Hagerman and Alpine Loop Questions

Scottbert1 · 07-23-2007, 08:18 AM

Hey all,

I’ve been lurking on the forum for about 8 months now (got my FJ in March) and I’m looking for some advice on a Colorado trip I’m leaving on this Thursday. Hopefully this is the right place to post this.

I have the 4X4 AT with option package 1 (Still Stock for now, just got my first job out of college last year and I want to save up more before I start spending tons of $$$ on mods… I know, I know..). What I’m curious about though, is how I will do with the Duler H/T 840 tires on a stock rig?

My buddy and I are heading out on a climbing / backpacking / biking trip and our plan is to first head out to Leadville and then take Hagerman Pass back into the Hunter Fryingpan Wilderness. Anyone done that recently and anything I should watch for running the rig stock? It’s Hagerman or going up over Independence to Basalt, then back to the little town of Nast, Co which is a long drive.

After Hagerman we plan to head down to Lake City and then off on the Alpine Loop to climb the Wetterhorn and Sunshine Peaks (the two we have left to do in that area) Last year I made it to the base of Redcloud in my Toyota Camry

without an scrapes, but I vowed I would never do that again which is why I have the FJ Now! Following those climbs we would like to take the loop over to Ouray and then head up to Yankee Boy Basin to do a quick climb on Sneffels. Since I could not make the summit I’ve been madly looking at the pics and reading reports but I have seen almost everyone from trip running it with lifts and better tires.

Any suggestions for someone new to offloading would be very appreciated esp. of you have recently run these passes. Also, if there are some little side areas worth checking out along the way please share. We are planning on doing a little bit of everything, mountain biking, rock climbing, mountain climbing, backpacking. So any tips on places to take the bikes, etc. would be awesome!

I’m excited to finally get to use my rig instead of taking a Camry places where it should never go! My poor FJ has been stuck taking me to and from work on the highways, it's time to get it dirty! The funny thing is we have tried to rent a Jeep in the past to get to these areas but at 23 and 24 nobody will rent to us!

(not a huge surprise) So I solved that problem and I'm ready to have fun!

Thanks all!

sealevel · 07-23-2007, 08:50 AM

Sounds like a great trip. Going with a group is smart. Stock FJ's do very well. Will probably have tuff time with some of those rock climbs w/o a lift and better tires. Some AT's will help a lot.

Great country up there, have fun and be safe.

shane4x4 · 07-23-2007, 09:24 AM

I know for sure that Hagerman won't be an issue at ALL. Of course, always pick your lines, but I did hagerman in a bone stock ZJ a couple of years ago. For the Alpine Loop - if you plan on going up or down Engineer pass, you'll need to be extra careful. We had bone stock FJ's (w/dunflops) go up Engineer successfully, but - again you'll need to take it easy. We did engineer stock except for our scorpion AT's.

Good luck & have fun in CO!

Scottbert1 · 07-23-2007, 10:31 AM

Thanks! That sounds like what I wanted to hear. I've never done Hagerman because I never tried to take my Camry all the way across it. That will save some time and make for a more fun trip.

As for the Alpine Loop engineer pass is what I was worried about, I was planning on taking it slow and enjoying the views so that's good news. I want to get some good A/T tires in the next year but I won't do that in time for this trip. Thanks for your advice!