Alpine Loop Question

Hi everyone,
The wife and I are headed to do the alpine loop in one week. We plan on taking two days to do the loop. I'm planning to bring my mountain bike with me to get some riding in after we do the loop(we will be in the area for about 10 days). Just wondering if a hitch mounted tray style bike rack would get destroyed on the loop? I ask because the bike rack sticks out about 3 feet from the rear bumper. I don't mind if the rack get scratched up or dented from hitting the ground, just don't want to mangle it. If it matters it's on a stock 2017 tacoma trd off road.

Thanks

 

Won't make it. Loop gets rutted up by ATV's (the most common vehicle on it) and pickups now must travel very slowly through the softer sections to not hang up on their bumpers. I usually only travel it by moto these days. I have a house in Silverton.

 

It could get drug around pretty good.
The loop is doable in a day without going too fast to see the sights (pending weather and traffic).
I've done the loop from the Lake City, Silverton and Ouray starting points.

It's a beautiful trip!

 

Okay thanks for the information, I guess I will figure out a way to just put it in the bed just to be safe. Also I have search and have found that people say to do the loop both clockwise and counter clockwise. Do you guys recommend doing it one way or the other? I will be starting from Silverton.

Thanks again

 

I think they are just trying to say you can miss things going in just one direction but if you pull off frequently and or check views in Side/ Rear I think your good.

By the way, I have always done it clockwise due to camp area I always use.

 

Starting from Silverton its slightly easier at the start to go counter-clockwise

 

I'll defer to skier since he lives closer and has more recent experience, but in the past it wouldn't have been much of an issue. Sounds like the counties are really letting those roads go to shit or have tremendously increased use (or both).

I also concur that starting from the Silverton side, counter-clockwise is slightly easier, mostly because of a spot on the west side of Engineer. And, as said, it's more of a long day trip than a two day thing.

Be aware that Mineral Creek, the leg between Ouray and Engineer Pass, is closed due to a slide. Not that it would likely be recommended to you anyway in a stock vehicle. However there is a short loop around Animas Forks you might consider (Picayne/Placer Gluches), and I would recommend going up to the top at least of California Pass so you can look down on Lake Como (which is one of those emerald colored lakes). You could also continue over California and head up Hurricane (not down from the lake, which would be Poughkeepsie into Mineral), and then either take Cement Creek Road back into Silverton or Corkscrew out to 550 and then south to Silverton. Tons of options in that area.

 

acidchylde is right, increased use and different vehicles have made for the change. Use has been nearly doubling each year for the past 4 or 5 and almost exclusively the increase is from ATVs, RZRs, etc. Locally rented from many sources and also trailered here in large groups. First week or two of the season, you can drive most of them comforably in a suburban. By July, I don't take my Tacoma, since I have a moto. But even then, the traffic can jam up some days.

 

Thank you all for the information. I'm thinking we will drive corkscrew gulch, hurricane pass, california gulch, and cinnamon pass. Get some lunch in Lake City and find a place to camp around Lake City. If anyone could recommend a place to camp around Lake City that would be much appreciated? The next day we will finish the loop off with Engineer Pass and head over to Ophir pass into Telluride were we are meeting family. We plan on enjoying the area and taking are time, that's why we are planning for two days.

Thanks again!

 

I like camping at Lake San Cristobal near Lake City

 

FYI- there are several trip threads somewhere in here with lots of Alpine Loop info n pics too.

 

FYI- Mineral Creek Rockslide Cleared & Imogene opened

 

Thanks again for the information. I'm super excited, only 1 more day and we hit the road.

 

I was hoping to ride OP's coattails on this thread as I'm about to do a similar trip. I'll be flying solo with my dog and heading to Ouray to do Mount Sneffels. Then I figured on heading over to Lake City via Engineer Pass and also trying to do Wetterhorn and Matterhorn. Are there some do's and don'ts of the the trails in the area? I'll be sleeping in my truck and flying by the seat of my pants as I go along. This was a trip I decided to do pretty much day before yesterday. I'll be leaving from Colorado Springs as well.

Thanks

 

So Mineral Creek is most direct way between Ouray and Engineer pass but one of the harder trails to run, that's not including all the traffic on it. I would suggest taking Cork Screw Gulch to Animas Forks (Ghost Town) then over Engineer Pass.

http://ouraycountyco.gov/DocumentCenter/View/822

 

Thanks for the heads up. I have the Funtreks guidebook and was looking to take corkscrew and california gulch to get over there. Nice map too, thank you.

 

Is mineral creek that bad? I saw a couple youtubes of it, and it doesn't look like anything thing a stock 4x4 tacoma couldn't do. Of course videos can be very deceiving compared to real life.

I was also curious which would be the best route to experience the Red Mountains : Corkscrew to California or up from Cement to California?

 

It's got it's spots and getting worse each year but the main issue for me is all the ATV and Full Sized "I can do this" Trucks that the drivers have no business behind the wheel.

 

For what it's worth Funtreks rates it as difficult but "Stock 4WD SUVs can do it with careful tire placement and patience....High clearance, low range and skid plates recommended"

To add to what CO MTN Steve said

 

Did Mineral Creek up to Engineer summit in 4-door Jeep Sahara on Tuesday. If my research is correct it has 1/2 inch additional clearance over an Off Road, with better approach and departure angles. Only issue was clearance. Nothing to get stuck on, but fair amount of scraping. I took my TRDOR up Yankee Boy Basin the day before and it did great, but I think it would have taken a real beating on Mineral Creek compared to the Jeep. I am glad we left it behind. Not a fan of Jeep, but I think the Tacoma is a hair too low and long in stock form. With armor and sliders I would do it, piece of cake with a lift. Stock would have probably made it but definitely not without leaving quite a few marks with possible damage. You skill level may vary.



Side note: Yankee Boy should be added to your list if you are going all that way.