What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

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Cereal
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Cereal »

bdwyer wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:09 pm Hoot, when are you going next week. Myself and a superior hiker to me are planning same and would like to go via RGR due to not the longer time to Silverton, but all the road closures on I70 and US 50. Maybe we could pool.
Could you please update us on conditions afterward (no matter which way you end up approaching)? Thanks and enjoy!
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Grover »

I'll add some beta to this key thread, having just come in via Timber Hill and exiting via Stony Pass. I leave this here to hopefully help someone using Beartown TH for the Labor Day Wknd.

Creede/Timber Hill approach: Last time I drove this way was 2017. The narrowness of the route has been improved; I did not need to pull in my side mirrors or worry about scraping a tree. The puddles were not that bad this time, but that was before the current monsoon flow that is hitting here in the San Juan's over the past two days. The tough section going up Timber Hill is nothing as bad as what you would experience going up the Beartown TH, but the rock is loose and sustained for this section. I locked my rear diff. for this section just to power through it. The issue is the ability to negotiate another vehicle coming at you, so that part is still the primary crux or this road/route.

Silverton/Stony Pass approach: I used this way in and out last year, and exiting now. This route far more scenic and enjoyable, which many others have 'voted for' in this thread. There are rough sections and stock vehicles will be pressed, but there are far more chances to allowable other vehicles by, which is good, because this route is far more busier with traffic than Timber Hill.
NOTE: On Wednesday afternoon, a bulldozer was grading the road between 11,800' and 12,100'. The road was freshly "tilled", making it all loose top soil and some exposed rocks. No issues driving on it, just a note for those coming in this weekend.

Road 506 to Beartown: More rut's this year than last year. There are a couple spots where I straddled a high section with a wheel. The tough spots in the trees and coming out of the trees - which is the last mile to the TH - are little worse this season. There seems to be more traffic going in and out of this road, compared to my past experiences. I saw vehicles coming at night, just going to Kite Lake, then to only leave in the morning. It is not just peak baggers using this portal into the Weminuche.

Reco: If you have the time and ability, using Stony Pass is more enjoyable.
-Grover
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Skimo95 »

Is there a good public parking/pull out that two cars can meet and car pool up Beartown from Silverton? I drive a RWD stock F150, and will be riding up in my buddys lifted 4x4. Any information on this route would be greatly appreciated. Thank you 14ers members
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by JChitwood »

I’ve left my vehicle at the Silverton visitor’s center twice while we took my partner’s truck on day hikes. Not sure if leaving overnight would be a problem.
"I'll make it." - Jimmy Chitwood
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Marmot72 »

A note from 2020 on the Beartown road. Members of our group were in a 4Runner and they opted to pull off the road about a half mile or 2/3 of a mile from the parking by the trail to Hunchback pass, because of a steep rocky step in the road.
I have phenomenal route-finding abilities. Specifically, I have an uncanny knack for selecting the path of most resistance.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Candace66 »

Bumping this old thread! :)

I was reading a trip report on Lists of John, posted by Furthermore. It's from mid-July 2017 and includes the following comment about the drive to Beartown: "Crossing the Rio Grande was exciting as water engulfed the hood of my Pathfinder..."

None of the comments on this thread mention such deep water crossings. Could anyone who has been out there comment on this? Presumably the comment refers to the the crossing on Road 506, which is unavoidable regardless of whether you use the Stony Pass or Timber Hill approaches.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by supranihilest »

Candace66 wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:14 pm Bumping this old thread! :)

I was reading a trip report on Lists of John, posted by Furthermore. It's from mid-July 2017 and includes the following comment about the drive to Beartown: "Crossing the Rio Grande was exciting as water engulfed the hood of my Pathfinder..."

None of the comments on this thread mention such deep water crossings. Could anyone who has been out there comment on this? Presumably the comment refers to the the crossing on Road 506, which is unavoidable regardless of whether you use the Stony Pass or Timber Hill approaches.
Normally this of year the Rio Grande would be running pretty high but not this year. I was just there last week via Stony Pass and the crossings were no problem. The upper road was badly washed out though. https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport.php?recnum=9060
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Candace66 »

supranihilest wrote: Thu Jun 30, 2022 7:48 pm
Normally this of year the Rio Grande would be running pretty high but not this year. I was just there last week via Stony Pass and the crossings were no problem. The upper road was badly washed out though. https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport.php?recnum=9060
Thanks!
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by k_fergie »

Hello, reviving this thread to try to solicit some more opinions on the best way to Beartown; Stony Pass vs Timber Hill. I have read this thread and appreciate all of the input. I also read some about it on the usual 4x4 websites. If I was to summarize my research on this thread and elsewhere, the way in from Silverton over Stony Pass to the Beartown junction (FSR520--FSR506 junction) is slightly better road than Timber hill from Creede to the Beartown junction, but the last ~mile to Kite lake is worse than either of these roads. Does that seem like an accurate characterization? My questions are as follows.

How much longer (time wise) would you estimate the Stony Pass drive is than Timber Hill when coming from Evergreen? Is that extra time worth it? Its about 65 extra miles

What "14ers" road difficulty rating would you give each section? The 1-6 scale used on this site.
-Silverton to Beartown junction (FSR520 -- FSR506 junction) via Stony pass:
-Creede to Beartown junction via Timber Hill on FSR520:
-Beartown junction to Hunchback Pass TH on FSR506:

Comparisons to any other 14er/13er trailheads in terms of road characteristics?

I will be driving a ~stock 2001 Tundra with decent clearance, operable 4-lo, with mediocre AT tires (Duelers). More or less an equivalent of a modern Tacoma/4dr Wrangler in terms of length/clearance/4x4. I don't care too much about the vehicle getting beat up (its already beat up pretty badly in terms of cosmetics), just need it to get me home; bumpers can remain attached or be in pieces in the bed, nbd either way. In the past, I've had no trouble on roads with 3 difficulty rating, 4 difficulty rating is a bit of a challenge, but plenty doable for my skills. Some TRs make hardly a mention of the road with their stock Tacomas, others says you need a crawler with 37s and those ridiculous upside down "Jeep" stickers on your tailgate to even think about attempting it. I've also seen mention of a Forester up there?


Thanks all, stay radical :horns:
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by tmud »

beartown is harder than the bottom of lake como road, meaning until 8500k or where ever most 4x4's make it to, 10k? I forgot, but that is among the worst 14er TH's to get to. Just take the shortest route, it doesn't matter, if you care about your car, especially if it is a daily driver, you're gonna be sweating and second guessing yourself the entire time for deciding to drive this. But, most likely, you'll make it in and back without significant damage to your car, and you'll just vow to never drive that road again.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Flyingfish »

k_fergie wrote: Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:07 pm Hello, reviving this thread to try to solicit some more opinions on the best way to Beartown; Stony Pass vs Timber Hill. I have read this thread and appreciate all of the input. I also read some about it on the usual 4x4 websites. If I was to summarize my research on this thread and elsewhere, the way in from Silverton over Stony Pass to the Beartown junction (FSR520--FSR506 junction) is slightly better road than Timber hill from Creede to the Beartown junction, but the last ~mile to Kite lake is worse than either of these roads. Does that seem like an accurate characterization? My questions are as follows.

How much longer (time wise) would you estimate the Stony Pass drive is than Timber Hill when coming from Evergreen? Is that extra time worth it? Its about 65 extra miles

What "14ers" road difficulty rating would you give each section? The 1-6 scale used on this site.
-Silverton to Beartown junction (FSR520 -- FSR506 junction) via Stony pass:
-Creede to Beartown junction via Timber Hill on FSR520:
-Beartown junction to Hunchback Pass TH on FSR506:

Comparisons to any other 14er/13er trailheads in terms of road characteristics?

I will be driving a ~stock 2001 Tundra with decent clearance, operable 4-lo, with mediocre AT tires (Duelers). More or less an equivalent of a modern Tacoma/4dr Wrangler in terms of length/clearance/4x4. I don't care too much about the vehicle getting beat up (its already beat up pretty badly in terms of cosmetics), just need it to get me home; bumpers can remain attached or be in pieces in the bed, nbd either way. In the past, I've had no trouble on roads with 3 difficulty rating, 4 difficulty rating is a bit of a challenge, but plenty doable for my skills. Some TRs make hardly a mention of the road with their stock Tacomas, others says you need a crawler with 37s and those ridiculous upside down "Jeep" stickers on your tailgate to even think about attempting it. I've also seen mention of a Forester up there?


Thanks all, stay radical :horns:
Last time I was in the area I went in from Creede and out from Stony Pass. I would say that the road in from Creede is 0.5-1 difficulty rating harder than Stony Pass. From the Beartown Junction to Hunchback TH is probably not much harder than Stony Pass. IMO Stony feels similarly rough as the upper section of castle creek road. From Creede reminds me of the CB side of Pearl Pass maybe a smidge easier. I have vowed to never drive the Creede side again (it also killed one of my tires and damaged the roof rack on my car from the bumps).
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by nsaladin »

k_fergie wrote: Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:07 pm Hello, reviving this thread to try to solicit some more opinions on the best way to Beartown; Stony Pass vs Timber Hill. I have read this thread and appreciate all of the input. I also read some about it on the usual 4x4 websites. If I was to summarize my research on this thread and elsewhere, the way in from Silverton over Stony Pass to the Beartown junction (FSR520--FSR506 junction) is slightly better road than Timber hill from Creede to the Beartown junction, but the last ~mile to Kite lake is worse than either of these roads. Does that seem like an accurate characterization? My questions are as follows.

How much longer (time wise) would you estimate the Stony Pass drive is than Timber Hill when coming from Evergreen? Is that extra time worth it? Its about 65 extra miles

What "14ers" road difficulty rating would you give each section? The 1-6 scale used on this site.
-Silverton to Beartown junction (FSR520 -- FSR506 junction) via Stony pass:
-Creede to Beartown junction via Timber Hill on FSR520:
-Beartown junction to Hunchback Pass TH on FSR506:

Comparisons to any other 14er/13er trailheads in terms of road characteristics?

I will be driving a ~stock 2001 Tundra with decent clearance, operable 4-lo, with mediocre AT tires (Duelers). More or less an equivalent of a modern Tacoma/4dr Wrangler in terms of length/clearance/4x4. I don't care too much about the vehicle getting beat up (its already beat up pretty badly in terms of cosmetics), just need it to get me home; bumpers can remain attached or be in pieces in the bed, nbd either way. In the past, I've had no trouble on roads with 3 difficulty rating, 4 difficulty rating is a bit of a challenge, but plenty doable for my skills. Some TRs make hardly a mention of the road with their stock Tacomas, others says you need a crawler with 37s and those ridiculous upside down "Jeep" stickers on your tailgate to even think about attempting it. I've also seen mention of a Forester up there?


Thanks all, stay radical :horns:
The duelers will be your weak point. Avoid the super sharp pointy rocks. And assuming since you have duelers, you won’t be airing down?
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