What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

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Hoot
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Hoot »

Thanks Matt!
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Garrett »

Was at that trailhead in mid August, A 4x4 4runner won't have an issue getting to the trailhead coming from either direction. As a time reference it took us 5 1/2 hours to get to the trialhead from Gunnison via rio grande side non stop and about 4.5 hours (with stopping and sitting down for dinner) to go back over stony pass/Silverton to Gunnison. Stony pass is highly recommended.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by TravelingMatt »

Garrett wrote:Was at that trailhead in mid August, A 4x4 4runner won't have an issue getting to the trailhead coming from either direction. As a time reference it took us 5 1/2 hours to get to the trialhead from Gunnison via rio grande side non stop and about 4.5 hours (with stopping and sitting down for dinner) to go back over stony pass/Silverton to Gunnison. Stony pass is highly recommended.
I think I'd go Stony --> Cinnamon --> Lake City --> Gunnison with that kind of vehicle, but perhaps you wanted to hit the Ouray Brewery or somesuch. :)

I got to Ouray via Stony in just over two hours IIRC. I was not parked all the way in on the Beartown road, but that included a brief stop in Silverton and construction on 550.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
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Hoot
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Hoot »

Garrett wrote:As a time reference it took us 5 1/2 hours to get to the trialhead from Gunnison via rio grande side non stop
Thanks for the time reference Garrett. I won't be going through Gunnison, but based on 3 hours from Gunnison to Rio Grande Reservoir (Google Maps), I'll estimate about 1.5 hours from the reservoir to Beartown. That should get me to Beartown around sunset. My goal is to be past Timber Hill before dark.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Garrett »

1.5 hours is probably reasonable. Plenty of good camp spots to be had once you turnoff toward Beartown. Good luck on Jagged, it's well worth the effort.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Hoot »

Garrett wrote:Good luck on Jagged, it's well worth the effort.
I enjoyed Jagged 9 years ago. I'm going for the lesser climbed eastern Grenadiers on this trip. Thanks.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by GeorgiaTyler »

silverton -> stony. easy and awesome. if you fish the headwaters of the rio grande is amazing. plus you can climb canby mtn and stoney pass peak 13k
Climb up Pints down
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Garrett »

Hoot wrote:
Garrett wrote:Good luck on Jagged, it's well worth the effort.
I enjoyed Jagged 9 years ago. I'm going for the lesser climbed eastern Grenadiers on this trip. Thanks.
Gotcha, original poster was doing Jagged. Lesser climbed Grenadiers are even better.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Hoot »

Here's a quick report on the road from Rio Grande Reservoir to Beartown from last week. The road is narrow and does get very rough around Timber Hill but was not a problem for my 4Runner. The leaves along the way were spectacular! Here are my times driving fairly conservatively.

- Creede to Beartown Continental Divide trailhead: 51 miles, 3 hours
- Route 149 to Beartown Trailhead: 31.7 miles (all dirt), 2 hours, 40 min
- Ute Creek Trailhead (west end of Rio Grande Reservoir) to approach intersection (rough 4WD): 9.2 miles, 1 hour, 25 min
- Approach intersection (near Rio Grande River crossing) to Beartown Trailhead (4WD): 5.16 miles, 45 min
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by bdwyer »

Hoot wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:40 pm Has anyone driven to Beartown from Rio Grande Reservoir recently? I'm planning to drive my 4Runner that route next week and am wondering if I should be aware of any issues. I assume the water crossings aren't an issue this time of year.
Hoot, when are you going next week. Myself and a superior hiker to me are planning same and would like to go via RGR due to not the longer time to Silverton, but all the road closures on I70 and US 50. Maybe we could pool.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by bdwyer »

bdwyer wrote: Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:09 pm
Hoot wrote: Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:40 pm Has anyone driven to Beartown from Rio Grande Reservoir recently? I'm planning to drive my 4Runner that route next week and am wondering if I should be aware of any issues. I assume the water crossings aren't an issue this time of year.
Hoot, when are you going next week. Myself and a superior hiker to me are planning same and would like to go via RGR due to not the longer time to Silverton, but all the road closures on I70 and US 50. Maybe we could pool.
Just realized this is ALL OLD INFO.
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Re: What is the best way to get to the Beartown TH

Post by Hoot »

Hi Beth. Yep. Sorry I won't be headed there next week. Beautiful area though!
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