schofield pass difficulty

I took my family “Up” from the Marble city side to the (DP) Devil’s Punchbowl and over into Crested Butte on the second week of August 2015.

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The climb up adjacent to the DP on what I term the Devil’s Ledge is a cambered tilt toward the Crystal River, below is sharp bedrock and should not to be taken lightly.

I was first over the pass as a kid in a Willys Jeep with my parents in the early 1960s, and I remember part of it being a bit scary. We went over it a few more times after that, one of which was on our honeymoon, but never again in June. Devils Punch Bowl is between the two falls, Data updated - May 27, 2017 Be aware of the private property at the top of Schofield Pass along FR314. The section south of Crystal is more open and has fewer trees. We crossed the Crystal Creek, where I duly dried off my brakes as the sign warns you to do, and dipped into the canyon. The rest of the pass is pretty relaxing. Also, the vehicle dropped off ledge after ledge of sheer rock as we descended into the canyon. Dispersed camp sites are along FR314 on the north side of the pass west of Crystal and on the south side of the pass along FR317. Only attempt the actual pass in a good, relatively small 4WD, my Rubicon was still a bit wide and although capable, this section (only about 1/4 mile) was challenging to say the least. The road over the pass is an old wagon route built in 1883 between Crested Butte and the Crystal / Marble area.

The south side of Schofield Pass is average with aspen stands closer to Crested Butte. Life is too short to relax. We hear news that a part of that road is gone this spring, nature’s way of closing a trail or road, by rockslide and erosion. The pass has always held a mystique because a section of the road is literally hanging from the cliff face and is above the wildest part of the roaring, frothing creek below. This area would be a great place to base camp. Go 312 feet and take the first right onto East Silver Street. Some technical terrain and limited alternate lines. Popular with mountain and dirt bikers, hikers and Jeep enthusiasts, there was speculation that the sheer enormity of the slide might permanently close the pass, which was originally built in 1883 as a wagon route between the two mining towns. With the aid of forty prospectors from the Crested Butte area Parsons built a road over Schofield Pass to the Crystal River, then called Rock Creek. From Carbondale, CO. head southeast on Colorado 133 South toward Garfield Ave. Go 21.5 miles and turn left onto County Rd 3. Schofield Pass was one such route. The pass is closed for most of the year due to snow or mud, and is open only for one or two months in late summer. I do not know if it can be reopened, but sometimes things are better left as Mother Nature intended.        Do not do this alone, you need a spotter to go up the road to make sure no one else is on it at the same time! Editor’s Note: Back in April of this year, a massive rockslide occurred on Schofield Pass, a four-wheel-drive forest service road which connects the towns of Marble and Crested Butte. Steep. A left (FR 315) leads to Leadking Basin. Go 2.8 miles and continue straight to stay on County Rd 3. There was no way I was going back up that punchbowl road, climbing it would be certain death if I were to stall out and I said as much to the passengers.

ATV / Jeep / 4wd / Offroad route information for Schofield Pass in Colorado. They used parts of game trails and footpaths already tromped by the Paleo and Ute Native Americans to more naturally access areas that held the ore they sought. The work was overseen by Jim McBreen, construction and maintenance supervisor for the USFS He described very large trees above the road that were shattered by the slide and reported that one of the holes in the road was nearly 16 feet wide and 4 feet deep. Go 2.8 mile and continue onto Park Street. My husband eventually let me know I was on my own once I passed the rocks they had placed on the snow. To say that I was swallowing hard after that first turn is an understatement; that is the point of no return. Early miners called the trail "S.O.B. Three other rigs came up behind me; two stayed to join in the thrill-seeking we were about to partake in, and the third called us crazy and left. Agency - FR314 (north side) November 23 to May 20     A bulldozer team consisting of Larry Augustson and Salvador Landa did much of the road clearing, despite the difficulty of bringing the machine up to the remote location. 4WD Road driven - Semptember 02, 2012 Trail" due to the sheer rock walls making transportation difficult, and the famed Devil's Punchbowl. The drainage ruts caused by runoff on this portion of road will eventually make this road impassable in this quarter mile section and either the road will need to be widened or closed, but that is decision that is still a few years off. Box 946 – Salida, CO 81201 – Ph:719-530-9063 In my wife’s opinion, this trail is by far more difficult and cumbersome than Black Bear Pass and its infamous switchbacks! Schofield Pass, elevation 10,707 ft (3,263 m), is a mountain pass in the Elk Mountains of Colorado.        He estimated that nearly 100 yards of road were affected by the slide. It is typically open for a month or two in the Late Summer, beginning in August. But, if ores were found in quantity, they enlarged the routes they used to accommodate pack strings of donkeys and mules, and later wagons, for hauling the ore to mills in the lower valleys. Fuel on the north side is further away in Carbondale and Paonia. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Sizable rocks & roots. Spring 2016 has seen some heavy snowfalls and leads me to believe that if DP is attempted this year it will be very late in August or early September to assure the road is clear of snow drifts. 1937 photo, Sheep Mountain Power Plant, Mill to the right. Colorado miners in the 1800s traveled through the mountains to gain access to the rich ores locked in the high cliff faces and streambeds. Part of it was hacked out of a rock face to allow the passage of wagons to haul the silver ore from the town of Schofield in the Sawatch Range. In the spring of 1873 Dr. John Parsons from Denver was conducting another geologic survey of the Elk Mountains to ascertain the agricultural and mineral resources. The FOREST SERVICE should be commended for all their work on the road !

Go 0.1 miles and take the first right onto West Main Street. There are a lot of ghost towns and mining history along the network of 4WD roads. Jeepsters and other local four-wheeling clubs regularly perform volunteer work on the road, but this slide was a bit outside of their ability levels. Mining history, ghost towns, and early Colorado passes. Trail" due to the sheer rock walls making transportation difficult, and the famed Devil's Punchbowl. Mostly flat. We easily got around Emerald Lake at the top of the pass and across Schofield Park, then pushed on down the boulder-covered old streambed that serves as the road for a bit.

Browns Canyon: A New National Monument for America, Book Reviews – Simply Nora: High Heels and Diapers. This section of road may only be a quarter mile long but is the most treacherous and nerve racking portion that should only be driven (very slowly )and by experienced drivers! … Seasonality – Schofield Pass is closed for most of the year due to snowy and muddy conditions. Marble, Snowmass Moutain, Oh-be-Joyful, Crested Butte, Gunnison National Forest, Gunnison Ranger District. The other two Jeeps got down assisted by the ruts I had set for them. Go 0.4 miles and turn left onto West 3rd Street. We sat there, pondering this misjudgment when my husband noted there was a lot of rock above that avalanche that could be used to anchor my jeep to the hillside, so we began to roll rock down the hillside. Go 0.3 miles and take the third left onto East 2nd Street. Scenic views through the narrow Crystal River gorge. Road 314 has reopened. The pass has always held a mystique because a section of the road is literally hanging from the cliff face and is above the wildest part of the roaring, frothing creek below.

But, on June 8, after three days of work by a dedicated crew of U.S. Forest Service employees, F.S. Uncover Colorado - Vacations, Travel & Tourism | Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Disclaimer. I went up a gear to keep it under traction and by the time I got to the bottom, welcomed by two dozen cheering hikers, I was in fourth gear. Moderately steep. With the aid of forty prospectors from the Crested Butte area Parsons built a road over Schofield Pass to the Crystal River, then called Rock Creek. Devil's Punchbowl is beautiful, the couple of water crossings leading to the difficult part were very cool. Steep sections. The north side along the Crystal River has large stands of aspen trees giving good fall colors. My husband told everyone to get on the downhill side of my jeep to hold it in order to keep it from rolling into the river, and with them walking me down, I started out. East of Marble you will loop around the north side of Beaver Lake and climb Daniels Hill to the intersection of FR315, Leadking Basin, and FR314, Schofield Pass. By the time I drove it in my own Willys, the road had deteriorated to the point that at times all four tires were not on the road at the same time. FR317 (south side) February 29 to June 30. In 1873-1874 Dr. V. F. Hayden received immunity from Chief Ouray to continue his geologic surveys through the Crystal River Valley.

Schofield Pass was one such route. Polly writes because she is not busy enough being on one nonprofit and three county boards. Copyright 4X4Explore.com - 2000-2017. Part of it was hacked out of a rock face to allow the passage of wagons to haul the silver ore from the town of Schofield in the Sawatch Range. ©Colorado Central Magazine One year in early June my Mom, my husband, our kids and I left Crested Butte in my Willys to see just how far we could get up into the hills. In the 1880s, Al Johnson, a locally famous skier, and his brother snowshoed the length of the primitive road in winter, from the town of Crystal to the mining camp of Schofield, to deliver the mail and small supply items. Huge boulders fill the creek ,testament to the wildness it passes through. And remember to STAY THE TRAIL ! After finishing with the rocks, I got in, turned on the engine, and swallowed hard. On the north side Crested Butte is closer to this area. Uneven terrain with small rocks or roots.

It is typically open for a month or two in the Late Summer, beginning in August. My heart sank. Jay said that driving over Black Bear Pass is more difficult than Schofield. My daughter spotted me on the Devil’s Ledge and up creating a line that allowed me to avoid scraping or banging the suspension! Early miners called the trail "S.O.B.

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