Mosquito Pass & Area

[modette99]

First off let me share the GPS tracks, here they are on Google.
http://maps.google.com/maps?msid=204...10378&t=h&z=13

Here they are for those that want to download them, and use them:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/6036376/GPX%...toPassArea.gpx

So July 17th 2011 started with ECW saying he would meet me at my house and we would trailer out to Mosquito Pass to check it out. I tend to not check time, but I believe we left at 9:30am from Monument, CO.

Once out there we parked and unloaded, more to come about parking out there later on in this thread.

Its a quick blast up Mosquito Gulch Rd to the Upper Mine where we found this:


Even if you get past that first drift you still got the one blocking the narrow road:


ECW decided to give it his all:




Guys on ATV's rolled up and we thought they be able to get through giving us a good track. But as they try they did not get all that far either.



So we decided to go and checkout one of the side routes, which by the way had very very very deep water crossings...doable but you don't want to stall in the water then you might be in trouble.

The side route took us to this:


That had a nice view of the Upper Mine:


and a sweet view of Mosquito Gulch:


We then headed back to the Upper Mine and the ATV guys had given up, but there were a couple of young guys on dirt bikes trying to get through. They too gave up. I mentioned about this road going up (FR856 as I had never done it before), they told us it went to another mine and they would go over there too. So we followed them over.



This is looking back at the Upper Mine from FR856:

[modette99]

We chatted some more, and their family owns a Cabin right in Park so they come out here a lot. They said they show us around and up to the North mountains that there was a lot of roads to explorer and mine there. They took us up, and because it rained one of them was pretty cold so they decided they would head back to their cabin and get dry.

This picture is after we split off:


The road ended like most of them do at this mine:




We headed back and took a split to the right that lead us to the top of the mountain. I saw this red speck int he distance and decided to go check it out. however no roads/trails lead there so it was a careful process to make out way over to it.





I think it might have a leak in the winter:


From the red cabin you can see back towards Mosquito Gulch and the London Mines


I found the mine, it did not seem like a hike down, but at altitude it was a bad hike back up:


Some more exploring as we came down from the top across we came across this old mine:

[modette99]

Now the best mine of the day, hands down is this gem. The two dudes were talking about some mine you can see on the road to 'Kite Lake' but they could never find it. I believe this is the one, and we found it. I listed it on the GPS tracks as 'Cliff Mine'.



Amazing someone built this here to mine:










Looking toward 'Kite Lake'

[modette99]

As we headed back down from the 'Cliff Mine' we came across another mine:
















A few times this happened, this time it was at 13,300 feet:

[asp_125]

Wow.. I remember some years back when this was all clear over and down into Leadville. Amazing the snowbanks have lasted this long.

[modette99]

So as it was 6pm at this point and we had a long drive back to Monument, we started to head down (well no choice as we were blocked by snow).

This FR was a blast, but was very step and wet so going back up would of sucked.


Location of Rd, although you can find it on the GPS tracks I posted.


One thing I should mention we came down that steep wet road/river and at the bottom there is a gate with a sign facing the other way "Positively NO Trespassing" It was not lock nor looked to be official, and there was NO sign at the time or gate that said anything...makes me believe someone is falsely claiming something, we were on forest roads the best I knew. But I am not sure what sick person would want to go UP anyways :evil

So we get back to the vehicle. Guess what Officer Goodman left me a WARNING about parking. So to share with you people, Mosquito Gulch is a County Road you need to be OFF totally to be able to park. Goodman came back, must of only just left the warning and we chatted a bit. Very nice guy, also Dual Sports a WR...I told him about this site and he wrote it down. Was even interested in RMAR event. A good guy, and I hope he checks this out and we ride sometime together.

So watch out on parking, if you trailer you might just want to park in town and ride up. I never had a problem last year, but I guess they are cracking down on people.

I hope you all enjoyed, and realize there is more to see in the area then Mosquito Pass. I got to say it was actually nice were we road. No one else, tons of mines to see. And as always depending on your skill level and motorcycle type it is easy to extreme. I marked a spot on the tracks where it was crazy steep and loose, we turned around. But a GS1200 with a expert rider if they can do Mosquito Pass can do these Jeep roads. I highly recommend these trails you could spend days exploring...do note you are exposed and above Timberline a lot, if that bothers you then use caution.

[grim]

London Mines!! went there back in 07 in the jeep mosquito pass is amazing but can be very very dangerous. great pics!

[modette99]

London Mines!! went there back in 07 in the jeep mosquito pass is amazing but can be very very dangerous. great pics!

Mosquito Pass, I do it 2+ times a year, plan to do it another two times on the bike this year and once in the Jeep this year. I went now because the postings on ADVRider where not all that good...no one had GOOD pictures. It takes me on the XR650R 30 minutes from parking spot to Leadville and the restaurant.

Oh I wrote that mainly for ADVRider but figured people here would want to see the pictures and maybe use the GPS tracks.

[Sean]

Thanks! I was just looking into that pass this morning. My gf and I are probably going to do a DS trip out that way next month and I'd really like to ride that trail. Hopefully it'll be clear in a couple of weeks.

[dirkterrell]

Sweet. Thanks for the detailed post and the GPS points. I'll have to get the XR out that way at some point.

[salsashark]

Nice pics... thanks for sharing