9/22-9/23 Lead King Basin, Schofield Pass, Italian

[fjcruzer]

This will be a two-day trail run from Marble to Crested Butte to Aspen:

Day 1 – 9/22/2012
Meeting time & location: 11:00am, City Market, 1051 Colorado 133, Carbondale, CO
Alternate/secondary location: 12pm, Beaver Lake, Marble, CO
Route: Marble to Crested Butte
Trails: Lead King Basin, Crystal Mill, Schofield Pass
Trail difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Trail time: 3-5 hours

Day 2 – 9/23/2012
Meeting time & location: 9:00am, Crested Butte True Value, 607 6th Street, Crested Butte, CO
Alternate/secondary location: 10am, Cement Creek/Reno Divide Junction
Route: Crested Butte to Aspen
Trails: Cement Creek Road, Reno Divide, Italian Creek Pass, Taylor Pass, Richmond Ridge
Trail difficulty: Easy to Difficult
Trail time: 5-7 hours

CB Channel 7 (alternate Channel 4)
My cell: 720-334-1747

Lead King Basin (clockwise from Marble to the Crysal Mill) (9.2 miles)
TrailDamage.com - Lead King Basin
Schofield Pass (from the Crystal Mill) (4.5 miles)
TrailDamage.com - Schofield Pass
Italian Creek Road (16.9 miles)
TrailDamage.com - Italian Creek
Taylor Pass (8.5 miles)
TrailDamage.com - Taylor Pass
Richmond Ridge (12 miles)
(Sorry, no link, but it’s easy/moderate following the ridge from Taylor Pass to the face of Aspen Mountain/Ajax. For those who need to get off the mountain sooner, or if we're running late, there's a bailout at the top of Taylor Pass down to Castle Creek Rd)

I've been on these trails several times during my ten years living in the Aspen area, and have done all of these in one day more than once, but it was 16 hours on the trail, which was cool but... It’s 50+ miles on trail, plus travel time to and from the trail heads from Carbondale, Crested Butte and Aspen.

I would recommend arriving in the Carbondale area on Friday evening and planning to return home on Monday morning. If it is still open, I would take the scenic route over Independence Pass on the way there or back to the Front Range.

Vehicle qualifications:
33” tires (something that can take abuse, the talus and shale is unforgiving of sidewalls)
Skid plates (factory will suffice with good spotting)
Sliders
Front and rear tow points
Rear locker (just in case)
Basic recovery gear suitable for your vehicle
All-weather clothing and camping gear (literally, it can be 80+ degrees and snow on the same day!)

My vehicle is well-equipped and stocked with lots recovery gear that I know how to use, so if you don't have the latest and greatest, don't worry about it, I'm sure others will also come prepared!

A CB will be invaluable if you want to keep up with what’s next, when we’re stopping, potty breaks, and details about the trail as we progress (e.g. watch out for the pumpkin buster there… this is Lizard Lake and it’s freakin’ beautiful...!)

Interested parties (those in bold are confirmed participants:

fjcruzer
davestaco
Old40Dog
TacoBlanca97
aspenbugle

akosfj
BigChalupa
cos4x4
jorechwa
kpudden
liveoffroad
ocr14a
RubrSideDwn
Vandy58
vdubplate
Z's Confederate Toy

[Max]

This looks pretty cool. I would definitely be interested one day when I have a more comfortable long haul truck and better finances.

[Brad]

I would be interested in the pre run.

[Tom]

I might be interested in the pre run doing just Schofield.

[Java]

I'd be interested in the prerun, I'd probably do an overnight at the Mt Princeton Hot Springs and meet up with you guys for a Schofield. looks like you're over your 15 for the main trip already anyway!!

[fjcruzer]

ColoDisco previously posted:

[Cr33p3r]

That looks like a fun trip

[Java]

[QUOTE=fjcruzer;210565]I will likely be starting a new job next Monday[QUOTE]

Congratulations!!!

[fjcruzer]

1freaky1 previously posted:

[Bunyon & Babe]

Looks like an awsome run !

[dcoop]

Looks like a lot of fun. I'd be interested in the pre run. I haven't even wheeled yet this year because the axle swap is consuming all my time. Hoping to be done in the next couple weeks and get out on the trails.

[fjcruzer]

Bunyon & Babe previously posted:

[fjcruzer]

vdubplate previously posted:

[fjcruzer]

A long-overdue update!

First, I am now gainfully employed a little more than full-time, so apologies for not being as quick on the replies. This also limits my ability to pre-run these trails, which has zero impact on the planned trail run as myself and others have been on them many times. If I can swing a pre-run I'll let folks know ASAP.

Second, we currently have 17+ people/vehicles who have expressed interest in this run. I would ask that those that can absolutely commit do so ASAP and let me know so we can finalize some details, and either close the admission gate, so-to-speak, or open it for other folks if we have room.

Please take the time to reply with a 100% thumbs up, or thumbs down, and I'll update the OP with a final tally. Once I have a sense for who's coming from where we can get the nitty gritty meet time/place stuff hammered out.

Thank y'all and cheers!

[Flyer]

I have a stock 2-door Wrangler Rubicon with 32" MT tires. Will this be sufficient?

[fjcruzer]

Flyer previously posted:

[BLOODBANE]

I just ran the Marble to Crested Butte portion and it was a blast. If I have my "Snatch" (cradle for my 6.5:1 t-case) I might come back for the run over to Aspen. I have to use low range very lightly or risk bent t-case mounts. For everyone that has not run these trails before your in for some beautiful trails....

[Flyer]

fjcruzer previously posted:

[fjcruzer]

Flyer previously posted: