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Hey all,

I'm planning my travel from Lake City to Ouray (or rather, Wetterhorn TH to Sneffles TH). Google maps is largely trying to tell me to go back up via Montrose - 136 miles.

With a bit of manipulation I can get the map to take me over Engineer Pass - 30 miles.

I know EP is an offroad trail - but is it *really* better and faster to go back and all the way around and adding 100 miles to the trip? (I'm confident in my driving and vehicle to go over the pass).

Any thoughts?

I did it in a stock 4WD Nissan Pathfinder without issues, and while shorter, it doesn't really save much time. But it's a cool drive!

I made it in a RAV4 about five years ago, though I got semi-stuck in some rocks and required careful guidance by partner to insure my wheels were positioned just right.

Engineer Pass is not a time saver traveling from Lake City to Ouray. Use the Lake City Cutoff road. Engineer Pass if scenery and excitement are on the agenda.

If doing the drive at night, you really are better off hitting the pavement taking the long way round.

From Lake City, Cinnamon Pass is really an easier option to Ouray than Engineer Pass if you want the 4WD adventure "lite".

These comments based on your Lake City to Ouray query.

If already at Wetterhorn trailhead, and have sufficient daylight, Engineer Pass is the way to go so long as you have a decent vehicle.

painless4u2 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2020 12:13 pm I did it in a stock 4WD Nissan Pathfinder without issues, and while shorter, it doesn't really save much time. But it's a cool drive!

THIS

I live in the Ouray neighborhood. Takes me three hours to drive around via Montrose/Blue Mesa. Like Painless said, you won't save much time, if any. But it is a sweet drive through the heart of the SJ!

Thanks all, I appreciate your comments and suggestions

It can take about 4 hours to go over Engineer Pass depending on your vehicle, 4wd skills, and any desire for photo opportunities. Many cars have gotten stuck on that route, so if you don't have a vehicle with good clearance and an ability to drive 4wd roads well, many people would advise against it.
It is a beautiful route though, and like many people have said, if you have time, its pretty great.

Cinnamon Pass is the more efficient/quicker route over Engineer. Drops you in the same place (Silverton). That’s the route I took 30+ times when I lived in Durango. +1 to Wentzl.

cnlevan wrote: ↑Sun Jul 05, 2020 2:01 pm It can take about 4 hours to go over Engineer Pass depending on your vehicle, 4wd skills, and any desire for photo opportunities. Many cars have gotten stuck on that route, so if you don't have a vehicle with good clearance and an ability to drive 4wd roads well, many people would advise against it.
It is a beautiful route though, and like many people have said, if you have time, its pretty great.

Thank you! I have a jeep and I've never had any trouble on any of the THs rated up to 4/6 on this site, so I'd be pretty confident. I'll probably just make a decision on the day, given conditions.

I drove this trip today through Montrose and it didn't take very long. After a lot of consecutive days with bad TH road I gave the Tundra a day off. If I had the time I might have taken the 4wd route

Bumping this thread up to ask about a similar route, from Purgatory TH to Matterhorn TH, via Silverton-Animas Forks-Engineer Pass. Is this route doable in a 2018 Outback? The roughest roads I've managed in my Outback are probably up to the Grays & Torreys TH and Lake Como Road to around 8800', both last year (highway tires). Google is saying that going over Engineer Pass saves ~2hr and 100+ miles versus going all the way back to Montrose and looping east on 50.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37.6299 ... ?entry=ttu

Otherwise is going over Cinnamon Pass Outbackable? Longer than Engineer Pass but still shorter and probably more scenic than the Montrose loop.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37.6299 ... ?entry=ttu

TIA.

Not sure about engineer but…my dad did get a 2010 forester over cinnamon pass…after being on one wheel a few times. Engineer is similar. Montrose isn’t that bad. I think you’re just going to have to bite the bullet on this one.