Lake Como Road Advice

[14ergirl]

Can anyone tell me how far an expedition might make it up Lake Como road? Also is there any camping along the road or do you have to hike up to the Lake? Thanks!!

[sgladbach]

Ther's plenty of camping on the dusty plains before the road gets tough. In the AM, you can drive higher. Unfortunatyely, the higher you get, parking spots and turn-a-rounds get more sparse. I usually start looking about 2.5 miles in. There is a distinct switchback where the road gets loose. Many use this for a 20 point turn and park here. A little lower avoids thae search for parking. I have parked another 1/2 mile higher, where you traverse into chokecherry canyon. I'm not certain it is worth it.

[k9powerlifter]

We recently made it up to 9500' in a Jeep Cherokee....I wouldn't go further than that in a standard vehicle.

[14ergirl]

Thanks so far. I would love it if I could get 2 miles up the road and make B&E a 12 miler instead of 16

[310 PKS]

I was just up there this weekend. I drive a stock Jeep Rubicon and made it to Jaws 1. Jaws .5 is 4.6 miles from the cattle guard at the very beginning of the road. There is plenty of parking below the start of the switchbacks. Once you hit the switchbacks, the road gets looser and steeper and the boulders larger. Also, the pullouts and camping are sparser.

For what it is worth, I saw a stock Expedition and Isuzu Trooper up as high as I went.

Have fun. Great peaks and a fun ridge traverse between the two.

[cbauer10]

It is always funny when this topic comes up because people start making up obstacles that stock cars can't pass, like the mythical Jaws 0.5. I have gotten to Jaws 2.5 both times I have gone up there, but will never plan on going past Jaws 1 ever again in one of my vehicles. It is just not worth the stress coming out on that road after a successful climb. Both times I have gone up there I have tried to find this Jaws 0.5, but have yet to locate it. If you can find someone that knows where it is, supposedly this is a good place to halt operations and park in a stock car. I myself know that there is a place for about 3-4 cars just before Jaws 1 and the is where I would park my car.

There are plenty of camping spots before it get too rough, and there are some after, but less often. I would just plan on going as far as you feel comfortable and then camp. Good luck.

[britdog]

I've taken my stock '01 Expedition 3 miles in twice this season. Could you go further with prudent driving, yes, but beyond that at that point, and probably a bit before, you'll have reached the point of diminishing returns. The progress is so slow, and the ride so uncomfortable, it's better to get out and hoof it.

[stretch2187]

I was up there last week in my stock Dodge Ram 4x4. I made it just short of 4 miles past the two wheel drive trail head and parked just before the "obstacle" that some people call Jaws 0.5. There is a line through that obstacle that a stock 4x4 can make it through, but I was happy with how far I made it and the line looked like it would be a bit too tipsy for my comfort in my truck. Where I parked there was room for at least one more vehicle. FWIW, try to park thinking of others parking there too. Coming down, there was a truck parallel parked just before Jaws 1. If the truck had been backed into the space another truck could have parked beside him, but by parking the way he did, he took up both spaces.

[310 PKS]

Made up or not, this is the "obstacle" I mentioned was 4.6 miles from the cattle guard at the very beginning ogf the road.

[covfrrider]

Made up or not, this is the "obstacle" I mentioned was 4.6 miles from the cattle guard at the very beginning ogf the road.

That is referred to as Jaws 0.5

[zoomie83]

I have gotten to Jaws 2.5 both times I have gone up there, but will never plan on going past Jaws 1 ever again in one of my vehicles. It is just not worth the stress coming out on that road after a successful climb.

IMO, this is the best advice in this thread. Greenhouseguy and I (mostly him, I just spotted a couple of times) made to the creek right before Jaws 2 in his Jeep Cherokee. The stress of worrying about getting back over Jaws 1 and down in general just wasn't worth the extra elevation gain, although at the time gaining only 1050 feet to get to Lake Como seemed like a great idea. I'm pretty sure Greenhouseguy will never try it again.

[cbauer10]

That is referred to as Jaws 0.5

Ahh. Thank you for the picture. I have always wondered what people were calling Jaws 0.5. I do remember this both times, but never thought it worthy of a name other than switchback.

I have gotten to Jaws 2.5 both times I have gone up there, but will never plan on going past Jaws 1 ever again in one of my vehicles. It is just not worth the stress coming out on that road after a successful climb.

IMO, this is the best advice in this thread. Greenhouseguy and I (mostly him, I just spotted a couple of times) made to the creek right before Jaws 2 in his Jeep Cherokee. The stress of worrying about getting back over Jaws 1 and down in general just wasn't worth the extra elevation gain, although at the time gaining only 1050 feet to get to Lake Como seemed like a great idea. I'm pretty sure Greenhouseguy will never try it again.

Agreed. The benefit outweighs the gain for the most part. I just don't want to have to worry about that again. It was fun and exciting the first two times, but now that I have done it, the luster is gone. Plus I don't have the play vehicle anymore. It is the lady's daily driver so I can't screw it up.