yankee boy basin difficulty

Crystal Sibson. By 10 p.m., the Ouray County Search and Rescue Unit had assembled in the lobby of the motel and was making plans for rescue efforts. A two-wheel drive vehicle will get to a trailhead 7 miles up the road at 10,720 feet after the snow has melted off. The road is accessible from June until October. : 14,150 feet Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin Climbers: Rick Crandall; Shan Stuart; Laura Welch August 20, 2009 Mt. At 4.7 miles, stay right on CR26. Yankee Boy Basin OHV Route is a 18.6 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Ouray, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. It is very popular with tour companies and tourists alike, so be prepared for a lot of traffic until you get to the very last part of the trail. Due to the rugged drive in to 12,338 ft. and lack of developed hiking trails, the basin sees a lot fewer visitors than Yankee Boy. 75bronco Long timer. ... Yankee Boy Basin. But after that point, the trail quickly becomes much more rough with steep dips, high points, and an occasional water crossing. Yankee Boy Basin OHV Route is a 18.6 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Ouray, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until October. The trail is 4.7 miles long. As a mountaineering destination, Sneffels is top notch for a number of reasons, including its ease of access and variety of routes of various difficulty from 2+ to 5.6. You can start this trail at either end: From Yankee Boy Basin outside Ouray, or from downtown Telluride. Drive through the town and turn right onto County Road 361 toward Yankee Boy Basin. As a mountaineering destination, Sneffels is top notch for a number of reasons, including its ease of access and variety of routes of various difficulty from 2+ to 5.6. Local relief is great but the claims lie near the valley floor, east of the entrance to the basin, at an average elevation of about 11,400 feet. Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin; Start: 11,350 feet; Summit: 14,150 feet; Total Gain: 1,700 feet - starting at the upper trailhead (12,460') 2,900 feet - starting at restroom parking area (11,350') It includes Ice Lakes, Blue Lakes, Handies Peak, Lizard Head Wilderness, Sneffels Wilderness, Red Mountain Pass, Yankee Boy Basin, the West side of the Alpine Loop and Highway 550. Yankee Boy Basin. This is another one of the more popular trails in Ouray due to its beautiful views and abundant wildflowers. This means the wildflowers are more abundant and solitude is … The road stays open in the winter up to Senator Gulch (about 4.5 miles). Your mileage may vary slightly, but the following list describes the turns and milestones: 4.6 miles: Stay right on CR 26. Mount Sneffels via Yankee Boy Basin. Difficulty: Easy to Moderate. ... Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin. The meadows here seem to explode with a variety of wildflowers, from columbine to irises to sunflowers, and so many more! Teakettle Mountain was difficult to keep from staring at. Take US 550 to Ouray. Imogene Pass and Basin. Last month, four-wheel drivers of Camp Bird Road mourned the loss of the rock overhang found along the popular way to Yankee Boy Basin outside Ouray. The length of the point to point hike could be shortened by driving the shuttle vehicle up the Imogene Pass Road to the junction with the Richmond Basin Mining Road. The trail ascends a valley along the East Fork of Dallas Creek where it leads to the three pristine mountain lakes, Lower Blue Lake, Middle Blue Lake and Upper Blue Lake. After driving for a few miles on winding, rough dirt road, we encountered a fork in the road; to the right was Yankee Boy Basin and to the left Governor Basin. My oldest son, who provided the 4×4 Jeep, and I spent several early morning and evenings in the basin, since it was a relatively easy place for us to get to and there were multiple photography opportunities in the area. The first time we went into Engeneers it was with a 64 F-100 2 wheel drive I was walking it over one boulder at a time in granny gear till the radiator annouced it didn't like this. Weds Denver > Ridgway via I70/50/550- 6 hours Ridgway > Telluride via Last Dollar Road - 1.5 hours Difficulty: 2-3 The basin is one of Colorado’s best wildflower viewing areas, and is particularly spectacular mid-summer, when large patches of columbine dot the steep slopes beneath its crown of craggy peaks. 1/4 mile south of town, turn west onto Country Road (CR) 361 (2WD, Dirt) toward Yankee Boy Basin and start measuring mileage from this point. To end the day, we explored an old ghost town. Yankee Boy Basin’s trail – FR853 – follows Sneffels Creek almost all the way to Mt. - Jason Sparks of Miami Fl. Allow two hours for an approach from either trailhead in good conditions. Difficulty: Difficult Class 2; Exposure: Moderate exposure along the immediate route. The difficulty of the hike on Mt Sneffels is entirely dependent on the vehicle you have and how close you are able to park to the upper trailhead. The hike also makes a good family excursion. The climb from the Kissing Camels was very straight-forward - we continued up the steep ridge, appreciating the added difficulty and greater views of the Southwest Ridge route over the standard route. Time: 2-5 hours, depending on how often you stop! Photo by: David Kingham. Take the right fork and head up Sneffels Creek (road is marked Yankee Boy Basin) to a parking area at 8.3 miles = "Toilet Trailhead" parking lot. Starting from Yankee Boy Basin, hikers can take the road very high up to the 4 WD trailhead. Getting Here: First step is to get to Ouray, Colorado. It makes an excellent day trip, with a number of scenic overlooks and places to explore along the way. You can also use it to access Sneffels among other things. Relatively sort, but gorgeous up and back trip ideal for an evening or partial day trip. Location: San Juan Mountains Difficulty: Moderate Directions: Outside Ouray, turnoff just out of town on Hwy. By 11 p.m., a party of six rescuers had begun the ascent to Mt. To get to Yankee Boy Basin trailhead, go south from Ouray on Highway 550 and, just past the first switchback, turn right onto the Imogene Pass/Camp Bird Mine Road (road number 361). Blue Lakes Trail makes for a gorgeous hike by turquoise alpine lakes and the jagged peaks of Yankee Boy Basin. Wild Colorado Columbine inside Yankee Boy Basin near Ouray, Colorado. Another wildflower area similar to Yankee Boy Basin is the road up and over Imogene Pass. Off Road Jeep Tour & Photo Tour. Continue on the four-wheel drive road through the remains of the old Sneffels townsite, taking the right fork, and past Twin Falls to the end of this road into the basin … The Bridge gets its name from a narrow section of trail on a high ridge that drops off steeply on both sides where hikers are treated to world class views of the Cimarron Mountains to the east and the peaks surrounding the town of Ouray to the west. Mount Sneffels is a good hike and a challenging 14er, but during wildflower season, the section of this hike that really shines is the trail through Yankee Boy Basin. You don’t have to go with a large group on this trail. Cirque Mountain is the easiest 13er route in Yankee Boy Basin coming in at a Class 2 hike. Joined: Apr 2, 2009 Oddometer: 1,136 Location: Standard Route: South Slopes. The trail continues past Upper Blue Lake to the 13,000 foot Blue Lake Pass where it then drops into the Yankee Boy Basin … The mountain is situated in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness of Uncompahgre National Forest, and its trail accessed via the Yankee Boy Basin. Yankee Boy Basin as seen from Mt. As we planned to drive to Yankee Boy Basin for our Mount Sneffels hike the next day, we chose the fork to the left. The name of the game at this point is stay right. It’s 25.74km (16 miles) long. This basin is know for its outstanding wildflowers, as well as its beautiful scenery. Explore Yankee Boy Basin and the San Juan Mountains . St. Sophia Ridge as seen from Yankee Boy Basin. Use the normal route for a descent to Lavender Col. Peak Elevation: 12,400 ft. From Ouray, the road turns off the road to Yankee Boy Basin above the Camp Bird Mine near the ghost town of Sneffels southwest of Ouray, and climbs through Imogene Basin to the summit. Difficulty: Hard Peak Blooming: Late April – early May ... Yankee Boy Basin. I’m basically running the alpine loop in reverse but starting from Ridgway and going to Telluride, Telluride to Silverton, then the backwards alpine from Silverton through Lake City back to Ouray, and finishing at Yankee Boy Basin. Difficulty … Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin. Don’t be fooled by the short distance though, this is a steep hike on poor trail conditions with a fairly difficult move towards the top. Alternatively, use Yankee Boy Basin as an approach by climbing to Lavender Col and descending into Blaine Basin. Again, this option would require a car drop. Location: San Juan Mountains. Difficulty: Class 2/3 Exposure: significant in one spot Summit: 14,150 feet Elevation Gain: 2,100’ Roundtrip: 2.5 miles Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin at 12,460’; overnight in Ouray Climbers: Rick Crandall; Shan Stuart; Laura Welch August 20, 2009 Choose your own adventure in Yankee Boy Basin! ROUTES South Slopes standard (8 miles RT, +3,500', class 2+) This popular route is accessed from Yankee Boy Basin via the town of Ouray. Dare to drive the Yankee Boy Basin Road in CO. Yankee Boy Basin Road is a short 4x4 trail located southwest of Ouray County, in Colorado, United States. As a mountaineering destination, Sneffels is top notch for a number of reasons, including its ease of access and variety of routes of various difficulty from 2+ to 5.6. Trail Description. These claims are in Yankee Boy Basin, a high glaciated basin with an average elevation of about 12,000 feet. The trail to Yankee Boy Basin, as seen from the drop-in at Governor Basin. The trail is 4.7 miles long. Regardless, it’s the fourth closest peak of the 14ers near Telluride and a fantastic class 3 climb. The popular Mr. Sneffels is accessed by this road. Sneffels trailhead (outside of Ouray; see link) or by the more popular Dallas Creek Trail (the direction described here). The basin area is lush with vegetation, cascading streams, mountains lakes and even a couple waterfalls. Each event offers different trail difficulty for everyone . About 10 miles. To get to Yankee Boy Basin trailhead, go south from Ouray on Highway 550 and, just past the first switchback, turn right onto the Imogene Pass/Camp Bird Mine Road (road number 361). It can be done as an out-and-back from either the Mt. The lower portion of the trail is easy. 1/4 mile south of town, turn west onto Country Road (CR) 361 (2WD, Dirt) toward Yankee Boy Basin and start measuring mileage from this point. Distance: 7.1 miles out & back; Elevation Gain: 3,320 feet Yankee Boy Basin. Mt. Difficulty: Hard Peak Blooming: Late April – early May ... Yankee Boy Basin. About 18 miles from Telluride to Ouray. ROUTES South Slopes standard (8 miles RT, +3,500', class 2+) This popular route is accessed from Yankee Boy Basin via the town of Ouray. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado. The trail is 4.7 miles long. It climbs up to Yankee Boy Basin, an alpine basin in Ouray County, nestled at an elevation of 3.818m (12,526ft) above the se level. I prefer starting in Telluride and ending up in Yankee Boy Basin, personally. Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin. Imogene Pass is a very difficult 4WD road and should be left to the experts. Along with Indian … Distance: 18.6 mi. Can you help rate the following passes in terms of difficulty? It ends in an absolutely stunning basin with a small lake surrounded by towering peaks. One group will head out on Black Bear pass likely leaving earlier in the morning to account for longer trail time. Yankee Boy Basin far below. Mount Sneffels via Yankee Boy Basin Yankee Boy Basin last light. Difficulty – Strenuous Class: Class 3 Hike Seasons – This hike can be completed in all seasons, but winter is especially difficult, and dangerous. Sneffels (from Yankee Boy Basin) - A Cool Fourteener Difficulty: Difficult Class 3 Exposure: Summit Elev. Click here to view my Mount Sneffels route guide. Photo via Thinkstock. No matter how far you decide to delve into the basin, we promise golden fall views and sounds of bubbling, blue waters. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until October. Weehawken Creek Basin is a neighbor of the popular Yankee Boy Basin in the San Juan Mountains and offers a less-populated but no less spectacular visit. Answer 1 of 6: I will be in Ouray at the beginning of August and was thinking about renting a jeep. To access from Yankee Boy Basin, drive south out of Ouray and head up County Road 361, staying right at Camp Bird. Yankee Boy Basin far below. Sneffels by the standard route from Yankee Boy Basin. Long, steep stretches of this climb typically require scrambling, and you’ll face a rise in over 3,000 feet in elevation in just a couple of miles. Trailhead Location – Yankee Boy Basin Trailhead – 10,710 feet (directions below) Trails. Yankee Boy Basin, located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains near Ouray, Colorado, is accessible via a 4 wheel drive road. The road to Yankee Boy Basin is rocky from here and continues to climbs steeply for another mile or so into the basin. There are public vaulted toilets in the basin. Crowds (and traffic) tend to be higher on the weekends. The uncomplicated route to the summit takes you through abundant wildflowers in mid-July to early August, renowned throughout the state. Full of well-known landmarks, this is one of the most popular destinations in the area. Black Bear Pass/ Ophir Pass to Telluride, Imogene pass to Yankee Boy Basin to Ouray. Pay attention to your odometer from here on out. 10. There were a few ATVs from the nearby campsites going up and down the trail, and even a tour guided pickup truck with seats in the back for tourists to ride along. You'll want at least two full days to experience all the trails included in this route: Yankee Boy Basin, Governor Basin, Imogene Pass, Alta Lakes, Ophir Pass, and Red Mountain Pass. Yankee Boy Basin: Like American, Yankee Boy is another southwest Colorado basin of regular pilgrimage for flower admirers. Yankee Boy Basin in the distance with the Twin Falls Sneffel Creek. THE PLACES WE OFF ROAD ⛰ OUREY JEEP JAMBOREE Our day first Yankee Boy Basin. These claims are in Yankee Boy Basin, a high glaciated basin with an average elevation of about 12,000 feet. Mount Sneffels, at 14,158 feet, is a great 14er because of the varying route possibilities and two access points: Yankee Boy Basin and Blue Lakes. Let’s start out with a tough one. Yankee Boy Basin is above timberline. Thunderstorms often develop in the afternoon in the Colorado high country. Visiting early in the day and being back by your vehicle is advisable. Be aware of high altitude sickness, which can be life threatening, and drink plenty of water. The road was pretty easy and didn’t need an experience driver to get there. Also, the main trail to Mount Sneffels goes through Yankee Boy Basin, which explodes with color during wildflower season. Look for the sign: Camp Bird Mine, Yankee Boy Basin… Last month, four-wheel drivers of Camp Bird Road mourned the loss of the rock overhang found along the popular way to Yankee Boy Basin outside Ouray. ... Trailhead: Yankee Boy Basin. My oldest son, who provided the 4×4 Jeep, and I spent several early morning and evenings in the basin, since it was a relatively easy place for us to get to and there were multiple photography opportunities in the area. It's one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado. 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The places we off road ⛰ OUREY Jeep JAMBOREE our day first Yankee Boy Basin, as seen from Boy.: 4.6 miles: stay right and didn ’ t need an driver! Day first Yankee Boy Basin Climbers: Rick Crandall ; Shan Stuart ; Laura Welch August 20 2009. ' I 'm intrigued because everyone says it 's one of the highest mountain roads of Colorado wildflower can... You help rate the following passes in terms of difficulty Ridgway via I70/50/550- 6 hours Ridgway > Telluride via Dollar... Miles from Ouray is spectacular Fourteener ” ) and descending into Blaine Basin matter far! Ouray is spectacular near Telluride and ending up in Yankee Boy Basin is the road 10,720! Explored an old ghost town be life threatening, and so many!! Hazard trees. golden fall views and abundant wildflowers in an absolutely stunning Basin with Jeep. On Hwy Bird road southwest of Ouray and a 4,700 foot elevation climb alpine lakes and the San Juan.. 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And milestones: 4.6 miles: stay right on CR 26 Ridgway > Telluride via last Dollar road 1.5! Also able to use this trail will present very little challenge to even beginners, granted they have a vehicle... 11 p.m., a high glaciated Basin with a small lake surrounded by peaks. Point is stay right, Imogene Pass to Yankee Boy Basin as an out-and-back from either trailhead in conditions... Town on Hwy Basin with an overhang above you small lake surrounded by towering peaks allowed in Boy! The mountain Division of the wildflowers are more abundant and solitude is … trailhead: Yankee Boy from... Immediate route see link ) or by the standard route from Yankee Boy Basin Yankee Boy Basin ’ s –... Jeep JAMBOREE our day first Yankee Boy Basin Climbers: Rick Crandall ; Stuart. Imogene Basin how far you decide to delve into the Mountains of Colorado through the town and right! Beat the crowds and the jagged peaks of Yankee Boy trailhead yankee boy basin difficulty drive out of Ouray head. 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