8/27/2022 Posted On: 8/27/2022 By: Pedro F Info: Drove a stock Wrangler up to the switchback at 9,850'. Could have gone further based on the Wrangler's capabilities but this was a rental with road tires and we didn't want to risk blowing out a tire. Room for 3-4 vehicles to park at this switchback. An F150 and an Explorer (both stock) ended up parking there as well. A Wrangler, Bronco, and Tundra that were each lifted with with off-road tires made it up to the lake. | ||||
8/8/2022 Posted On: 8/15/2022 By: quebow03 Info: Drove up Lake Como road in a stock F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 with factory skid plates (FX4) and highway tires. The road is tame for the first mile or two. My odometer said we made it 4.7 miles from beginning of the trail head. That last mile or so was pretty nasty but if you're careful and have reasonable truck clearance you can make it just fine. My biggest concern was having a blowout on that road which would have been a huge pain. Every bit you can drive up this road saves you the PAIN of hiking that MISERABLE rock trail. We parked the truck at about 9,800 ft. Only saw one other vehicle parked higher which was a slightly lifted 4 Runner. | ||||
7/4/2022 Posted On: 7/5/2022 By: E_A_Marcus_949 Info: Stock 2011 Jeep Rubicon made it up to Jaws 1 with plenty of slow driving and obstacle avoidance; parked right below Jaws 1. Jaws 1 is around 10,450. Be on the lookout for pullouts, though, for any oncoming traffic either way (minimal but there). A few large puddles with rock obstacles about 0.2-0.3 mi before Jaws 1. About 1hr, 20 min up and similar on the way down, though we were going slow and cautious. All clear of snow - enjoy the rolling rocks and obstacles. Don't blow a tire, though (we stopped to help someone on the way down - luckily he was by a pullout though). Other vehicles we saw higher up: lifted 4Runner, lifted and modified Tundra (past Jaws 1 surprisingly), side-by-sides, Tacoma, other jeeps. Most made it to around 9800-10k. Plenty of mosquitos around the lake and even slightly higher. | ||||
6/12/2022 Posted On: 6/14/2022 By: cloudkicker Info: Just a status update for the bugs. As of right now the mosquitoes arent as bad as theyve been in past years at Lake Como. We used hardly any DEET and I didnt need a head net or protection. Late June 2018 they were unbearable at the lake. Mid June 2021 (Willow Lake TH) also had unbearable swarming bugs. Mid June 2022 (Lake Como) the bugs are (so far) not terrible. | 1 |
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6/1/2022 Posted On: 6/1/2022 By: Noodles Info: Made the drive up Lake Como Road today. Any car can make it ~1.5 miles up the road. After this point, the roads quality degrades quickly. You'll know you're at this point when the road gets noticeably rockier and turns from a brown sand color into a light grey/white color. | 3 |
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4/9/2022 Posted On: 4/10/2022 By: 14ercooper Info: Road was completely dry up to a bit past the "Blanca Peak Road" sign that's about 4 miles from the lake. About as bumpy of a drive as usual to the 4WD "parking" that's ~3 miles up the road. Pretty snow covered the last few miles to the lake, though it does seem to be slowly melting out. | ||||
12/13/2021 Posted On: 12/15/2021 By: Eagle Eye Info: Monday Dec13th I drove 3.23 miles of the Lake Como road, which is 8858 ft. (This is the area shown in photo 6 of the photos above, often considered an upper 4WD TH) There had been only a little bit of snow on the road up to that point, all minor and within .2 miles. On the steep road leaving this area, there are several fairly level spots on the right (south side) of the road to back into, just big enough to park. That's where I parked. There were tire tracks in snow on the road for probably another 1.4 miles, to 4.6 miles and 9842 ft. This is another good spot to park (and the highest I've ever driven up the road) in a wide space and curve in the road. I don't recall seeing a large rock at 10.1 K, discussed in a forum thread that could be an obstacle. The Jaws 2 area seemed to be particularly torn-up to me, where the memorial plaque is. Much travel during the summer? may have taken the previously level bottom rocks out of the road there, and it leans downward in a cliff-like area. The creek crossing at 10.7 K that washed out (photos shown below in an 8/6/21 Trailhead Conditions) might be another NEW! "jaws-type" obstacle for those driving the road; the creek crossing part is fine but its a big drop-off to reach it! There was very little water flowing through it now, and it was very easy on this (hiking) trip through. I hope this update is helpful and noticed the last report was from August. cheers, Mike Via | ||||
8/18/2021 Posted On: 8/18/2021 By: sctbke Info: Found some old Toyota keys on the road - looks like theyve been there a bit, dm me if you want them back! Road is as described but is no joke. Extremely rough and made mostly of loose boulders. Got my 07 Honda Pilot to the steep hill around 9000. Lowered tire pressure for it. Most vehicles with a true low range could make it to around 10,000 at the tight left switchback with the big rock obstacle. After that road gets much rougher and tighter. Ended up getting high centered on a rock on the way down, had to build some rock ramps to get out, and had to do some emergency trail repairs as the rock bent some sheet metal in the undercarriage into the drive shaft and caused rubbing. Immediately after that there was a Jeep rollover around 2.5 or 3 miles up the road. Not sure what the cause was, but not a good situation. You can get a standard SUV up the road a good distance, but be prepared for an adventure, and choose lines carefully! | ||||
8/14/2021 Posted On: 8/17/2021 By: Mitsugi Info: Don't even bother trying to drive it unless you have spend many thousands on lifted vehicle suspension. Nomination for worst walk in the rockies. This road is a pretty bad time. This creek crossing people are discussing seems to be resolved as many Jeeps made it to the Lake. | ||||
8/6/2021 Posted On: 8/6/2021 By: Sgranteed Info: Creek crossing just after JAWS 1 is completely washed out with a new JAWS formation to get past. A few men and their kids threw rocks in the hole for 1.5 days and made a bridge wide enough for them to get atvs down and across, but it is almost not wide enough for a jeep or truck tog we down and through. This new JAWS formation was impassable for any vehicles, Jeeps/trucks, and only saw 2 atvs go past in and they were scared they werent going to be able to get back up it. Definitely needs some drastic work done before getting past that section now. | 5 |
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8/4/2021 Posted On: 8/4/2021 By: GordoByrn Info: Parked at 8800. Nissan Rogue AWD was there. I'll attach a pic of the parking area at ~10k. Creek crossing at 10.7k was chugging this morning. Forded both ways. Tons of water above this point. I'll post a pic looking up 7a and looking down 2p. Water level is falling but check the down pic to see the wash out. No idea what this normally looks like. 1st time in the Sangres. No vehicles were above it. Got back to 8800 to find the Rogue was replaced with an Outback. Some of y'all got driving skills! Nice day out there. Had Ellingwood to myself, then passed a couple at the trail junction and had Blanca all alone. | 4 |
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7/7/2021 Posted On: 7/10/2021 By: mtgoatmike Info: Drove up the road in my stock 2012 SR5 Tacoma to the "beware of bears" sign (upper trailhead parking?) Was traveling solo, so no spotter and didn't know what the road had in store past this point. Could have driven further up the road roughly one more mile or so, saw a stock Tacoma and Silverado 1/2 mile or so up, plenty of pull-offs for parking. | ||||
6/21/2021 Posted On: 6/21/2021 By: ButterDips12 Info: There is no snow left to Lake Como; I made it up to 10,100ft. I am an experienced driver and had a good spotter. Scratched up my clear coat pretty good on tree branches and bent my lower plastic front bumper. Also hit my step rails a few times. Going to 10,100ft will take a toll on your vehicle. It is a gnarly road for sure. | 3 |
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4/25/2021 Posted On: 4/26/2021 By: globreal Info: The road is dry all the way to 10,250' even last several snow storms last week. There is a pull-out here which has room for many vehicles and several camp spots. This is right before where the road has the big downhill section. If you have a good 4x4 you can dry this far and save yourself a lot of walking. | 1 |
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4/18/2021 Posted On: 4/19/2021 By: aksean22 Info: The road is mostly snow free through the switchbacks to 10,000'. Snow is patchy from there to the river crossing, and continuous the rest of the way to the lake. |
