Alpine Loop 2009 Trip Report
TRIP REPORT FOR: SEPTEMBER 4-6, 2009- ALPINE LOOP
We took 10 vehicles with wonderful families from here in town over to Gunsmoke Truck Stop for our first break. We then continued on to Gunnison for lunch and a gas stop. We arrived in Ouray about 3:30 p.m., checked into our Motels, made plans and ate together in an outdoor cafe. We then arranged to meet for a Saturday departure from there in town at 9:00 a.m.
The next morning we arrived at the trailhead for Engineer Pass and began the process to air down and disconnect. It was certainly a very wise thing to do as the first few miles of Engineer Pass are extremely rocky, to say the least. Going was slow, what with the rocks, the ledges, the off-camber, the huge dropoffs to the side, etc. The traffic on this Labor Day weekend Saturday was also a factor. We found one man in a small Chevy car with practically no clearance at all headed our way. When he was told what we had just come through, he had to turn around and go back the way he came.
We ate lunch at Lake City and had a great time walking around for several minutes afterward. Rollie Becker took over at that point as Trip Leader, and led the group very capably over Cinammon Pass and into the old mining town of Silverton. The trip back home for the night in Ouray was north on the Million Dollar Highway, #550.
On Sunday and Monday everyone did the individual trips that they most wanted to do, usually with other vehicles along, always for friendship reasons, and for safety as well. Everyone reports that the weekend was a winner, with gorgeous scenery and great times of fun, food and fellowship!
Denny Hage & Rollie Becker - Trip Leaders
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