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I recently got a GoPro and took it with us on some trails in Colorado. I will be doing some threads here as I get the videos done so we can start building a library of trails that might be of interest. I'm a beginner at putting videos together but they should at least give you an idea of what each trail is like.
First up is Black Bear Pass!
Black Bear Pass is a bucket list trail located in Colorado between Ouray and Telluride. It is not a particularly challenging trail from the technical perspective. If the weather is good you could do this trail in a four wheel drive pickup truck. You do, however, need to drive extremely carefully in the “Steps” and switchback parts of the trail or you can absolutely kill yourself.
Black Bear Pass road starts out relatively tame. You are driving through beautiful country. There is nothing quite like the majestic sites out west. You will reach Black Bear Pass itself in about 3 miles. It is 12,840 ft high. This is a great opportunity for photos and to stretch your legs before continuing towards the switchbacks. You will pass through more beautiful country for another 5 miles or so until you get to The Steps. This is where it gets interesting. The Steps and switchbacks are the subject of this video.
The entrance to the switchbacks is a relatively narrow off-camber section of rocky road with limited visibility of what lies ahead known as The Steps. There is a drop-off to your left with a small river/stream. At the bottom of this section there is a tame switchback that takes you to a waterfall that makes another great photo op. We also walked across the trail and had lunch looking down on Telluride while listening to the rushing water of the nearby falls.
The water from the falls crosses the trail at this point and you will get your tires wet. There is a spot just ahead where most people seem to slip a few inches towards the edge. Scary, but not really dangerous.
From there you descend on the most narrow portion of the trail with a large drop off to the passenger’s side and a steep rocky wall on the driver’s side. At the end of this section you hit the first tight switchback. This is the tightest of them all and will require several back and forth maneuvers to get around.
From there on out you are descending back and forth with a lot of switchbacks. Eventually you end up in Telluride. This is a great spot to walk around, eat lunch if you haven’t already, grab a beer, shop, etc. Telluride is also where Imogene Pass begins. Imogene is the perfect compliment to Black Bear as it takes you back over Imogene Pass to the Ouray area close to where you began.
Black Bear Pass is a USDA Forest Service road. The Forest Service describes it:
“This OHV route offers a very technical trail that is not for inexperienced drivers or riders. While most of the road is moderate in difficulty. the mile-long stretch of steep switchbacks on the Telluride side above Bridal Veil Falls is rated as difficult. A high clearance, short wheel base, four wheel drive vehicle is strongly recommended for this section of the road. The road starts from State Highway 550 at Red Mountain Pass (signed as Forest Road #823) and climbs quickly to Black Bear Pass at 3.2 miles. There is ample room for parking at the Pass where there are views into Ingram Basin. The road then descends into Ingram Basin, past Ingram Lake and the Black Bear Mine. At approx. 5.6 miles the road begins descending the "Steps" which are comprised of a series of steep, technical rock steps. From this point down to the Bridal Veil Powerplant (approx 1 mile), the road is one-way only. Once down the "Steps", the road continues past Ingram Falls, making extremely tight, narrow switchbacks until it reaches the Bridal Veil Falls Powerplant. Driving, riding, or walking down this section of the road is not only a thrill; it also offers spectacular views of the Telluride Valley, Ingram Fall, and Bridal Veil Falls.”
First up is Black Bear Pass!
Black Bear Pass is a bucket list trail located in Colorado between Ouray and Telluride. It is not a particularly challenging trail from the technical perspective. If the weather is good you could do this trail in a four wheel drive pickup truck. You do, however, need to drive extremely carefully in the “Steps” and switchback parts of the trail or you can absolutely kill yourself.
Black Bear Pass road starts out relatively tame. You are driving through beautiful country. There is nothing quite like the majestic sites out west. You will reach Black Bear Pass itself in about 3 miles. It is 12,840 ft high. This is a great opportunity for photos and to stretch your legs before continuing towards the switchbacks. You will pass through more beautiful country for another 5 miles or so until you get to The Steps. This is where it gets interesting. The Steps and switchbacks are the subject of this video.
The entrance to the switchbacks is a relatively narrow off-camber section of rocky road with limited visibility of what lies ahead known as The Steps. There is a drop-off to your left with a small river/stream. At the bottom of this section there is a tame switchback that takes you to a waterfall that makes another great photo op. We also walked across the trail and had lunch looking down on Telluride while listening to the rushing water of the nearby falls.
The water from the falls crosses the trail at this point and you will get your tires wet. There is a spot just ahead where most people seem to slip a few inches towards the edge. Scary, but not really dangerous.
From there you descend on the most narrow portion of the trail with a large drop off to the passenger’s side and a steep rocky wall on the driver’s side. At the end of this section you hit the first tight switchback. This is the tightest of them all and will require several back and forth maneuvers to get around.
From there on out you are descending back and forth with a lot of switchbacks. Eventually you end up in Telluride. This is a great spot to walk around, eat lunch if you haven’t already, grab a beer, shop, etc. Telluride is also where Imogene Pass begins. Imogene is the perfect compliment to Black Bear as it takes you back over Imogene Pass to the Ouray area close to where you began.
Black Bear Pass is a USDA Forest Service road. The Forest Service describes it:
“This OHV route offers a very technical trail that is not for inexperienced drivers or riders. While most of the road is moderate in difficulty. the mile-long stretch of steep switchbacks on the Telluride side above Bridal Veil Falls is rated as difficult. A high clearance, short wheel base, four wheel drive vehicle is strongly recommended for this section of the road. The road starts from State Highway 550 at Red Mountain Pass (signed as Forest Road #823) and climbs quickly to Black Bear Pass at 3.2 miles. There is ample room for parking at the Pass where there are views into Ingram Basin. The road then descends into Ingram Basin, past Ingram Lake and the Black Bear Mine. At approx. 5.6 miles the road begins descending the "Steps" which are comprised of a series of steep, technical rock steps. From this point down to the Bridal Veil Powerplant (approx 1 mile), the road is one-way only. Once down the "Steps", the road continues past Ingram Falls, making extremely tight, narrow switchbacks until it reaches the Bridal Veil Falls Powerplant. Driving, riding, or walking down this section of the road is not only a thrill; it also offers spectacular views of the Telluride Valley, Ingram Fall, and Bridal Veil Falls.”
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