Airing down for Engineer Pass

[vagabond]

Went over Engineer on Monday morning. Definitely fewer people during the week. Decided not to air down as I was heading back home from Lake City. No problems with traction at all, it did, as warned, beat the ever living crap out of me. My back was sore for 600 miles! Fun stuff though. Quite a bit of snow still around California and Hurricane Pass. Engineer was fairly easy, only a couple of switchbacks were tight and one gnarly one with a pretty good size shelf on it where I scraped a bit. Nothing major. Thanks for all the info. BTW, you do have to have a OHV sticker or receipt on that trail. $25.25.

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[bd100]

Went over Engineer on Monday morning.
...
BTW, you do have to have a OHV sticker or receipt on that trail. $25.25.

Looks like it's a county road, so is an OHV sticker required for a vehicle with a road license plate?

 

[vagabond]

Looks like it's a county road, so is an OHV sticker required for a vehicle with a road license plate?

Yes it is. I got mine at Grand Mesa Motorsports in Delta and the guy there said there have been so many changes made a lot of people are unsure what's needed where. Even the official Colorado website was a bit confusing. He explained why, which I promptly forgot. Having an out of state tag I just had to pay for the sticker. In state requires some paperwork apparently. Ran into a Ranger around Hurricane Pass, he just looked at the decal I had placed on the side by the Jeep logo and waved me on.

 

[WILDHOBO]

Not having done much off road in a Jeep before, (mostly been 4 wheelers and Rzrs) I'm wondering what PSI you guys would run for Engineer Pass/Cinnamon Pass? I'll be coming off of California Pass to Animas Forks then up to Engineer and follow the Alpine Loop all the way around and down to Silverton some time next week. Wanted to skip Mineral Creek since I'll be alone and didn't want to risk tearing things up since I'll be headed home right after this; So I'll be heading up from Ironton. Running stock height 33" on a Mojave with Asfir skid plates and rear lower control arm skids as well. Thanks!

I recently did engineer. I always go down to 14-15 with my 37’s. Softens the ride. I easily summited engineer mountain with no traction issues. Do that at your own risk though. Much different and higher than engineer pass.

 

[zxd9]

I couldn't believe a street vehicle is considered an OHV but in Colorado it is surprisingly. Found this at https://cpw.state.co.us/buyapply/pages/registrationsOHV.aspx

Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) include:

• Dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility-terrain vehicles (UTV)/side by sides (SxS), three wheelers and buggies, and;
• Plated, street-legal vehicles, full-size 4 x 4s or plated motorcycles when operating on public lands and/or OHV designated trails in Colorado.

 

[vagabond]

I couldn't believe a street vehicle is considered an OHV but in Colorado it is surprisingly. Found this at https://cpw.state.co.us/buyapply/pages/registrationsOHV.aspx

Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) include:

• Dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility-terrain vehicles (UTV)/side by sides (SxS), three wheelers and buggies, and;
• Plated, street-legal vehicles, full-size 4 x 4s or plated motorcycles when operating on public lands and/or OHV designated trails in Colorado.

Surprised me as well. Like pretty much everywhere, it's just another way to increase revenue and still be able to say 'we didn't raise taxes'.

 

[ALT2870]

I hate to break it to you but you were terribly misinformed about the OHV sticker. It is absolutely NOT required for county roads let alone any road that isn't maintained by the Forest Service. I would call them and ask why they think you needed the permit for the roads you did. Is there a chance you said you were offroading in general. For anyone's future reference you DO NOT NEED a OHV sticker for any part of the Alpine Loop. Here is a list of the popular trails you would need one for: https://staythetrail.org/full-size-trails/ As a personal source I did most of the major trails last weekend in the area and didn't see a OHV sticker on any full sized rigs let alone a ranger.

 

[vagabond]

I hate to break it to you but you were terribly misinformed about the OHV sticker. It is absolutely NOT required for county roads let alone any road that isn't maintained by the Forest Service. I would call them and ask why they think you needed the permit for the roads you did. Is there a chance you said you were offroading in general. For anyone's future reference you DO NOT NEED a OHV sticker for any part of the Alpine Loop. Here is a list of the popular trails you would need one for: https://staythetrail.org/full-size-trails/ As a personal source I did most of the major trails last weekend in the area and didn't see a OHV sticker on any full sized rigs let alone a ranger.

Anything is possible. I didn't look at any full size vehicles while I was there. Engineer and the surrounding passes I mentioned were the only ones I was on. Seems like there is a lot of confusion among everyone as they told me. But as zxd9 posted above;

'I couldn't believe a street vehicle is considered an OHV but in Colorado it is surprisingly. Found this at https://cpw.state.co.us/buyapply/pages/registrationsOHV.aspx

Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs) include:

• Dirt bikes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility-terrain vehicles (UTV)/side by sides (SxS), three wheelers and buggies, and;
• Plated, street-legal vehicles, full-size 4 x 4s or plated motorcycles when operating on public lands and/or OHV designated trails in Colorado.'

 

[ALT2870]

Yes that's correct regarding OHV for full size vehicles. I'm not debating that part, I've lived in Colorado for over 20 years and needless to say it can get funky. My point is you don't need it to run county roads which includes Engineer, Cockscrew/Hurricane/California. My main concern is people are going to go out there now and needlessly buy an OHV sticker because they think they need it to run these roads. I'm disappointed in our state that they make it confusing. Like you said right off the bat they make it seem like you have to buy it.

 

[vagabond]

Yes that's correct regarding OHV for full size vehicles. I'm not debating that part, I've lived in Colorado for over 20 years and needless to say it can get funky. My point is you don't need it to run county roads which includes Engineer, Cockscrew/Hurricane/California. My main concern is people are going to go out there now and needlessly buy an OHV sticker because they think they need it to run these roads. I'm disappointed in our state that they make it confusing. Like you said right off the bat they make it seem like you have to buy it.

I know my relatives were all surprised. They've all been in Delta, Montrose and Mesa counties their whole lives and know those areas like the back of their hands as a few of them were hunting guides. They were with me when I went to Grand Mesa Motorsports and were pretty aggravated when we left. Live and learn I suppose.

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