Black Bear Pass

[Rummie]

So this was in our Wrangler in September before the Gladiator arrived. We will run it with the JT as well. The switchback about 5 minutes in is definitely going to be an interesting one with the longer wheelbase. There was an F150 on the trail also and he made it so it's definitely do-able.

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[BrentMG]

Looked like a lot of fun. It is really pretty out there. What kind of camera were you using?

 

[Rummie]

Looked like a lot of fun. It is really pretty out there. What kind of camera were you using?

It's a GoPro Hero 8. That trip was my first time using it. I wanted to be able to capture the scenery better to show friends and family than we could do on a mobile phone. I'm very happy with the outcome.

I ended up getting an external storage device because my computer doesn't have enough space to comfortably store the files for editing.

 

[TheHops]

I'm planning on heading out to CO in about 3 weeks with my JT. I imagine a lot of these passes will be, well, impassable, but I'm going to hit whatever I can. I'd love to hit Black Bear one of these days...but I feel like those switchbacks, in a stickshift, are going to create some serious pucker factor.

 

[Rummie]

I'm planning on heading out to CO in about 3 weeks with my JT. I imagine a lot of these passes will be, well, impassable, but I'm going to hit whatever I can. I'd love to hit Black Bear one of these days...but I feel like those switchbacks, in a stickshift, are going to create some serious pucker factor.

Yeah, you don't want to let your foot slip off the clutch...

I would guess that you have missed the season for the passes that I know out there. On this trip we did Imogene, the Alpine Loop, Poughkeepsie, and some smaller lesser known trails. The scenery is amazing.

We head to Moab in March with the JT as long as this covid crap doesn't interfere.

 

[Andy29847]

More Black Bear movies - Black Bear isn't that hard - it's all downhill. However, there are no places for screw ups and the cost for a screw up is high. I've done most of the major pass roads in Colorado more than once. Generally, the 2nd time is much more relaxed than the first and you see a lot more. At Black Bear, then intensity stays high.

 

[Rummie]

More Black Bear movies - Black Bear isn't that hard - it's all downhill. However, there are no places for screw ups and the cost for a screw up is high. I've done most of the major pass roads in Colorado more than once. Generally, the 2nd time is much more relaxed than the first and you see a lot more. At Black Bear, then intensity stays high.

I don't think I would want to do it on a motorcycle like the guys ahead of you!

I agree that it really isn't that hard. Most of the videos online try to make it look as scary as possible. It's not a hard technical trail by any means. You just don't want to make a stupid mistake. Or go when the weather is getting bad.

 

[mazeppa]

Just imagine doing Black Bear Pass and other passes on a loaded mule pulled wagon.

Hence the term "To Hell You Ride".

 

[Etoimos]

Most of the passes in the Ouray area are only doable from about mid July to early Sept with the most rain in Aug.

 

[Higher_Ground]

Well after watching that video I might just consider myself a chicken. Blame it on living at 200-300' elevation my entire life, but that is the stuff of nightmares.

The scenery looks awesome. I would be pretty cool with taking a mountain bike. I just like a little more room between me and falling to my death.

 

[Dewyaw]

That was.............amazing.

Wow. Pucker factor x10. Even on my couch.

 

[Etoimos]

Well after watching that video I might just consider myself a chicken. Blame it on living at 200-300' elevation my entire life, but that is the stuff of nightmares.

The scenery looks awesome. I would be pretty cool with taking a mountain bike. I just like a little more room between me and falling to my death.

Black Bear is really easy and there is only one real pucker spot... and that is not the switch back everyone shows. The wife and I were kind of let down when we finally did it. The other trails in the Ouray area are much more scenic and "easier".

 

[Rummie]

Well after watching that video I might just consider myself a chicken. Blame it on living at 200-300' elevation my entire life, but that is the stuff of nightmares.

The scenery looks awesome. I would be pretty cool with taking a mountain bike. I just like a little more room between me and falling to my death.

It's a fun trail. I never felt like we were going to go over the edge. You just need to pay attention. There are definitely a few spots where it is more attention grabbing. The initial entrance at the top of the switchbacks bothers a lot of people, some tight areas on the way to the first sharp switchback, and then the first switchback itself are the parts that many find scary. I have zero fear of heights so it wasn't a problem for me. My wife is not a fan of heights but did surprisingly well.

One thing that you don't usually hear mentioned is that the switchbacks are one way. That takes away a lot of the challenge that you may face on other shelf roads like Imogene. At least you don't need to pass anyone going the other direction. Or back up on a shelf road until you get to a wide enough spot to pass.

 

[Jeeperjamie]

Can't wait to see videos of you doing it in the JT. I'd love to do it if I could get the wife talked into it. Looks amazing!!!!

 

[Retro Bait]

My riding buddies and me went out to Ouray a few years ago on the enduro bikes for a week. Rode all the passes and any trail we could find. Absolutely beautiful scenery unfortunately the road required 100% of your attention most of the time.

I look at some of the video from the helmet cameras and realize just how steep it is. Some was challenging on a motorcycle but most of that was loose rock.

Poughkeepsie was a bitch on a bike.

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