jumping. I would also consider Rust Nail and Golden spike so you can get up to the picture that everyone likes to get in Moab of their rig up against a cliff drop. Those trails were fun as well.
 
#20
I would only add that Pritchett is hard by Moab standards. This isn't going to take you all day in your jeep. In my buggy I could run the entire trail out to the end in around an hour or less. Last trip out I ran it out and back 3 times in a few hours running parts for other people. Of course that is not lollygagging. First time out we ran the whole thing plus the trail up to the sand dunes out and back in a day with lots of play time.

Last year I took the family on Fins & Things and then Hells Revenge. It was a solid day and we just took it slow and enjoyed ourselves. Fins and Things isn't crazy, but it is close by and has some fun little ledges and climbs. A great place to warm up to having traction. I would likely do that before heading for Pritchett Canyon -> Behind the Rocks -> dunes for sand jumping. I would also consider Rust Nail and Golden spike so you can get up to the picture that everyone likes to get in Moab of their rig up against a cliff drop. Those trails were fun as well.

Would it be foolish to think we could work in Rusty nail to golden spike into the same day as Hell's Revenge and Fins & Things?
 
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