Looks like we'll be out in Silverton Colorado July 26th thru August 1st with a Jeep club from here in Iowa (been tough to find many active Bronco owners here in IA so far, found a few but not enough, so with the Jeepers I go), but before or after my heep buddies invade Silverton for the week, I was looking to make a trip up Holy Cross or another trail, maybe Minesweeper, Iron Chest or ?? up around Buena Vista or ?? (i'm open to suggestions). I may bring one or two of them along, yet to be determined who can get the time off to leave early or come back late, last year we had a great time in the San Juans but would love to show some of my local buddies what the hard trails are like. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions. Does anyone have any trips in the making for either weekend we can meet up with? throw anything at me, ya never know what may work out. Thanks! And if anyone is in the San Juans that week please say hello. I need some Bronco's to help even things out

I should be able to do something to meet up then. I'll keep up with your dates and hope we can plan something.

I don't know the San Juans as well as I should. Poughkeepsie Gultch is the toughest trail I have done down there. Its not too tough except one obstacle. A few did Yankee Boy Basin & an off shoot trail a few years ago. Black Bear is technical & scary, but I haven't run it.

Williams Pass is a tough trail near Gunnison. It only opens in August, IF it opens. I'd like to do it this summer.

Schofield Pass/Devils Punch Bowls near Crested Butte, also.

Chinamen's Gulch near Buena Vista is fun.

Lots of info on trails here:
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php

I did Poughkeepsie in the 90's but someone told me it had been changed since then? We have plans to do it again this summer. It's about the only hard trail in the San Juans, at least that I know of. We did Black bear last year, glad we did, very cool trail, not hard to do besides the ever present fear of falling 1000 feet :-) but the views are breathtaking for sure. The rest of the San Juans, to me anyways, are mostly pretty easy and very enjoyable trail running with amazing scenery and history at almost every turn. My favorite part of Colorado for sure, been there many times thru the years and they never leave me unimpressed.
I'm very open to trying a new trail on our way in or out. Chinaman we did a few years ago, enjoyed it as well. Williams sounds familiar, I'll have to look it up and see where it is. Schofield is also an enjoyable place to go, been a long time since I have been up there. I'll get my Colorado book out and see what I can come up with as a suggestion to see what fits for folks as we get closer. We did pearl pass in the late 90's from Crested Butte north, but had to turn back because of snow at the top. All the way and back again. I think it was the first week of August too. Doubt it opened up at all that year.

I'd like to do a Pearl/Taylor/Italian loop. It would be a long day, but probably amazing.

We have a VERY thin snowpack now, and I doubt there will be any trouble opening trails. Hopefully we get some snow/rain, otherwise a travel/fireban would be more likely to spoil the fun.

Lets see what the weather brings and plan accordingly.

I would be in and have run holy cross, iron chest and quite a few others near Buena vista. Up for anything but haven't planned stuff past may yet ;)

Wish I knew more about Pearl. Back when I moved here, someone told me "its only for dirtbikes", that kept me from considering it for many years. But that is obviously wrong.

I'd love to do an overnight (or 2) camping trip.

Pearl->Taylor->Italian->Tin Cup->Hancock->??Alpine Tunnel, Williams, Tomichi??? (or some variation or reverse course) would easily take 2, probably 3 days. We'd always be pretty close to my house & shop in Gunnison. There are many bail out points with easy routes to/from Gunnison if emergency repairs, supplies, etc. were needed.

Lets see what the weather brings as far as fire restrictions, but I think we could play for a day or two around Buena Vista or Holy Cross wilderness area, lots to see up there besides the obviously very likely busy trial on a weekend. But Pearl does interest me since I never got over the top. We spent an overnight up there in '99 or so we took our time. can it be done in a day? maybe over and back Friday and Sat? another route back With the light snowfall this year so far, maybe we can expect it to be open in late July. I was thinking maybe starting somewhere friday? Or maybe just a day trip Saturday? I'll be towing my Bronco out from Iowa so I'd like to wind up somewhere near where we start to load my truck up for thenext leg of our trip, but that can be pretty flexible. We check into our Silverton house Sunday afternoon so I figure we'll head that way sunday am.
If we do Pearl from Crested Butte north, what options do we have for a return trip? I've been gone too long. I'll do some digging around and see what I find. If we have serious fire restrictions it really hurts the whole camping experience, maybe just a couple day trips if that is the case? I too like to use established rings when possible, they're usually plentiful along most trails.

Disclaimer: I've been up and around all of this area, but haven't actually driven Taylor, Pearl, or Italian. So my opinions expressed below are based on knowing the area, and reading a few trail descriptions.

Pearl Pass ends up by Aspen. You either have to return to CB via Pearl (or a 4hr+ highway drive). Or take Taylor Pass. From the end of Taylor Pass you have 3 choices:

a:Italian Pass, tougher choice, will bring you back to HWY 135 about 10 miles from CB via Cement Creek Rd (FS740)- This would probably an overnight trip, you could probably leave your truck & trailer on FS740, and drive your Bronco to Brush Creek Rd to start on Pearl.

b:Spring Creek rd (FS744), easier choice, will drop you on Taylor Canyon Rd about 20 miles from CB or Gunnison (or fairly close to Cottonwood Pass). Again your trailer could be left here or in Gunnison and avoid the back track to CB. Seems doable in one day.

c:Continue to Taylor Resevoir->Cottonwood Pass->Buena Vista. Easiest? Again doable in one day.

If you only want to spend one day on Pearl, I think taking Pearl -> Taylor Pass -> Taylor Reservoir is a good option. We could leave your truck & trailer near Taylor Reservoir/Cottonwood Pass. Then you can load up and drive over Cottonwood to Buena Vista, without returning to CB, or Gunnison.

See my crappy, over simplified map. Wish I was more tech savy.