Lead King Basin

[Cygnus X1]

As an aside to the running boards, as I mentioned, they were cheap aluminum boards. There were four steel mount brackets bolted to the body on each side. The underside of each board has two T-slots running the length of the board and the heads of the bolts that connect them to the steel brackets slide into the slots. Really didn't take much of a scrape to tear the bolt heads out of the slots. Pretty sure if they had been good steel boards I'd only have gotten scratches.

Ok, that makes more sense now. SCL is very rough right now for sure but any decently built 4WD vehicle should be able to survive it with only minor battle scars at most as long as you drive carefully. But it sounds like this was somewhat of a low budget upgrade option (comparatively speaking). That's why good 4WD vehicles are often pretty pricey...

To be clear, my 4Runner has quite a few battle scars including a couple feet worth of paint scraped off the side of one of the rock rails courtesy of Yankee Boy Basin in a location that most people probably pass through unscathed (I did on the way up but picked a bad line trying to weave through rocks coming down and struggled to halt my progress quick enough as the sickening screech of metal on rock alerted me that I didn't time my turn properly). But despite a pretty wicked sound and a good strip of paint peeled off, there was nothing besides cosmetic damage.

So I just wanted to clarify that I'm not trying to pretend to be some elitist 4WD master (perhaps a master of Colorado pinstriping, lol) - I was simply making a comparative statement that if you had chunks of your vehicle coming off on SCL that LKB might not be a good idea.

Still puzzled by the extreme variation in reactions to this road - maybe we need to quiz some of the folks responding to see how far up Lake Como road they made it or if they've gone up Holy Cross City - if they've been all the way up those roads then, sure, LKB probably seems really easy in comparison (for reference I've only ever driven to 10,200ft on Como and never attempted HCC).

I knew what you were saying about chunks so no worries. I see another opinion on SCL was posted yesterday. https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport ... cnum=10480

BTW, I'm in Loveland but haven't made it to a FC happy hour. I may have to stop by and have a beer one of these times.

[daway8]

I knew what you were saying about chunks so no worries. I see another opinion on SCL was posted yesterday. https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/threport ... cnum=10480

BTW, I'm in Loveland but haven't made it to a FC happy hour. I may have to stop by and have a beer one of these times.

I'm always game for meeting new folks and swapping stories of mountains and 4WD roads!

Looks like it's specifically trucks having the most issue on SCL right now. It would be interesting to do a deep dive on specs to compare clearance, tire size, wheel base, etc and see if some particular spec seems to be the deciding factor or if some folks just turned a few inches too late while zigzagging over the roughest spots...

[Phill the Thrill]

Well, let's clear this up. I think there is a mistake in the trailhead description that puts you on the high road instead of the low. I think at 7.7 Bill intended readers to go right toward the Crystal Mill and not left on the upper road. I also think the 9.7 mile turn left is to keep you from going over Schofield Pass and ending up in Gothic, then Crested Butte. While there is a hint of a road up Sheep Mt. on the high road, you would have to be an idiot or a masochist to mistake that for the road you want to travel.

The trailhead directions definitely use FR 315 (Lost Trail road) to get to the trailhead. The 9.7 miles portion is a junction at someones driveway, I think. That may have also changed by now.

It's been a number of years since I've driven it, so someone else who has recently done this road AND the Crystal Mill road can let me know if the Crystal one is the better option to get to the LKB trailhead. Back when I went there, the 315 seemed to be the preferred option.

Bill, I wasn't driving, but I was a passenger when we did the loop last month. I still think that the Lost Trail Road aka High Road (FS-315) is the best option to get to Lead King Basin. But people should be aware that this is a serious 4WD high clearance road. There is one extremely rough spot shortly after the point where the two roads split where there were visible oil puddles from cars that lost their oil pans. If you're driving a Subaru or standard SUV let this be your warning: Don't do it. Interestingly, at the 315/314 split there is a sign a says "Spicy" pointing toward 314 and "Very Spicy" pointing toward 315. It's accurate. FS-314 gets a lot more traffic and is a longer route to LKB, but not only that, the last two miles to LKB are equally bad imo. By the way, for anyone reading this, if you drive FS-314 through the town of Crystal, there is a camping/parking area approx 1/2 mile past town just past the first switchback, with enough room to accommodate a few vehicles. This is a good option if you want to save the wear and tear on your car and hike the remaining two miles to LKB. There is NO PARKING anywhere in Crystal. My opinions only.

[Mtnman200]

Are there two ways to reach the LKB trailhead? Seems like you take the 'higher' lost trail road (LTR) or the 'lower' county road 3. LTR appears longer and switchback-packed but is apparently easier than the CR3 way. We are driving my dad's 1995 Toyota T100 to the trailhead. It has successfully done the SCL road and lake como road up to 9.5k multiple times. It has quite high clearance but lacks some agility. What road portion would y'all recommend taking if there are in fact two ways to reach the trailhead?

I've driven each road at least twice. The upper road is definitely easier than the lower road.

[scott4long]

Hey everyone, long time listener, first time caller here. Read the thread, wanted to give perspective from someone who drives the roads nearly every weekend, including as recently as yesterday morning.

TL;DR: high clearance is absolutely required for both the upper and lower roads. Approach it with respect and with prior training and experience. For getting to the Geneva Lake Trailhead, the upper road is easier, but it's far from easy. Strongly consider hiring a local outfitter to shuttle you there and back instead of risking your own vehicle.

The first part of the drive, before you get to the upper vs lower fork in the road, is what we locally call the "Subaru Sieve". You absolutely need good ground clearance. There are deep ruts and sharp rocks, and they'll quickly ruin your day, even though they're not technical. I see Outbacks, Rav4's, etc, turn around after getting only 1/4 way up, and for good reason.

Once you get to the split and choose the upper road (note the "Spicy / Very Spicy" sign at the split!), the first big obstacle is the river crossing for Lost Trail Creek. It's not bad this time of year, but during spring run-off, usually until at least July 1, it's legitimately dangerous without a high lift and 4WD traction.

The second obstacle will be the stream crossing at the bottom of Arkansas Mountain where there was a giant avalanche a few years ago. The road washed out and has been overtaken by the stream, and it has some major potholes that can lead to damage of your car. It's gotten slightly filled in as this summer has progressed, but it's still notable.

The 3rd obstacle (and this doesn't take into account the numerous deep ruts on tight corners, overall roughness and exposed rocks, narrow shelves with limited vehicle passing pullouts, etc), is on the switchbacks going up from the previously mentioned stream crossing. Besides the water breaks that are meant to be there, there's at least one spot where a new seep spring has washed a deep channel in the road. All of these features need to be approached carefully in order to avoid high centering. Over the July 4 week last month, I watched a Nissan Titan get both its center and its front bumper jammed at the same time, and it had to be towed out. That same day I witnessed a UTV tip over as it tried to back up to let another car pass. Luckily no injuries other than some scrapes and bruises.

Once you get past that 3rd obstacle, the rest of the upper road to the Geneva Lake trailhead is moderate. There are still ruts, water breaks, narrow shelves, and all of that.

The lower road has its own challenges. After taking the fork for it, there again are narrow shelves and rough/sharp rocks everywhere. There's one spot where a natural spring has dug a couple of >12" deep puddles in the road, deep enough to worry about hidden rocks, not to mention water intrusion. Past Crystal City, you'll find yourself on a deeply rutted set of switchbacks that are no joke to navigate. Once you're past that, the shelf road into the lower part of Lead King Basin will force you onto an extended shelf with high-consequence narrow paths and very sharp rocks. It's where the "Very Spicy" sign earns its keep.

I can't tell you how many times in a year I see a sharp rock embedded into the road have a fresh scrape in it, followed by a drip trail of oil or transmission fluid. I've seen vehicles tip over, run off the side, and even fall completely off the road. A friend last year recovered an entire exhaust system, from the manifold to the exhaust tips, that had been torn off of a vehicle by a rock earlier that day. Towing services back there usually start at around $5000, and that's for an easy recovery. If you have a lot of 4WD experience and you're comfortable with your vehicle's capabilities, great! If you're not, both roads are high-risk/high-consequence, and you might consider alternatives.

[JChitwood]

Hey scott4long…do you have any names of local outfitters who would run such a shuttle? Was thinking of renting a Jeep but going with someone who drives it regularly would be much better. Thanks.

[Phill the Thrill]

Hey scott4long…do you have any names of local outfitters who would run such a shuttle? Was thinking of renting a Jeep but going with someone who drives it regularly would be much better. Thanks.

I highly recommend Crystal Jeep Tours. Sam is great!

Sam Smith Wilkey
Owner
Crystal River Jeep Tours
Marble, CO
(970) 963-1991
CrystalRiverJeepTours@gmail.com

They will shuttle you from Marble to Lead King Basin TH for $200 round trip per person. We were backpacking and they dropped us off at Silver Creek TH for $165 round trip. This is actually a good way to access Geneva Lake as there is a faint "shepherds' trail" that you can take without dropping another 800 feet to Lead King Basin TH.

[BillMiddlebrook]

^Sounds like a great option! I'll email Sam to see if it would be ok to include his company name on the LKB trailhead page.

Silver Creek TH?

[Cygnus X1]

Great info, scott4long!

[Phill the Thrill]

^Sounds like a great option! I'll email Sam to see if it would be ok to include his company name on the LKB trailhead page.

Silver Creek TH?

Yes, the Silver Creek Trailhead is located on the Lost Trail Creek Road (FS-315) at 10,800 ft. This is near the high point on that road. The GPS coordinates are 39.08024, -107.10305. This trail is lightly used, mostly by backpackers, and heads north to its end at the Avalanche Creek Trailhead. Our destination was Geneva Lake, so instead of following the trail, we headed NE from the TH up a very steep grassy slope, across a long meadow, until we reached a cairn/post that marks the beginning of a faint "shepherds' trail" that leads across some beautiful terrain and eventually intersects the Geneva Lake Trail just south of campsite 1 at Geneva Lake. There are some cliffy areas on this trail, but not too bad (we were carrying 45 lbs backpacks), but it could be dicey in bad weather. There are spectacular views of the Maroon Bells along the way. One advantage of this route is that you are starting 1,000 feet above the Lead King Basin TH. One disadvantage is that there are very few parking options (next to none), though that's not an issue if you're getting dropped off.

[Phill the Thrill]

^Here's a couple more photos. First, the cairn I mentioned, and second the view of the route along the shepherds' trail.

SilverCreekPost.JPG

[Phill the Thrill]

^ One final note: Gerry Roach mentions this route in his Colorado's Thirteeners book, variation 20.A1V under Hagerman Peak.