Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Trailhead condition requests, questions, alerts, etc.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
User avatar
Bieb
Posts: 9
Joined: 7/7/2018
14ers: 4 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by Bieb »

Hi, My family and I are going to make this hike in about two weeks. I am driving a 2wd Suburban. Based on what I found searching this forum it seems I may be borderline in making it to the 4wd trailhead. The truck has 8" clearance at the front air dam and 9 - 10 everywhere else. It has street type tires on it. I am familiar with driving off road, but don't want to get stuck. Just hoping to save the extra 5 miles from the 2wd trailhead if I can.

Any thoughts on if I can make it?

Is there room to turn around if I attempt and decide to turn back?

Thank you for your assistance.

BTW, this is an AWESOME website. Lots of great information.

Carl Bieber
User avatar
BillMiddlebrook
Site Administrator
Posts: 6601
Joined: 7/25/2004
14ers: 58  47  19 
13ers: 174 45 37
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

2WD? I'd park at the 2wd trailhead. Seriously, the road is a bit gnarly this year and you'll just dig holes when you get to the steep sections, including the drain pipe crux.
Proud to be against fascism, racism, xenophobia and stupidity.
joeygoat9
Posts: 12
Joined: 8/15/2012
14ers: 55 
13ers: 1
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by joeygoat9 »

I agree with Bill. You asked about turnaround points - I noticed a few pullouts but you might have to back down some steep and rocky terrain for several hundred yards to get to one. Once you start up the road you're pretty much committed.
bigredmachine
Posts: 393
Joined: 7/30/2012
14ers: 58 
13ers: 36
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by bigredmachine »

I would add that one of the worst parts is directly after the 2wd th. The road is much worse this year than it has been in years past.
User avatar
benlen
Posts: 290
Joined: 12/20/2014
14ers: 58  5 
13ers: 15 9 1
Trip Reports (4)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by benlen »

The other issue is tires, if you don't have a decent tire for 4x4ing you're looking at potentially damaging them. You def want AWD/4x4 for that road, and good tires to boot.
User avatar
BillMiddlebrook
Site Administrator
Posts: 6601
Joined: 7/25/2004
14ers: 58  47  19 
13ers: 174 45 37
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

bigredmachine wrote:I would add that one of the worst parts is directly after the 2wd th. The road is much worse this year than it has been in years past.
Before they “fixed” it and closed it off at the current location, the road was much, much worse. That was 8 years ago.
Proud to be against fascism, racism, xenophobia and stupidity.
User avatar
Bieb
Posts: 9
Joined: 7/7/2018
14ers: 4 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by Bieb »

Thank you all for your feedback and the quick response. We will start/finish at the 2wd trailhead. Just hope the wife doesn't hurt me too bad shopping in Westcliffe while the rest of us are hiking.

We live in the Texas Gulf coast at a whopping 20-30 ft above sea level. Hope I've done enough cardio.
User avatar
BillMiddlebrook
Site Administrator
Posts: 6601
Joined: 7/25/2004
14ers: 58  47  19 
13ers: 174 45 37
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

^Lol

Shopping? In Westcliffe?? You don't have much to worry about
Proud to be against fascism, racism, xenophobia and stupidity.
User avatar
Bieb
Posts: 9
Joined: 7/7/2018
14ers: 4 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by Bieb »

That's good news. LOL
User avatar
Cygnus X1
Posts: 293
Joined: 12/18/2016
14ers: 45  1 
13ers: 17
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by Cygnus X1 »

BillMiddlebrook wrote:^Lol

Shopping? In Westcliffe?? You don't have much to worry about
Unless she's into art. There are an unusual number of art shops/galleries for a town that small and remote. :-D
Rhino89
Posts: 2
Joined: 7/8/2018
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by Rhino89 »

I agree with what has already been written. I did humble Peak yesterday and the trail head is awful! Close to the four-wheel-drive trail head there is a drainage pipe in which I feel your car with high center on. If you get to the trail early in the morning you should be able to find a nice person who will drive you all the way up. Yesterday afternoon I drove to people all the way down. Also, if you get there in the early afternoon a lot of People will be driving up whom you could hitch a ride with. Good luck!
User avatar
Bieb
Posts: 9
Joined: 7/7/2018
14ers: 4 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Mt Humboldt 4wd trailhead

Post by Bieb »

Thanks. I was hoping that might be a possibility. If no one is there, that's ok too. Looking forward to making the hike.