SW Colorado Trails. Yikes.

[soreal]

I just spent a month at a friend's in Telluride and will be heading back out for another month in September. The H2 was so great to drive on the regular roads in the mountains - stable, responsive - I was more than pleasantly surprised.

On the trails, however, I was mostly terrified. I almost always felt like the H2 was just too wide to be there. Wherever I was. I bought a slew of the off-road guides for the area, but they really don't address the width of the trails. Anyone familiar with the CO SW who can steer me toward the wider of the trails in the area? I could care less about how rough a trail is, but those zillion feet drop-offs 6 inches from my tire just put me away.

Thanks.
Joan

[soreal]

I just spent a month at a friend's in Telluride and will be heading back out for another month in September. The H2 was so great to drive on the regular roads in the mountains - stable, responsive - I was more than pleasantly surprised.

On the trails, however, I was mostly terrified. I almost always felt like the H2 was just too wide to be there. Wherever I was. I bought a slew of the off-road guides for the area, but they really don't address the width of the trails. Anyone familiar with the CO SW who can steer me toward the wider of the trails in the area? I could care less about how rough a trail is, but those zillion feet drop-offs 6 inches from my tire just put me away.

Thanks.
Joan

[CO Hummer]

Soreal,
I've been on the few of those narrow shelf roads and I agree with ya - Yikes. I own the book that Alex mentions. I agree that it's a great book. However, One warning.....The book was written well before the H2 came out. So, when the author mentions 'narrow', watch out. It seems like he's writing with a Jeep Cherokee in mind. I've found some roads to be extremely narrow where he only mentions it in passing.

[soreal]

Well, I'll continue to explore and hopefully http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif report back. I did buy that book and it's great - the backroads part, especially. FWIW, and I can't check if they're in the book because I left the books out there, some nice roads to wander if anyone gets over there, are the Last Dollar from Tell to Ridgeway and Trout Lake. They're H2able. Last Dollar has a fork and two ways to come out in Telluride and both are doable. They're all a little hairy to me the first time through. I drove a little bit of Alta and there was a big chunk out in one place in the road and I got out and practically checked it with a ruler. Trout Lake circles all the way from one place on 145 and comes back out on 145 further south. Easy. And the drive up to the trailhead is rough but pleasant. Last Dollar is an incredibly beautiful drive either direction, either fork. The easier drive goes through ranches and the harder (narrower) drive just knocks you out with steep dropoffs in parts and incredible views and Aspens. My friends wanted to do Black Bear (NO FREAKIN WAY. I hiked it and it's like 12" wide in places) and Ophir Pass, but I asked around and got hugely differing opinions on that so I vetoed. We ended up taking a Tahoe up to Bridal Veil. I could've done it in the H2 but I was feeling a little wimpy that day. Sharp switchbacks. As it was I got out and walked a few of them.

Okay, no cracks about the bike if I can get a photo to post. Someone in Telluride asked me if I used the baskets on the back to deliver papers. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

Thanks!
Joan

[CO Hummer]

I'd love to see some photos! We're thinking about heading out there in September.

[soreal]

CO Hummer. I've posted some of the photos from the trip and there are some of Last Dollar and Trout Lake in there. Nothing scary, I was too busy worrying to take photos. And I will probably be there for most of September, so if you do go, get in touch. I would love to have someone driving ahead of me. :-)

http://roadwaves.com/tell0307/index.html
Joan

[SuperPoser]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by soreal:
CO Hummer. I've posted some of the photos from the trip and there are some of Last Dollar and Trout Lake in there. Nothing scary, I was too busy worrying to take photos. And I will probably be there for most of September, so if you do go, get in touch. I would love to have someone driving ahead of me. :-)

http://roadwaves.com/tell0307/index.html
Joan<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


cool bridge, but where are the wheeling pics???

http://www.eng.ysu.edu/~melliott/hobbies.htm