Colorado June 2006

[kcowyo]

I made a trip down to Colorado for a 4 day weekend last June. Met up with a few friends in their well outfitted Toyotas and Land Rovers, for a couple of trail runs above Leadville, CO and to hike up Mt. Elbert. At 14,433ft. Mt. Elbert is the second highest peak in the continental US.

It was a great trip on some fairly challenging trails with a few snowdrift crossings. Most other attendees sport roof top tents, I was the only one with an actual camper. Didn't hamper me a bit and the heater was a big plus in the chilly evenings. An article on this trip was recently published in the Jan. '07 issue of Off Road magazine. A few pics of the adventure -

 

[kcowyo]

And on the way out of Leadville, I spied a classic. Sitting in the lot of a diesel repair shop was the Turtle III. Formerly owned by Gary & Monika Wescott of Turtle Expeditions, it was this couple who first got me interested in self contained overland travel and Four Wheel Campers. They have built several Turtles (diesel Ford's with a FWC) over the years and have taken them across Mexico, Central America, even Siberia! Quite a treat to see in person.

photos #5 (me) & #7 (recovery) courtesy Brian DeArmon

 

[erod]

KC, as always, a great thread...I am new over hear so its fun to check out some of these old threads. Memorial day is coming up...are you heading back to Beartooth Pass? Still good skiing up there. We will be up there for sure. Do you know anything about that rack on the back of Turtle's 4 wheel? Cheers.

 

[Tomas Tierra]

thanx for bumping that thread erod...very cool!!!

 

[benburnett]

turtle

Wow, great photos, love the one of the camper and the mountains in the background.

The turtle photo brings back some memories too.

 

[captainkettel]

Great report

I have viewed this thread a number of times and still enjoy the GREAT photos. Just wonder what it would be like to camp in a tent mounted on the TOP of rig. Seems like a long drop, if you roll out half asleep. I also got interested in the FWC while viewing the Wescott's website. I was lucky enough to go on a Baja Adventure with Gary and Monica. What an Adventure! Really great people. Might have to try to get to Colorado this summer. If I don't need to purchase stock in oil first...

 

[davinski]

Wow, always good to check those photos out again.

Anyhow, I was looking at some new maps from the AAA today of the Pacific Northwest....

Now that the camper is operational, and the weather is getting so good...was wondering how I would find out about cool roads and areas to travel onto? I'd love to go out in eastern WA and OR and check out the vistas. Plus, it is nice out there in fall and spring when it is often still rainy here in the Puget Sound. I'd love to try cool roads, paved or dirt, just for the vistas. Of course, would love to camp anywhere with the FWC!

Any ideas? Any books? Trip reports?

thanks

Dave

 

[chnlisle]

Oops see below..

 

[chnlisle]

Capt,
I had a thing called a Bivouac I imported from Italy about 25 years back. I had 5 sold 2 and 3 pals and I used the remainder. Mine was mounted on a full ladder rack with an auxillary gas tank over a snug top on my Nissan Xtra cab. Drove the crap out of it all over Mexico and the south west. It was kinda cool to be able to load the truck and still climb up and go to sleep out of the elements but I'm old now and I drinks a bit. The link below is what it looked like.

http://www.loftyshelters.com/IndexFrame.htm

 

[erod]

daveinski, you should think about checking this place out, 20 + mi dirt road, great drive...really cool!

http://www.nwhotsprings.net/goldmyer.htm

 

[golferguy1]

FANTASTIC website

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/

davinski -
this website is FANTASTIC for finding details of remote and semi-remote locations for extended camping or daytrips. navigate your way thru the tab of the menu. you will find detailed maps of maintained gravel roads as well as numerous non maintained roads that are accessabe during certain seasons. the maps show you campsites as well as areas that are closed due to floods or other reasons. eastern/western and coastal areas of washington are covered in this website. they also provide details for hiking trails and other off road activities. so far, this is the best source of info i have found for remote and semi-remote camping, especially for owners of fwc or atc type campers. i have found more places to enjoy that are within 1 hour of travel than i thought imaginable. and with the price of fuel these days, it is nice to be able to explore without having to spend alot of time on the road and enjoy more time camping.

enjoy.

 

[kcowyo]

Memorial day is coming up...are you heading back to Beartooth Pass?

Planning on it right now. The camper has been off the truck since the first of the year, so I'll put it back on this week.

The planned route is similar to the one I did last year -
Lander to Cody, camp in Cody Friday night.
Cody to Sunlight Basin, camp there Saturday.
Sunlight Basin to Red Lodge over the Beartooth Sunday, back over the pass into YNP, camp in YNP Sunday.
Yellowstone out to Cody and then drive back home on Monday.

All depending on the weather of course....

I'll be keeping an eye out for you on the Beartooth Pass next Sunday. I'm breaking in a new co-pilot for her first FWC weekend. We'll probably just be zooming around, taking pics and testing some new camping toys I've acquired recently.

Hope you have a safe and fun trip. Keep an eye out for me and I'll do the same!

 

[chnlisle]

This is a pretty good hot springs site.

http://www.hotspringsenthusiast.com/California.asp

Jay

 

[davinski]

Wow, some good resources, Especially the DNR website. Didn't even know such a thing existed. cool.

I am looking for mostly dirt roads that are off the beaten track. Don't want to do any serious rock climbing and stuff, but do want to get out and away with the ability to boondock anywhere. I've found lots of stuff on the 4x4 websites, but they are a little hard core for me.

Anyone have any trip logs or reports with photos and maps for the pacific northwest?

thanks!

dave