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Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 12:02 pm
by jibler
I'm thinking of getting two VRBO nights (minimum stay) somewhere out that way followed by one hotel night at different location to complete a little fun travel experience for my parents.
but I don't want us to push out all the way to durango or telluride necessarily - looking for easy win here.
at first I had random idea to go Creede->Lake City - but now with minimum stays and not a lot of places in creede - not so good?
What about - Redstone -> Crested Butte?
there's a possiblity that if I plan this just right - we go 3 nights on the road - and that middle day/night I am off on my own possibly kicking ass?
Redstone seems like it would tee me up good for some options for sure.
But I haven't been out this way much. Am I missing some obvious options here?
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 7:13 pm
by jibler
not gonna lie - disappointed that there isn't one soul here with one opinion of any kind.
esp after being locked in all weekend during blizzard.
is there some kind of spring 14ers conference I'm not hearing about?
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:01 pm
by XterraRob
Jibigiggle, I would take them through Glenwood Canyon, over McClure Pass down to Montrose, stay the night, then down to Ouray, over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton, and then over Molas down to Durango. Stay in Durango or Pagosa, then take Wolf Creek back.
Scenery and views would be awesome.
Love,
XterraRob
Can finish the trip in some Hot Springs by the San Juan River.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 8:37 pm
by jibler
alright now we're cooking with butter.
full disclosure - we did a big family road trip down thru Ouray to Mesa Verde circa 1985.
So not trying to double back much that way.
I got to really check out mesa verde - it was pretty cool. I don't think they let you get up and personal with ruins like that anymore.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:02 pm
by ltlFish99
I was at mesa Verde in the early 1990ies and you could still get into many places I though would be off limits.
Of course, that was almost 30 years ago.
Last time i was in Redstone, it was Expensive.
The mount elbert lodge is wonderful on independence pass road, west of twin lakes just before the road closure gate.
Personally, I love Silverton and the Molas pass area. They have a cottage at molas. Not sure if it is summer only.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 10:17 pm
by XterraRob
There are Ancient American ruins that you can enter but you're going to have to hike to them. Plenty in Utah.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 8:23 am
by Gene913
Stay in Gunnison - day trip w/ parents to nearby Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Lots of opportunities for another day of on water activities at Blue Mesa Resevoir
Lake City Fourteeners are available to the south for your day trip getaway
Highly recommend Inn at the Lake in Lake City
https://www.innatthelake.org/ which sits at the south end of Lake San Cristobal.
Great atmosphere and creature comforts that would appeal to most parents.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2021 10:40 am
by jibler
Gene913 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 17, 2021 8:23 am
Highly recommend Inn at the Lake in Lake City
https://www.innatthelake.org/ which sits at the south end of Lake San Cristobal.
Great atmosphere and creature comforts that would appeal to most parents.
this place must be awesome because it is nearly already booked for the whole summer?
advice appreciated!
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:55 am
by jibler
OK well the trip is booked - but my plan to visit sort of random mtn towns like Redstone or Marble or Creede went out the window.
My mom really wanted to finally get out to Telluride -which no one in my family that has lived here my whole life has done - inc. me - so I couldn't blame her.
But now - the new plan will likely be that they check out the town of Telluride while I get out that one day and bang out some kind of mtn hike.
And as I've never been - thoughts on what is a good simple safe hike for someone to do solo - would be very welcome.
in fact - I am going to have an A, B, C and D plan likely just so that if weather does pick up I have fallbacks.
Some of these peaks don't sound so great for me. Dallas looks like a great position! but I ain't climbing stuff that you'd want a rope for.
But dang it if I don't want to get up as high as possible to see as much of San Juans from that area as possible.
ideas welcome!
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:04 pm
by supranihilest
jibler wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:55 am<snip>
I enjoyed the hike up Boskoff Peak from Rock of Ages Trailhead. It's a bit long but it's interesting and Class 2. The other peaks nearby, Fowler and 13,540 B, are much harder and are some of the least pleasant peaks I've been on (so bad in fact that my partner and I did not summit Fowler).
I haven't done either, but Black Face and Cross Mountain are Class 1 and (I think) Class 2, respectively, and would have good views of the Wilsons, Gladstone, and Lizard Head.
There's some peaks in the Lake Hope area that you could possibly do as well, such as Vermillion, Fuller, Beattie, and possibly Golden Horn. Ice Lakes is closed so Lake Hope is probably your next best access point for that area.
I can't speak much for the Sneffels Range peaks near Telluride except for the "S 10" through Mears group which are not easy or fun in really any way and should be avoided by the casual hiker.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:08 pm
by dwoodward13
jibler wrote: ↑Thu Apr 15, 2021 11:55 am
OK well the trip is booked - but my plan to visit sort of random mtn towns like Redstone or Marble or Creede went out the window.
My mom really wanted to finally get out to Telluride -which no one in my family that has lived here my whole life has done - inc. me - so I couldn't blame her.
But now - the new plan will likely be that they check out the town of Telluride while I get out that one day and bang out some kind of mtn hike.
And as I've never been - thoughts on what is a good simple safe hike for someone to do solo - would be very welcome.
in fact - I am going to have an A, B, C and D plan likely just so that if weather does pick up I have fallbacks.
Some of these peaks don't sound so great for me. Dallas looks like a great position! but I ain't climbing stuff that you'd want a rope for.
But dang it if I don't want to get up as high as possible to see as much of San Juans from that area as possible.
ideas welcome!
I'd recommend a hike up from the Cross Mountain TH south of town to the Lizard Head/Cross Mountain Pass. Easy trail, with a front row view of Lizard Head and the Wilson Group right there. You can take a side trip out and back on the Lizard Head Trail for views of the bigger bulk of the San Juans that are blocked from the previous overlook.
Re: Plotting an Easy 2-3 night road trip around SW colorado with older parents?
Posted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 12:09 pm
by Jim Davies
Wilson Peak is the obvious one, although it's class 3 with some scary-looking exposure at the crux (not as bad as it looks). You could always just hike to Rock of Ages saddle and turn around. Short drive from Telluride. edit: But the Lizard Head Pass hike sounds pretty great...Silver Pick Basin is kind of bleak if that's all you're going to hike to.