Through The Clouds on Colorado's Ophir Pass!

[@zmotorsports62]

We love wheeling in the Ouray/Silverton area. My wife and I have hosted Jeep gatherings in the area multiple times with our RV group over the past 14 years of visiting Ouray, CO. We just spent a week there last week and wheeled six days straight again this year. Glad you enjoyed the area. Mike

[@Colorado4x4]

Great video!!!

[@jaysully7516]

Beautiful trail that's not too difficult, thanks for sharing.

[@greghull3189]

Always enjoy your videos and thanks for sharing your adventures. I really like your recommendations on the gearing. Looking forward to seeing Imogene Pass.

[@almeisam]

One of my favorite passes, just because of the long shelf road on the west side of the summit. Haven't been there since the 1980's, and a nice shortcut between Silverton and Telluride.

[@naturelvr123]

Right on about "scarring the trees". :)

[@Mk5_Matt]

Thanks for sharing !

[@digumi]

Thank for sharing

[@anthonyrenaud5783]

Great video. Thanks.

[@ابوتركيابوتركي-ف5د]

Very nice this street

[@huangyizhou1]

Interesting video. I wonder do you think any random car (like, Toyota Camry) can make it to the parking lot at 14:07 from the Ophir side? Thanks.

[@TrailTraveler]

It is EXTREMELY dangerous to do this in a vehicle that does not have a low-range gear. If you cannot use engine braking to control your downhill speed and you can only use your brakes, you stand a very good chance of frying the brakes. As we were sitting there, a vehicle came down with the brake rotors literally red hot and smoking. It's a miracle he made it down in one piece but he had no brakes left at all. It isn't about the difficulty of the trail, its about how steep it is coming down.

[@huangyizhou1]

@@TrailTraveler That parking lot is 300ft higher in elevation than the town of Ophir (in another aspect, 7% average grade for less than a mile). Assuming a 2ton car with 90lbs of brake rotor made of cast iron, it would only heat up the brake for 170 degrees F without any heat dissipation, well within design temperature for typical brakes. That parking lot provides access to Swamp Canyon to the south, hence the question. ^_^

[@TrailTraveler]

@@huangyizhou1 Sorry,. I thought you were asking about coming down from Ophir Pass. From the city to the parking lot is dead simple.

[@greenflintriver]

If you remember what dates did you go. Thanks enjoy your videos!!

[@TrailTraveler]

August 7th, 2021

[@geneanuts]

We did Ophir pass in '86 in a Datsun PU, no 4 x 4. It's easy and was the beginning of our addiction.

[@TrailTraveler]

You absolutely do not need 4x4, but a gearbox with a low-range is highly recommended. I have seen vehicles coming down the pass with their brakes literally red hot. Brake failure coming down is the number one cause of injuries and deaths on these steep passes and a good low gear can prevent that.

[@jtmx2005]

did this with my stock trailblazer and the low gear was just barely enough with the weight of the vehicle, my brakes gave out coming down just after the tough stuff thankfully and i got to pull over.

[@just-me4442]

One more question, could you give a list of passes you think we can do. We will be in Ouray for a couple of days

[@alexanderdaughtry4491]

love yalls videos! helps me prepare for what I'm about to get into so I don't have as many surprises haha I do have a question though. I love the rig I have and it really impresses me where it can go, even going further than some rigs that are way more built haha but I do not have a true low gear. I can use bump shift but the than that I have jeeps AD1 selection terrain. I've done some long and steep decent but not without major clenching haha my question is, should I just upgrade my brake lines and put a heavier duty brake fluid in OR should I do that and couple it with the power stop drilled/slotted rotors? The brake stop rotors and pads would be roughly 500 so if those won't make that much of a difference, id like to get the much cheaper OEMs and then still run the upgraded lines and fluid. TIA!

[@TrailTraveler]

The biggest issue is long steep descents and your brakes overheating and failing. Drilled and slotted rotors can cool faster, making overheating less likely.

[@alexanderdaughtry4491]

@@TrailTraveler thank you for the quick response! That’s my thought process as well, then with upgraded lines and fluid I should be pretty safe. I can always stop at a pull off area to cool before either continuing or beginning the next trail

[@olegig5166]

Do you have bead lockers? What minimum pressure would you recommend without bead lockers?

[@TrailTraveler]

We do not have beadlocks. On any harder trail or snow, we will air down to about 10-12 PSI. Yesterday, in some deep snow, I went down to 9psi. we have never popped a bead or had any issue at those numbers.

[@olegig5166]

@@TrailTraveler thanks

[@olegig5166]

@@TrailTraveler would you mind informing us of the brand and size of your tires?

[@KerryGarrison]

@@olegig5166at the time off this video we were in 38” Milestar Patagonias. Right now wee are on 38” Nitto Trail Grapplers..

[@olegig5166]

@@KerryGarrison thanks again.

[@ajay_sama]

Great Video. Thank you for sharing What accessories did you use with your GoPro (On the windshield)

[@TrailTraveler]

The "Window Cam" is a DJI Osmo Action that is held by a Delkin Gecko mount and there is a Polar Pro ND16 on the camera

[@just-me4442]

Watch all your videos and we are headed there in July, we will be in a Honda CRV all wheel drive. Do you think we could do Imogene, Yankee Basin or Engineer pass in this vehicle> thank you

[@TrailTraveler]

Can you or should you? The CRV doesn’t have a low range gearbox so you can easily roast your brakes on any of the passes. Personally, I wouldn’t attempt it, if you have brake fade, which is very possible, you are coming down the hill with no way to stop. Yes, people have done it, but you need to know that vehicle inside and out and be a very skilled driver to do it safely.

[@MSchumacherfan]

Is this one way, looks narrow?

[@TrailTraveler]

It is not, passing can be tricky

[@the4xeguy]

Think i am going to hit this trail next summer on my way to Cali! How long it Ophir pass to run through? Alsois there any other trails easy? Not ready to damage my 22 4xe yet lol

[@TrailTraveler]

Imogene is absolutely worth hitting up! Use the Trails Offroad app to look for trails rated 3-4 and you will be fine.

[@the4xeguy]

@@TrailTraveler Thank you sir!!

[@hereto246]

I was there last month and encountered a Toyota sedan coming down the shelf road section. Guy said GPS took him this way 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️ Guessing he was missing some undercarriage when he got thru to Telluride

[@bwma]

To bad for the smoke. Just was at Garden of the gods and Pikes Peak. The smoke really ruined the otherwise awesome views. The trail from Garden of the gods balanced rock area to Woodland park Colorado was awesome. Great views of the peak along the way

[@NFL61]

Nice video. It looks like a dually could make it. It appears wide enough. What’s your opinion?

[@TrailTraveler]

As long as you have a low range transfer case, then yes. If you only have a single range transmission, then there is a risk of burning out your brakes on the way down.

[@NFL61]

@@TrailTraveler thanks for the reply.

[@galdriveswest]

why is he calling it O Fear?

[@TrailTraveler]

That's how I have heard it pronounced. What do you think is the correct way?

[@comptonoverland7442]

That's how you say it.

[@MikeBoruta]

@@TrailTraveler I live in Ouray. No locals that I know of call it "O-fear". It is "O-fur" (as in "fur coat" or "gopher" without the "g").

[@TrailTraveler]

@@MikeBoruta Thanks, that's the best explanation of how to pronounce it I have seen

[@billredding2000]

Why not just put the transmission lever in Manual Mode/1st-gear (while in 2H instead of 4L) to use engine compression to keep a slow speed and avoid the brakes? Or is 1st-gear in 2H still too fast for the decent? -- BR

[@TrailTraveler]

2H will not put your transfer case into the low range causing the vehicle to descend too fast and forcing you to use the brakes.

[@billredding2000]

@@TrailTraveler I know it won't, but 1st gear in 2H is still pretty low/slow-speed, especially on a trail as easy as Ophir. Still, do whatever you feel comfortable...but were it me, I'd try 2H/M1 first. -- BR

[@TrailTraveler]

We watched someone do that and he damned near cooked his brakes off. We started in 2H and had to stay on the brakes, in 4LO we rarely even touched them. If you are stepping on the brakes, then your gearing is not low enough.

[@billredding2000]

@@TrailTraveler Okay...it just didn't look that steep though. Happy Trails, -- BR

[@MarcBaldelli]

You people are completely nuts traveling these paths.

[@shirleybalinski4535]

I guess if you go over the side you would " roll" down instead of a sheer " drop"!!! It might be survivable.

[@kennedyfamily9063]

What was your favorite trail in Colorado?

[@TrailTraveler]

In the San Juans area, probably Black Bear and Imogene. But we live in Colorado so we have many trails that we love.

[@jaysonschor]

Jeep badge of honor 😆 🤣 😂

[@bryanlewis8891]

Good to see you in my neighborhood. Please though don't encourage the Subaru wannabes out to the trails.

[@darrennorgren2995]

Would love to hook up with you guys on an upcoming trip. Please contact me.

[@TheChris1500]

i didnt air down but wish i did, it was rough lol, ruined all my videos i got.

[@TrailTraveler]

And people mock me for airing down as often as I do. I like my internal organs to be in one piece at the end of the day :)

[@benjantzen8910]

Terrain - Great. Jeeps, no. You guys need TOYOTAS

[@kratosrock9851]

Wrong people here man, you’re looking for the “broke af ppl”! 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@raynold5156]

Wow you butchered most of the trail names. Lol. If you want to be correct it is Black Bear road which is part of Ingram pass.

[@AmericanMadeAdventures]

No one cares except offended 'locals"