July 1998 Campfire Tales

by Larry Heck of

PASS PATROL

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The Transfer Trail

Some days start out bad and some just go like that all week long. The objective was simple enough. We drove to Glenwood Springs and headed up the Transfer Trail to the Flattops. About two hours in, Sundance called on the CB. His Bronco died and wouldn’t start.

“So there we were! Two hours from the nearest town on a one lane road with a truck that wouldn’t run!”

I was at the front of about nine vehicles. Sundance was at the back about a quarter mile behind Shutterbug. I tossed my keys to Loco Weed and told him to park my Rodeo off to the side out of the way. I got into Shutterbug’s Expedition and we backtracked to Sundance. After several tries, I was able to get the Bronco started but only for a few seconds at a time. The only direction it wanted to go was backwards.

“Everybody knows Sundance can’t drive backwards. Something there just doesn’t work right and he ends up steering the vehicle in the opposite direction from where he’s looking.”

I started the Bronco, dropped it in reverse, and pumped the gas at a steady pace. The truck began to pick up speed and I found myself going backwards … real fast! Maybe that don’t sound like such a big deal but this was on a forest road … barely one lane wide … winding between trees and rocks … on both sides … with deep ruts that tossed the vehicle from side to side.

“So there we were! Two hours from the nearest town on a one lane road with a truck that would only run backwards, spittering and sputtering all the way!”

Shutterbug and Sundance watched in disbelief as they watched me disappear into the forest headed for town backwards. They jumped into the Expedition and chased me down the trail.

“Can this get any worse? Sure it can!”

On a tight curve, Shutterbug got too close to the side of the trail and hit a tree stump hidden in the grass. The right front tire smacked that stump dead on bringing the truck to a dead stop. He and Sundance peeled themselves off the windshield and resumed the chase. That‘s when they noticed the Expedition was no longer running straight. The steering wheel kept pulling to the side. “What’s that hissing sound coming from the tire?”

“So there we were! Two hours from the nearest town on a one lane road with one truck that would only run backwards, spittering and sputtering all the way … and another truck that wouldn’t run straight … and a tire that would soon be flatter than a Ma Kettle flapjack!”

After we dropped a little in elevation, I got the Bronco turned around and going forward spittering and sputtering all the way. Sundance would be able to get it the rest of the way down. The Expedition was making funny noises every time the wheel was turned. We were far beyond CB range from the rest of the group. There was no cell phone service to call the group. Neither the Expedition or the Bronco were in any condition to get me back to the group.

“Can this get any worse? Sure it can!”

Both vehicles needed to get back to town by the shortest route. On the other hand, I needed to get back to the group. We envisioned them impatiently waiting to hear from us. I needed to get back to my Rodeo which I envisioned was parked beside the trail where Loco Weed parked it for me. We were about five miles from the group and ten miles from town.

“Surely someone will come looking for us in a few minutes!”

It was decided that I would begin walking back to the group while the two trucks headed for town. There was still a few hours daylight left and even if they didn’t come, I could walk five miles in a few hours … uphill … in a hail storm. Okay, I admit we didn’t know about the hail storm when we implemented that plan. Somebody upstairs just threw that one in for chuckles. I was about an hour and a half into the hike when there came a clash of thunder and a few bolts of lightening. Then all of a sudden, the sky opened up and … well, lets just say things got a little interesting.

“Can this get any worse? Sure it can!”

I was cold … wet … tired of walking … but there was hope. I hiked past Windy Point knowing I only had one more turn before I would be where I left the Rodeo. Those last steps were hard but my pace hastened with the thought of getting back in that Rodeo, turning the heat wide open, and reclining the seat all the way back.

I rounded the corner and to my surprise, the group wasn’t there. That was no big deal, but my Rodeo wasn’t there either! And that was causing me just a bit of concern. Of course I wasn’t worried! After all, I am an experienced outdoorsman who could survive in any conditions and any circumstances just because I’m always prepared. Being prepared is the first rule of survival for anyone who goes into the outback. That’s why I was in the forest wearing a short sleeve shirt (very wet) with two pockets and not a match in either one.

“Let’s see, to start a fire, you rub a water-soaked stick with a muddy shoestring!”

I decided it was easier to keep walking. After all, just how far would Loco Weed take a Rodeo just to park it off the road and out of the way. I was still mumbling that to myself an hour later with two more miles behind me.

“What’s that noise? I hear motors running!”

I stood beside the trail as two 4-wheel drive ATVs came zipping around the corner. The first ATV had only a driver. The second ATV had a man and woman on it. Both pulled up beside me and stopped.

“Ain’t good!” the first man said as a matter of fact.

“What ain’t good?” I asked.

“You … out here … in the dark … without even a jacket. Where you going?”

“I’m looking for my truck.”

“How did you loose your truck?”

“Not sure. I just left it parked and when I came back it was gone. I think my friends took it.”

“Nice friends.”

“Yeah … well … they think I’m in another truck but it broke and well, it’s a long story.”

“Hop on and we’ll help you find them.”

I had reservations about doing that. I’ve seen the way folks drive those things and I’ve never put riding with one of them on my list of ten best things to do today. Oh well. I had already walked seven miles and had no ideal how much farther it would be before the group got tired of driving and set up camp.

“Can this get any worse? Sure it can!”

About thirty seconds into this new ride, I knew I was in for an experience. We were already going through a mud hole up to the spark plugs. I had both feet up with my knees under my chin and was still getting mud in my shoes. The ATV was quickly sinking … all four wheels were spinning and rooster tails of mud were going everywhere.

“Don’t worry,” the driver said over the roar of the motor. “I’m sure it’ll get traction in a minute.” He was right. We made it through that one. Just as I was beginning to breathe again, he dove handlebars first into another one. “I just bought this thing this morning,” he said. “We came out to see what it would do. Yeee Hawww!”

After the second mud hole, the road leveled out enough for the driver to get the ATV into a higher gear. We were zipping between trees and bouncing over moguls like Baja.

Just as I was beginning to wonder what was next, we entered an open area where the rest of the group had set up camp. At last, my Rodeo complete with high volume heater was within sight.

Loco Weed was real proud of himself for taking such good care of the Rodeo while I was gone. When the rest of the group moved on to find a place to camp, he even took it along so no one would steal it out there parked all by itself. Everybody was real surprised to see me come in on an ATV. They even wanted me to sit there a while so they could take my picture but I was in no mood to get my picture taken. The only thing I could think about was finding a jacket, getting a drink, and cooking up some vittles to celebrate my return.

Now just in case you think that’s the end of this story, I’ll tell you flat out that the Flattops and the Transfer Trail was just warming up.

First of all, it rained all night. Secondly, getting down the trail the next day produced lots of moments with all the mud and water in the way. We used our tow straps several times and everything we owned was covered in mud. By mid afternoon, the only ones still interested in the Transfer Trail were Magnolia, Loco Weed, and Ramblin’ Rose. The rest of them took the first gravel road we came to and headed for Denver.

We went over Blair Mountain and came out near Rifle. Ramblin’ Rose and Loco Weed headed for town. Magnolia and I rolled into a campsite after dark and enjoyed a nice campfire. At least the rain stopped.

The next morning brought sunshine and warm temperatures which woke up all the neighborhood bumble bees. Seems Magnolia and I had set up camp right in the middle of their neighborhood. Didn’t take us long to pack up camp and move on down the road. We were both back in Denver long before the lunch bell rang.

Now just in case you think that’s the end of this story, I’ll tell you flat out that the Flattops and the Transfer Trail was just warming up. “Can this get any worse? Sure it can!” Don’t miss the next issue - The Transfer Trail - Part II

NAVIGATION: GPS POSITION

The following mileage’s were taken using a ‘97 Isuzu Trooper.
The GPS positions were taken using a Magellan ColorTRAK

Transfer Trail
Begin in Glenwood Springs.  Take Exit 116 off I-70.  At the stoplight for 6th St, turn left past Smokin’ Willies and reset meter.

Mitsubishi Montero Sport

Up, down, round and round. The Montero took to the San Juans like a duck to water. Speaking of water, we had more than our share to deal with. The only clear day we had all week was Wednesday. That meant our test Montero had to deal with lots of mud as well as the usual assortment of rocks and steep climbs. The road behind old Carson was especially exciting. In one huge mud hole all we could do was keep the wheels spinning until the limited slip differentials kicked in and pulled us through.

Before we get into some of the Montero’s better features, it’s only fair to mention a few problems. The biggest of the problems was mechanical. The transfer case kept kicking out of low range. We assume that was nothing more than a minor linkage adjustment but the only way to keep it in low range was to keep a steady pressure on the shifter. Keep in mind that our test was likely the first time the vehicle was ever in low range. Although many dozens of journalists test drive the same vehicles we drive, none of them actually take them 4-wheeling.

The other side of that story is that high range worked flawlessly and the Montero was able to complete the journey over most of the trails without ever going to low range.

The only other weakness we noticed was on the open highway. The motor needs to be a little more power for passing traffic on mountain highways. The other side of that argument is the Montero gets great gas mileage. We averaged 24 mpg during our highway test. It also had more than enough power in low range and handled steep climbs to 13,000 foot peaks without hesitation.

The Montero has a long list of great features. First of all, it has one of the smoothest operating suspension systems we have driven in a while. It absorbs pot holes and washboards without any noticeable wheel hop. During extreme off-camber situations, wheel travel was not the best we‘ve seen. However, it was above average, and ground clearance was very good for a stock vehicle.

The interior of the Montero also has especially nice features. Among them is a unique dashboard layout that includes an easy to read compass and outside temperature display. Although the cup holder could use some work, everything else was conveniently located and easy to access. An overhead console includes a digital clock, two map lights, and three storage compartments. Our only complaint was with the accessory outlet which is not active when the key is in the off position. A live outlet is needed for cellular phones and laptop computers that a growing number of drivers have at their side.

The tires on the Montero Sport were 265x70R15. They were Yokohama brand with a very non-aggressive tread. 15 inch tire sizes are common and easy to replace with something more suited to off-road travel.

Happy Trails!

Denver Off Road builds bumpers

Getting a winch bumper for a 1998 Rodeo is no easy task. Everywhere I went, I was told there is no such critter. Then, I went out to Denver Off Road and visited with Layne. It took a few days, but he came up with a really nice look and style for the Rodeo. Although he offered to build a brush guard and grill guard to go with it, I opted for the simple look. If you are looking for a tough bumper for your truck, give the folks a call at Denver Off Road. 303-422-2332

Corkscrew Turntable

Lots of folks talk about the Turntable in the forest beside the Corkscrew Gulch Road south of Ouray. In the late 1800’s it was used to turn the train at a switchback in the railway. The train and its cars would roll onto the turntable one at a time. The turntable would turn each one completely around. It would then exit the turntable onto a different track than the one it where it entered.

During its operation, the turntable was an indoor operation. The building that enclosed the turntable is now gone, however, the turntable and its rotating frame are still on location.

It is possible to drive part way to the turntable and hike the rest. Since the turntable is at the rail switchback, there is a lower railway and an upper one. To get on the lower railway, drive from the Corkscrew Gulch Road toward Red Mountain Pass. Just before the first switchback in the highway, a faint road exits to the left and crosses a creek. The road crosses a small flat area, then climbs onto the old railway beside a deserted building. Due to logging, the first part of the railway has been cleared. You can follow the railway to the point where the logging stops and hike from there. It is a very short distance.

We hiked the railway from the turntable all the way to Red Mountain Town. Logging operations are tearing out much of the railway.

NAVIGATION: GPS POSITION
The GPS positions were taken using a Magellan ColorTRAK

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