Starting this new thread hoping to get some info. We will be riding out of Ouray Colorado for three days in August and then will be moving over to the Buena Vista area to ride for 3 more days. Anyone who can give any information about this area, specifically Blackbear and Imogene Passes would be greatly appreciated.

Can you ride up Blackbear? I know that for ATV's it looks like it is one way and then you have to turn around and come back. I've also heard that they get mad at you for coming back down the same way you went up...but what are your options?????

Also, can you ride thru that Alpine Tunnel on your ATV? Any assitance would be greatly appreciated.

We are staying in town at Ouray and Buena Vista so I realize that this means trailering up everyday but I am used to it.

Bob "Can't wait to hear from you all" Bobman

 

Go to ATVQUADSQUAD.COM. Ask in the Rocky Mountain Rock Hoppers forum. They will be able to give you exact answers. I just got back from there a few weeks ago and am headed back out in a few more weeks. We rode 7 days last time and 6 days last year and hopefully 4 or so more in a few weeks. As far as ridding threw the Alpine tunnel, The only way to get threw that is with a time machine. It caved in almost 100 years ago. Now all thats there is a few buildings they are reconstucting for us tourists to go look at.

 

Bobman;
I've ridden Black Bear many years ago on dirt bikes. There are some really tall steps, and many quad riders endo on them. The Jeep rental agencies forbid renters from even being on Black Bear. It is definitely one-way going into Telluride, although I was able to go back up on a Trials bike, but that required some pushing. If you want to chance it, go on into Telluride and head up to the northern end of town and take the road to Imogene Pass. That will take you into Ouray. There's lots of riding out of Ouray; Imogene Pass, Yankee Boy basin. Quite often, I'd ride from Ouray over Imogene Pass to the outskirts of Telluride, park my bike/quad, walk downtown for lunch, then head back over Imogene. The views are beyond description. You should also consider Engineer Pass, which will require you to haul your quad south out of Ouray for about 10 miles. You can park along the road heading up to Engineer Pass. 'Course, you could also head that way from Silverton, but the local fuzz require you to haul your quad up to the ghost town; "Eureka", before unloading. Again, the views are stunning.
Buena Vista is also very good, but not quite as breathtaking. Be sure to haul your quad into the ghost town "St. Elmo", and unload there. You'll probably be met by a member of the USFS, requesting to see your $15 Colorado out-of-state permit. I like Tincup Pass and Tomichi Pass, but heading up to Mount Antero is a must.
If you see *any* clouds in the morning, it will likely rain, whether you are in Ouray/Telluride/Silverton, or Buena Vista. A GPS would be a nice accessory; it will get you back if you get lost. Best of luck. Hope this helps some.

 

On the "out of State Permit" There is no such thing in Colorado. At least not anymore provided you are registered in your home state. Have that along for sure though. They will fine you if cought with no form of registration. You are alowed 30 days then you need a Colorado registration. Wisconsin has started the out of state permits no matter if you are registered in your home state or not but Colorado has not as of yet. They may in the future but not now. As far as unloading in St Elmo that may be going away soon. There is a group of tree huggers trying to get all OHVs out of Chaffee countie all together. That includes the town of St. Elmo, Mount Antero, Hanckock Pass, and Tincup Pass, as well as some others I am not familiar with. DEFINATLY bring a rain suit along. We where out there riding for 7 days and we got rained on all but mayby 2 or 3 days. Never a down pore but always enough to get you good and wet. Normaly getting wet is not a big isue this time of year, but when you are up high the temp can drop way down to the point where abought half the time we got sleeted on and rained on at the same time. For some more reading on the posible closing of Chaffee Countie. Go here.


http://www.atvcolorado.com/cgi-bin/y...362249;start=0

 

BKrukow;
You are right about the "Out of State" permit *if* Colorado has a reciprocity agreement with your home state. I live in Alabama, which has no permits (as yet), so I have to have one. Somewhere on the web, probably at the atvcolorado website you showed, lists the states which have the reciprocity agreements. The wording on the Utah regulation seems to indicate that you need a permit just to haul your atv across the state!

 

I did a lot of checking last year when we went to Buena Vista and got varying answers as to permits. I ended up calling the governing agency (don't recall if it was USFS or other) and they said a permit is required for everyone.

 

Yes everyone has to have a permit but your home state permit is all that is required. No need to buy a second one from Colorado. I just got back yesterday from my second trip out there this year. I got checked a few times (one of wich was in St Elmo) and they only require a singe registration from your home state or one from Colorado if your home state does not have ATV registrations.

On a side note everyone that has ever or ever wants to ride this area in the future needs to read this article and send an email to help keep Chaffee county open to OHV travel.

http://www.atvcolorado.com/cgi-bin/y...362249;start=0


Get them emails sent in asap we are real close to losing this great riding area to a bunch of tree huggers.