Mosquito Pass (Fairplay, CO)

[modette99]

I thought I would share my photos from the adventure yesterday. A good friend and I decided to go out exploring and head west to Mosquito Pass. The 2008 Ford Edge AWD did pretty good considering that it is by no means a 4x4. Now I wish for a Jeep more and more to tackle this stuff or a Dual Sport with more leaning towards off-roadablity.

This is where we decided to stop and hike up, we were about 2 miles out from the Pass. I tell you hiking at and above tree line sucks. We only made it as far as the mine due to snow, plus bad weather started to move in and we wanted to get down ASAP and not get caught in freezing rain or have the road turn to shit.



This water was running down and washing down the roadway. One reason we parked and hiked, I did not feel like the street tires were up for this. It would of did it, but it be some slow going.



Here is a picture of a section of the roadway.



We made it up to the old mine. Although we had to crawl over a snow drift that was still blocking the Pass.



More pictures of the mine, and area.

[modette99]

This is the mine before at the bottom of Mosquito Pass coming from Fairplay/Alma area on road 12.



I was stopped from driving and walking to check out the buildings by this:



Our Route of the day:



Mosquito Pass section we did:

[modette99]

and we saw a bear on 77 walk across the road and climb up a tree.

[asp_125]

Once you make it up and over the pass, the descent into Leadville is just as exciting. The views of the collegiate range from on top is amazing.

[modette99]

All the more reason to go back :-)

[asp_125]

Don't think a stock Edge will have the ground clearance though. Once past the mine it gets rocky and some helmet sized boulders to navigate. I saw a stock minivan back down from there, bottoming out all the way. Then it gets easier past the shelf road. The west side is not bad, except for the narrow width and exposure. Of course trail ratings and conditions change season by season. When I did it, I had a stock Frontier 4x4.

[mtnairlover]

Nice fotos, or nice scenery. It seems that June run-off is really taking its time...or maybe I'm just being impatient. I can imagine the alpine tundra with the little wild flowers all over it in a few weeks, though.

Ahhh...Colorado!