eej1 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 My Zumo says there is a road that connects US-550 just north of Silverton, CO to SR-145 just south of Telluride going through Ophir. Is this road paved, or at least passable on an RT in May? Thanks, Eric Link to comment
azkaisr Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I wouldn't take a Jeep in May on that road. This year they have had a ton of snow. It isn't paved. Kaisr Link to comment
Whip Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I wouldn't take a Jeep in May on that road. This year they have had a ton of snow. It isn't paved. Kaisr What he said. Link to comment
questrider Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I wouldn't take a Jeep in May on that road. This year they have had a ton of snow. It isn't paved. Kaisr Wouldn't this be Ophir Pass? Is it really that treacherous? Or is simply that in May it's still a sloppy mess from all the snow? I understood this to be one of the easier passes in Colorado in comparison to some of the others in that area. I always hoped on a June or July trip to this area to take my GS across it. But perhaps I'm better off just sticking to 550. Last year when we were there in early June the locals told me it still had six feet of snow. Link to comment
eej1 Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 Thanks everyone. I'll stick to the paved roads! Eric Link to comment
DavidEBSmith Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Wouldn't this be Ophir Pass? Yes. We took a 4x4 Montero over Ophir Pass when we were at the first UnRally in Gunnison. The east side wasn't bad, mostly hard-packed dirt - it was doable on an RT. The west side was possibly the scariest road I've ever been on. The road was all softball-sized rocks, there were switchbacks that were so tight you couldn't see any road, only sky underneath you. And yes, one of the locals in Telluride told us Ophir was an easy pass. Link to comment
big-t Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Ophir pass is one of the easier passes to ride in the area,but I wouldn't take an RT across it. A couple of pics from Ophir,a beautiful place to visit. Top of the pass Going down. Link to comment
hopz Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Yes, but if you do want to get to Telluride consider highway 145, to the west of the mountains. 550 is good, but once you do that try 145. I found it to be exceptionally beautiful and a great ride. Link to comment
Bullett Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 All of those dirt passes in the San Juan triangle are not usually plowed all the way through until July. My guess would be no, not in May. Link to comment
Joe Frickin' Friday Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Ophir pass is one of the easier passes to ride in the area,but I wouldn't take an RT across it. If the whole road is like your pics, that looks doable. I did Guanella Pass four years ago on the RT, but then again maybe I'm crazier than average when it comes to taking the RT off of the pavement. It was about 20 miles of dirt road that looked a lot like your pics. Or are there difficult areas not shown in your pics? In this case, the pass could save a 45+ mile detour between Silverton and Telluride, but as has been noted, snow is of serious concern in May. 2004 was actually my second attempt at crossing Guanella Pass; my first was in '03, and I actually got the RT STUCK in snow and barely managed to get it free and go back the way I came. If you're gonna dare to do Ophir pass on an RT, get the latest info you can about road conditions just before you head up the road, and be prepared to turn around and take the long paved-road detour instead if you find can't get through. Link to comment
big-t Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 If the whole road is like your pics, that looks doable. Or are there difficult areas not shown in your pics? The pics are always misleading because they never seem to show how steep the roads really are,plus its very hard to stop on the rougher parts to take pics. I don't remember how difficult that road down from Ophir was,it wasn't as difficult as the other passes we rode,but just the very steep and narrow downhill U turns would be a challenge on an RT,plus you would be probably loose a bit of plastic off the bottom.. Not saying it couldn't be done......just saying I won't be trying it Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 Ophir pass is one of the easier passes to ride in the area,but I wouldn't take an RT across it. If the whole road is like your pics, that looks doable. I did Guanella Pass four years ago on the RT, but then again maybe I'm crazier than average when it comes to taking the RT off of the pavement. It was about 20 miles of dirt road that looked a lot like your pics. Or are there difficult areas not shown in your pics? In this case, the pass could save a 45+ mile detour between Silverton and Telluride, but as has been noted, snow is of serious concern in May. 2004 was actually my second attempt at crossing Guanella Pass; my first was in '03, and I actually got the RT STUCK in snow and barely managed to get it free and go back the way I came. If you're gonna dare to do Ophir pass on an RT, get the latest info you can about road conditions just before you head up the road, and be prepared to turn around and take the long paved-road detour instead if you find can't get through. It isn't a road that I would choose to take an RT on, but I've inadvertently done several harder roads while 2-up on the RT. It'll definitely do it. I'd disable the ABS and just watch out for potholes and big rocks. It ain't nothin' for me to take an RT on Ophir pass. Link to comment
Mike O Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 I personally, wouldn't take an RT on that road. A bulldozer is working on clearing the snow and debris off Ophir pass. The snow up there can be as shallow as a foot and as deep as 15 to 20 feet, Horner said. Clearing off that pass usually takes two men and a bulldozer a full week. The bulldozer was just a half mile from the county line Tuesday, and the entire pass should be cleared and open by this weekend. “There seems to be a little bit more snow than last year,” Horner said, “and we’re just a few days later starting than last year.”Above from May 23, 2007 Note that's not a misprint! That's from LAST year. We've had a few more flakes of the white stuff this past winter season. Mike O Link to comment
big-t Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 It ain't nothin' for me to take an RT on Ophir pass. Can I come along and take pics Link to comment
SageRider Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 It ain't nothin' for me to take an RT on Ophir pass. Can I come along and take pics Russell doesn't own an RT, so as long as you're willing to donate yours, I'm sure Russell would be more than willing! Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 It ain't nothin' for me to take an RT on Ophir pass. Can I come along and take pics Russell doesn't own an RT, so as long as you're willing to donate yours, I'm sure Russell would be more than willing! Link to comment
BruceWA Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 As a veteran of many Colorado passes similar to Ophir, I'd not even consider them on less than a dirt bike, unless they are paved. Then you can take advantage of the handling/power characterisitics of same and have a ball!! No doubt many of them can be ridden on a street bike, just NOT MY street bike. Link to comment
eddd Posted March 31, 2008 Share Posted March 31, 2008 All of those dirt passes in the San Juan triangle are not usually plowed all the way through until July. My guess would be no, not in May. The weather is the main determining factor, but the passes in the area (Ophir, Engineer, and Cinnamon) are usually opened in the first half of June. There is pressure for the counties to open and maintain the roads because of the tourist dollars. While Ophir is the easiest of the three, it is not a road I would even consider on an RT. The previously mentioned switchbacks and large loose rocks would make this a most unpleasant, if not downright dangerous undertaking on an RT. You also need to keep in mind that the condition of any of these roads can vary greatly from year to year, or even day today. Link to comment
Bullett Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 All of those dirt passes in the San Juan triangle are not usually plowed all the way through until July. My guess would be no, not in May. The weather is the main determining factor, but the passes in the area (Ophir, Engineer, and Cinnamon) are usually opened in the first half of June. There is pressure for the counties to open and maintain the roads because of the tourist dollars. While Ophir is the easiest of the three, it is not a road I would even consider on an RT. The previously mentioned switchbacks and large loose rocks would make this a most unpleasant, if not downright dangerous undertaking on an RT. You also need to keep in mind that the condition of any of these roads can vary greatly from year to year, or even day today. Yep. The summer I lived in Lake City, Cinnamon wasn't open from Lake City to Silverton until July 4th weekend. Check this out Linky: 4 x 4 roads in the San Juans, Ophir Pass Link to comment
revdoc Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Most of the time you break snow in mid to late july at the top and just down the west side..Great ride .. Just do not forget your GOAT for the snow banks.. Enjoy Link to comment
questrider Posted April 4, 2008 Share Posted April 4, 2008 Here's an interesting 11-minute video I just watched on YouTube of someone in a jeep via Ophir Pass heading east from Telluride and Ophir towards 550 and Silverton. Some of those areas look pretty dodgy with loose dirt and big rocks, not to mention the steep drop-offs to your immediate right or left a lot of the time coupled with those switchbacks. Yikes. I wonder if I'd really have the kahuntas once there and "in it" to actually be able to do that east to west on my GS without turning around at some point. I'd sure like to try. Still, I don't want to die trying. Or at least ruin my afternoon. Link to comment
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