Snow busting in August... Jones Pass 8/10/13

So the word of the week was that Jones Pass still had a snow drift at the top, preventing people from making it over. I couldn't get any recent intel as to how big the drift still was, but I also know that not many modified rigs go up Jones Pass because it is an easy dirt road all the way over. So Ryan, Paul, and Dave Gray from Patrol 6 decided to spend our August Saturday snow busting! Chad and Gary met up with us a few hours after our departure.

Like I mentioned, the road is super easy all the way up. When we reached the drift, it was 30 yards from the summit. It was 8'-12' high and crossed the trail at an angle. The lowest part of the trail was right up against the cliff edge. We dug a trench on the right side, checked the approach angle, and then dug in the pull-pal on the opposite end of the drift. Ryan was first up. We attached Dave's winch to his rear to help keep it from sliding out as Ryan crest the hump.

 

 

Relying heavily on the winch, Ryan crest with no problems. After making it over half way, we unhooked the winch, however that turned out to be a little premature. Ryan started to drive and the whole Jeep slid sideways towards the cliff edge. Luckily the jeep stopped and we hustled to hook the winch back up to the pull pall again.

 

Once safely over and on dirt, Dave came across and then Paul followed.

 

 

 

We did some more digging in anticipation of Gary and Chad, and also for the trip back out over this same drift. Because gravity would be working with us, we dug at the 8' foot wall helping move the cleared line farther away from the cliff edge so that we didn't have to some off the snow and make a hard left turn to stay on the mountain. Once you broke the ice layer, the snow started melting away like butter. After an hour or 2 Chad and Gary arrived and we winched them over with no issues also.

 

 

A little more digging, and it was time for Paul and Dave to head out. Paul came first and made it look easy.

 

 

Dave decided he would put on his lucky combat helmet for safety and good luck.

 

 

Dave made it just fine and the 2 of them headed back home. Ryan, Gary and Chad stuck around for a night of camping and snagged some great sunset pics.

 

 

By the next day, the snow had melted even more, and the decent off the drift was pretty level. All of us came off with no problems and our weekend adventure was now complete.

 

 

 

 

Until next time my friends....

 



Lake County All-4-Fun 2013

The 2013 All-4-Fun was held in Lake County, Colorado just outside of Leadville. this year marked the 47th year of the event, and it was another great one put on by the Mile-Hi Jeep Club. People from all over the country attend this event that is held every year in a different Colorado location. With nearly 800 people attending this year's event, it was one of the biggest ever.

Ryan and Chad led some great groups during the week, as they traversed Chinamans Gulch, Holy Cross, Wheeler Lake, and Halfmoon Creek.

Monday was the first day of wheeling, and Chad led the group down to BV with Ryan and Morgan tail gunning. The folks from T&T joined us on this run.

On day two, Ryan led the group up Holy Cross, including the folks from Nemesis Industries. The day before, it apparently rained all day on that group and it made for a heck of a bad day on the trail. But with the expert leading the way, and no rain, our group made the trail look easy!! Only a couple winch lines were pulled during the day all the way to Holy Cross City, and french Creek was a breeze for almost everyone.

After lunch at the city, it was time to go get crazy on Cleveland Rock. Ryan gave it the first try, and had no luck at all. The winch came out and pulled him up after his Jeep decided it wanted to wave at everyone. Morgan and Chad also gave it really good shots and made it almost all the way up, but again the winches had to come out.

Stefanie crawling up Cleveland... she did it all without a winch!

 



 We headed on out and made it back to camp with no damage in our group except a ton of rock rash and some loose bolts.

Thursday we ran a group to Wheeler Lake where we didn't get any pics. And then we led a night run up Birds Eye Gulch. great night run with only 2 decent pics. All those little dots are jeeps!!

The final day was halfmoon creek and although it rained all afternoon, it was still an awesome way to end the week!

Performing some trail maintenance as me and morgan winched this big tree off the trail. And no we are not off trail, there is actually a camping spot just below the tree, so it made it a perfect spot to position.

 

 

If you have the time next year, CHECK THIS EVENT OUT!! It will be in Silverton in 2014!