October 26, 200520 yr Thought some people here might enjoy these pics. 2002 Outback MT5 with only a rear diff protector. Not a great offroad setup, but I had a good time exploring and using up all the ground clearance. Very pretty terrain. Mid September of this year. Here is a pic of my 2002 MT5 on the top of Bridal Veil falls just outside of Telluride, Colorado. The next day the Roo made it to about 11,200 or so on Ophir pass before being turned back by terrain it couldn't tackle. I still had to cross some very rough terrain, large rocks, a creek that was pretty cut, and I never did touch bottom. I turned back here. Yes, thats snow in the shot. Yes, it made me a little nervous to be high on a 4wd road while snowflakes were flying. The Subaru swallowed whole by the mountains just west of Silverton. Here on following the mountainside along the S. Fork of Mineral Creek. Camped and hiked from Mineral Creek campground near Silverton.
October 26, 200520 yr WOW! Any one of those will be serious a serious contender for O/R Pic of the year. Beautiful shots!
October 26, 200520 yr Thank you so much for the photos! I have a couple questions. How was the gas situation? What was the unpassable terrain? Is there a web page with info on this trail? Thanks, Dave
October 26, 200520 yr That is some amazing landscape there. Thank you for sharing your pics. Must have been pretty headie being there.
October 26, 200520 yr Author Thank you so much for the photos! I have a couple questions. How was the gas situation? What was the unpassable terrain? Is there a web page with info on this trail? Thanks, Dave I filled my tank ever chance I had, and never even came close to having issues with fuel on the trip. It was a camping/hiking trip with a little off roading thrown in for good measure. I calculated 8 mpg on a section of Alta Lakes road where I went from the fuel station, to camp, and then back to fuel the next day! The inpassable terrain included a pretty steep incline and some clearance busting granite. I probably could have made it with an automatic, but with my loaded 5 speed it would have been impossible without risking damage because of the excessive speed neccesary to throttle up the incline. An auto might have been able to make it, I'm not sure, but I was definetly exploring the outer reaches of a stock Outbacks capability. Good links? Searched Ophir Pass and came up with this one: http://www.narrowgauge.org/4x4/html/ophir.html I'm sorta familiar with the area, have visited in the past (summer and winter) and always wanted to return with the Subaru to do some exploring, so this was my first time with the Roo. Pick up a San Juan National Forest map and it will be littered with 4x4 roads that go every which way through the mountains, some are reasonable, others like Black Bear Pass that continues on from the top of Bridal veil falls (one way coming the other direction) are supposedly extremely difficult. Lots of 4wd rental shops in Ouray with knowledgeable people who will always throw advice you way that is on the cautious side. http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan/ I know I have found some links of other Subaru offroaders in this area when I did some googling the past. Thanks for the compliments on the pics! I really like the interior pic from the top of Bridal Veil. Spooky nate
October 26, 200520 yr Author That first pic looks like the "Black Bear Road" just outside of Telluride? Yep, you can take it both directions up to the point that I took that pic. After that it is a one way coming back toward T-Ride and much narlier. nate
October 30, 200520 yr nice shots! I wish I was there in my outback I would kept going...plus I'm lifted so that helps...I especially like the shot of the outback and the other 4x4's there ! Yea, I must admit my auto is great for crawling up stuff vs a manual without lo range...
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