Looking for new adventures off Independence Pass + dispersed camping nearby?

[Steve_P]

I was up Lincoln Creek road a few weeks ago and it was being graded the day I left. So it should be nice until the campground and reservoir (if they completed the grading )

Still, I would say even before it was graded it would be ok in an outback, Rooable , - but slow. It probably took an hour in a 4WD Tacoma to reach the reservoir - it's a long way and while the road wasn't that bad it was full of potholes and ruts.

[jibler]

well that worked out pretty well folks - thanks for the tips


although I had rough start time - which caused me to truncate the earlier mission - plus an inexplicably late start for the 2nd day also caused some adjustment too

driving up saturday around 2pm -- was scanning that highway up near the turn for the pass quite carefully for open spots - but I didn't see anything. but did see lots of Leafers about.

so I ended up just jamming up onto that shelf up west of the Gesslers - taking a turn along the ridge and got back down to get myself a good camp spot before dark.

That was a good move as I seemingly found one of the few remaining spots. Lots of lost souls wandering later on looking for camping spots seemingly.


AND

then day two - had planned on maybe trying to take the north fork all the way to Deer Mtn -- but found myself not far up the way and the day was already getting on.


So I put on my Turbo Boosters -- and just nailed my ass up the side of Mount Champion! Not from the route described here either. Quite funky and asskicking.

But the views paid out. Maybe I'll do trip report. Its pretty amazing up behind Massive and Elbert there - you got Deer, Oklahoma, Lackawanna and the whole crew to hang with. QUite nice.


Thanks for the tips.

[jibler]

Also

just gonna drop this nugget into the mix already

Utlizing my eagle vision eyesight --- I think I may have seen as far as:

Flattops to the North - including Big Marvin who I had just seen much closer up two weeks earlier

but (more shocking)

I think thru a gap to the south way beyond the Sawatch I may have seen San Luis Peak area?


Dang it if that ain't a solid North South Statewide scandown!

EDIT: Google Maps tells me it is approx 137 miles from Big Marvin to San Luis Peak.

[jibler]

OK

may take me a while to get a trip report out there so I'll at least put this out

My alternate - "oh s**t its already late in the day" route up Champion

https://imgur.com/bBWNnoE

Red up - wasn't so bad but I didn't want to come down that way. Orange back - mainly following that avalanche chute along the sides .

I seemingly could have just dropped down but I had nightmare bushwhack earlier this summer - cannot repeat that ever.

I did pretty well following every deer and goat path I could find.