Argentine Pass

WARNING! There have been multiple recoveries along Leavenworth Creek Road (The lower portion of Argentine and MCcellen Mountain) due to snow and large patches of ice. This trail should be considered impassable until the melt!

This trail is located at a higher alitude of Colorado and at this time of year should be considered impassable for any regular off-road user. Some people may be able to manage these trails with the correct gear, emergency equipment, and rig. Travel with caution.

Hey all, I got done just talking to the Clear Creek office. They are open as the fire restrictions has been lifted but the mountains have received snow as of late so they do advise that the road may not be drivable

These trails are now reopened and the forest closure has cleared. Trails may be impassable due to snowfall.

Special note: Guanella Pass has closed early for the season due to the wildfire situation in Colorado. This trail's status is not impacted by this closure, only access to these trails is now limited. Geneva from the south and Argentine/McCllelen from the north.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (Oct. 20, 2020) – Due to unprecedented and historic fire conditions, the USDA Forest Service’s Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests is announcing a temporary closure of all National Forest land in Clear Creek, Jefferson, Gilpin, Boulder, and Larimer counties, effective at midnight tonight (closure begins at 00:01 Oct. 21). This decision will be re-evaluated daily as conditions change.

Lower portion of the trail is open and easily passable. Wasn't able to make it to the top though due to snow. Actually had to pull our leader out of the snow on the shelf on the long switch back. Got pretty hairy with the snow and slip sliding away but the rest is good to go. Saw Subaru's and similar on the lower portions of the trail, seemed a little too rough for small clearance but they were there.

Multiple reports confirm that there is enough snow to make the summits impassable. The trail is reported open to the Waldorf.

Made the annual solo trip to the summits, and actually made it this year though I did see snow near the trail. Waldorf mine (officially private property) is officially closed. We knew this was coming after talking with Trout Unlimited earlier this year. The site is still toxic and work is still underway to remove chemicals in the soil and keep it out of the drinking water that flows down into Denver.

Great trail with awesome views pretty easy to waypoint 9 and after that’s still not bad but definitely wanna pick good lines I felt the first main obstacle shortly after waypoint 9 was more difficult than the obstacle at way point 11

Haven't been to Argentine in awhile and I don't know why. Such a great trail that's smooth most of the way and has a couple obstacles to keep it interesting. Definitely cool in all the wildfire smoke but obviously unfortunate.

Sadly I didn’t make it all the way to the top due to some snow that I would guess was about 10” deep. I would’ve tried but my tires are nearing needing replacement and the trail looked to be slightly off-camber facing down the mountain so I decided to back down until I could turn around. As others have said, the first mile or so has some rough terrain but it’s super easy. The only real obstacle is after you reach a flat lookout point (not sure what waypoint this might be as I don’t have All-Access). I saw about 3 Jeeps and an X-Terra come banging down the obstacle but quite frankly they just chose a terrible line. It was very easy to navigate it while still going OVER it and having some fun. All in all, this trail was the upper end of easy and I would love to try it again but maybe a bit earlier in the year.

Just a quick half day trip lots of fun, switchbacks, rocks and views. Nothing too technical, but some of the trail is kind of narrow and not for anyone suffering vertigo. Two or three other trucks and a few dirt bikes. Good stuff.

This trail was a wonderful run as a solo rig. There weren't too many OHVs on the trail which was also nice. However, the few that were DID NOT stay the trail. Seriously folks, you must obey all signs and stay on the designated trails. It doesn't matter if it "isn't hard enough" or not. I'd hate to see a trail like this one closed. It is a very beautiful spot, one that my wife and I will most likely return to for another day trip or maybe even an overnight. Otherwise, the only other obstacle that isn't listed here is between waypoints 9 and 10. This wasn't very hard and there is some room to the right of the obstacle to "bypass" it.

Drove this in Stock 2019 Tacoma SR on 31". Fun drive. Had a some difficulty at WP11 but with help from another driver spotting I made it up. You really want to hug the left side as much as you can.

Awesome trail. Agree with rating of moderate. I think a beginner (not first timer) could still pull this off. Its got rocks from fist size to volley ball sized. Tight at spots where you would not be able to pass. Backing up would be tough. Thankfully the only point we came up on other Jeeps we hugged the side and they got by. Go all the way to Santiago Mine if you make it up, its not much harder.

The very first mile makes you think it could be a much more difficult trail than it actually is . The trail then flattens and gets much smoother for quite a bit until you get up to the open mountain bowl area. There is trail that continues up to the actual mine shaft. There is an additional trail that goes to the top of the mountain bowl area. For me, i stopped at the mountain bowl area. I have a stock jeep and didn't think i could get pass a certain rock face so i didn't want to risk getting stuck, being out there by myself going to the top of the mountain. When i stopped at the bowl a guy who had a stock rubicon said i could make it to the mine shaft in my jeep. However, a storm was rolling in so i turned around and just went back down the hill. Overall its pretty easy and a good trail for first time wheelers.

First time up Argentine The very first mile makes you think it could be a much more difficult trail than it actually is . The trail then flattens and gets much smoother for quite a bit until you get up past the mine . After the mine you hit some decent obstacles which is moderate in dry conditions but would be fairly more difficult if wet . The scenery is absolutely gorgeous up in the tundra area . Bring warm clothes as it’s chilly up there even in August. Totally recommend this trail .

Just finished the pass, this was a great trail to get to some incredible scenery. There was only one spot (point 11) that caused me any concern or made me take a specific line, I was still able to complete it with open diffs and 265 tires. sliders would definitely be a comfort item. we hit the summit around 10:30, there was only a few hikers and one motorcyclist, on our way down we ran into TONS of people, I would highly recommend you get an early start if you want to avoid crowds.

Views for days. We went the McClellan Mt route, which traverses over a rocky path in the woods along side of a plethora of camping spots. Much more challenging and exciting taking this route up and then taking the Argentine Pass main road down.

Remediation work will continue this year at Waldorf Mine. Be aware that there may be construction traffic, especially on weekdays. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD768377 Construction delays anticipated on road to Waldorf in preparation for mine reclamation project GEORGETOWN, Colo. (JULY 20, 2020) – Construction delays are anticipated on the road to Waldorf, Forest Service Road 248.1, from its junction with Guanella Pass Road (County Road 381) beginning at daybreak on July 24 through July 30, 2020, while crews walk in large construction equipment for a mine reclamation project. The equipment is large and slow moving and will require the entire width of the road, which is why we anticipate delays for the majority of each day. It will be difficult for motorized vehicles to pass the equipment, which has a 6 mile trip along the road to the project area. The excavator, loader, skid steer and tracked dump trucks are needed for a mine reclamation project that will address elevated levels of metals in tailings piles near the Waldorf Mine site. These tailings piles are actively impacting Leavenworth Creek, which is an important municipal water supply for Georgetown. The USDA Forest Service’s Abandoned Mine Lands Program and Trout Unlimited are partnering to address these hazardous tailings from entering the stream channel. This project is being completed through the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA). The road will be open while the project is underway. Work will last through the end of August 2020, weather dependent, and then traffic delays will be anticipated again while the equipment is walked out of the area.

Ran today. Between waypoints 9/10 is pretty overgrown and there is no avoiding some brush, possible pinstripes. 11 is definitely worse than the pictures now, it’s dug out to the left of the rock. My TJ doesn’t have lockers and I had to get a pretty good running start and a good line to get over it, not too bad but something to consider.

Trail is clear to the top of Argentine Pass and McClellan Mountain. Ran both trails today and it took us 4 hours with a couple breaks. The views are unreal.

Trial is open to the top. This was a wonderful experience. We took a rental Rubi JL up today. Only about a dozen vehicles on the trial. Most stopped at the mine. We headed up and found someone shoveled out the last bit of snow from the trial. Amazing views, 50+mph winds at the top. Wife and boys loved it. What a great day.

I absolutely love the trails in this area. We ran up Argentine and then came down Mclellen today. Unfortunately there is still a snow drift blocking the last leg to get to the top of Argentine Pass, but don't let this stop you from exploring these traiIs. I recommend checking out the Santiago Mine while you are up there. Without a doubt, Mclellen is my favorite since there are several water crossings and a small section of the trail is in the creek.

Blocked by snow as you start to make the ascent to the summit. Great weather. Combined it with a few sections of McLellan for a good day with some beers in Idaho Springs on the way back to Denver.

Went out yesterday and came back today. Like everyone else is saying, snow drifts past the mine make the trail impassable. As far as the trail goes, it's rocky at first and fun to choose the right line. After the switchbacks the trail's pretty straight and flat minus the occasional water bar. Lots of water right now due to snow melt so that makes it fun too. Overall, nice fun short trail with good views and a few nice camping spots. Would love to explore surrounding trails next time I'm in the area.

Did Argentine and McClellan yesterday. Argentine is still impassable all the way to the top. A snowdrift that no one has yet tackled was present about 1.5 miles to the summit. We had a blast checking out the area. As always, stay the trail, avoid the bypasses, and clean up any trash you see.

Made it through several snow banks past Santiago mine but not all the way to the top. The views are worth bringing your camera for sure!

Fun trail - a few rock obstacles here and there, but nothing a stock truck couldn't handle. Snow drifts were blocking the trail after the mine - will probably be melted by July. Super frustrating to see people running up and down the mine tailings at Waldorf - kicking up toxic dust for everyone around. We spoke to a few people that were trying to head up the tailings, just to let them know of the dangers of kicking up all that dust and potentially getting the trail shut down. Most were pretty amenable and backed down - others rolled their windows up and continued on...

Open to the mine. Snow pack from there on up

We made up to the mine and the got stopped by a big snowdrift. We took another FS to reach the nearby trail McClellan Mountain, we got a bit further on that and stopped again by snow. We shoveled and cleared two big snowdrifts but then run out of time to clear a third one. We'll be back soon to make it to the top!

It's reported that the trail is open to the mine, waypoint 9.

Trail is blocked by a snowdrift between waypoint 11 and 12. It’s not very deep at this point but just at an off-camber / exposed portion of the trail. Picture shows the drift ahead. No issues getting up to that point though and it was a great day out on the trail.

Fun day clear most of the way snow at the top around 11000ft great ez run.

More and more snow as you head towards the summit making the switchbacks pretty tricky but still doable if you know what you're doing. Because of the snow, wouldn't recommend unless moderately experienced and/or have a partner or two with some recovery capabilities just in case. The pinstriping was REAL and 5th gen 4Runners aren't even that wide. I'd say one or two more snowfalls and it will be pretty impassable past the mine.

Please be careful out there. There was a report and pictures of another rollover on Argentine. From images, it appears they tried to go around the rock on the ascent from the mine to Argentine. The bypass has been created by users over time but is not officially trail and can be dangerous if the tire placement is bad.

Rollover CONFIRMED! We saw the rescue and recovery of the vehicle coming down on Sunday afternoon on our way up (about 2:00 pm). Toyota Tacoma. It was drive-able on the way down, but had moderate body damage, air bags deployed, etc. It was our first trip up to the Argentine Summit. The tight switchbacks were legit! Bumpy rocky ride up an down, but nothing to tippy or narrow. It seems like whoever is doing the maintenance on the trail is on top of it. Willows in a few tight areas were well manicured back to prevent pin-stripping.

Nice view up top. On a tight schedule so I didn’t air down which made for a rocky bumpy ride. Stock Rubicon did fine...no issues. Did slightly scrape bottom coming down on the lower obstacle. I think the lower obstacle is tougher than the higher one on the switchback.

The trail was quite full of RZRs. A stock forester made it up to the mine ruins. I know that it wouldnt make it past them. Anyhow the brush is growing quite densely near the water crossings. The flowers were great and beautiful. The two harder rock obstacles above the mine are a little challenging but can done in most stock vehicles. I dont think taking a full size pickup would be wise through them though. We did the trail in a mostly stock Lexus Gx460 and a friend did it in a 4runner. The 4 runner did have a few traction problems but nothing unmanageable.

The trail is confirmed open to the summits.

You still can't reach the Argentine Pass summit because of snow. You can get about a mile-and-1/2 or so past the Waldorf mine. The trails are in good shape, but it was a little crowded.

None of the summits are open, I got stopped at about 12,000 feet after waypoint 10. Turn around there, you should be able to see the snow on the trial above. Trail updates with the closures and more to come in the next few days.

Road is in good shape and open with several areas of water running across the road all the way to the Santiago Mine. Above the mine the road is still snowed in with one lower trail washed out completely. The Leavenworth Creek trail was in good shape from bottom up to the river crossing. It is not recommended to Ford the river just yet as it is still running pretty high. There is an opportunity to turn off the trail and rejoin the upper Argentine road to the Santiago Mine. Also, the trail from Santiago going north to McClelland is also still snowed in about 3-4 miles from the mine.

Trailsoffroad spoke to Trout Unlimited to get additional details on the remediation work going on at Waldorf and was able to get additional details on the changes on the trail.

First and foremost, these trails will largely stay open. The FS is required by law to keep these trails open for a variety of reasons. The network of trails is vast in the area though and they appear to be moving things around to manage the area better.

There will be no major remediation work at the mine this year. Crews will be working to do some vegetation and prep and stabilization work for the Waldorf mine area for 2020. Access to Waldorf mine is TRESPASSING and you will receive a ticket if caught.

Late last year, the Forest Service decommissioned the spur known as the "Hill Climb" at Waldorf. We have not spoken with the FS yet, but it's believed that this wasn't part of the original network of trails and the FS may have closed it to discourage further inappropriate use of the Waldorf site.

We will provide additional updates and details as we get them.

Remediation work continues this summer on the mines in the area of Argentine Pass. I have been notified of the closure of Waldorf Mine to traffic, the hill climb at Waldorf and a side trail that leads to an old cabin. These trails are either illegal additions, or they have closed it due to major toxin issues with runoff into the Colorado water supply. Trailsoffroad is in touch with the FS and the company doing the work for them. Any updates to this project will be posted here as the information is made available. Trailsoffroad crew will be up there in the next 14 days to get some new pictures and in-person information.

Guanella Pass is open and we stopped by to see how far we could get. We got a little over a mile in before the snow got too deep for me and I was spinning tires, with my lockers on.

I made my annual pilgrimage to Argentine and it was a perfect day with only a few people out on the trail. We received reports that the rocks at the switchback were worse but they appear to just have had some of the loose rock around it removed. This development does require a high-end rating change to "5" because of these obstacles. New pictures are coming for that waypoint as well. A rocky obstacle halfway up to the switchbacks is officially an obstacle now, though there is a bypass. It will be added as a waypoint soon.

Trail's in generally good shape. Waypoint 11 rock obstacle was a bit chewed up from a few longer wheelbase folks spinning their tires on bad lines, but still passable. Tight brush further down by the Waldorf Mine, but other than that not many other challenges. Great weather and beautiful views at the top. It's a fantastic way to access Mt. Edwards and Argentine by hiking.

This is a great trail to run! just a heads up to anyone that runs a full size truck, it is possible to get to the top. this my first trip with my completely stock 2006 silverado 1500. it did rub on the side steps on 2 lage rock sections (at waypoint 11 and sortly after leaving the mine) but no damage to them along with some very slight scratches to the sides of the truck due to some brush about 3/4 of the way up the trail.

Trekked up Argentine a few weeks back and had a great time! Trail was fairly tame; the most difficult part was the first 100yds or so going up Leavenworth Creek Rd. Took the trail up to Waldorf and then up to the Santiago Mine. Ran into two "Santiago Stewards" who gave us some history on the area and told us about the mine. Remediation is done and there are no trucks or equipment left that I saw. After checking out the mine some storms began to roll in so we skipped the summit and headed back down. Other vehicles were continuing on towards the top so it should be clear and passable all the way up.

A user running Mcllellan Mountain advised that the upper parts of the trail is open and clear of snow. Trail is open to the top.

Trail is open to Summit. All water crossing path is less than 6 inches deep (closer to 2 or 3). There is now a rock obstacle approximately 500' up the trail from checkpoint 10 that requires some line planning. The 4Runner TRDP in front of our vehicle was lifted 3" with what appeared to be good tires needed multiple attempts to get past it.

A report from a reader advised the trail is open to a large snow drift at 12,400 feet on 6/14. Could be another week from the trip date before it's safe.

So just wanted to shed some light on current conditions as of today. Argentine pass is a no go just after the Waldorf mine site by snow drifts on the trail. If you try to go up the steep hill from the Waldorf mine towards the Santiago mine there are a couple impassable snow drifts. Also Mt McCellan trail has a snow drift on it past the Santiago mine.

Got all the way to the mine area, but the summit trail was snowed in. Still great fun around the mine hills with a little snow wheeling included!

The trail is open and dry all the way up until the mine. As soon as you reach the mine, the following parts of the trail are still covered in deep snow. It appears some people have tried to make it through without much success. I'd give it another few weeks at least for it to be totally open. Worth the drive still if you want to just get out for some nice views and stop at the lower portion of the mine.

Starts ok UNTIL 2.5-3 mi in. Large ice fall across trail hidden under fresh snow. Almost lost a rig. Would not recommend right now.

We did our final run of Argentine, Mcellelen, and Upper Geneva trails today. We stopped at Waldorf Mine for a few different reasons. We could see on the inclines where the snow drifts have started to make the initial ascent rough at least. From what we were able to see, everything about a 1000' higher than the mine has snow and falls into dangerous territory. At this point, travel past Waldorf mind is not recommended for this season. Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery has advised that nearly everything above the timberline is dangerous and they will not recover vehicles (only people rescues) until spring. Don't risk a high-level fall or slip with potentially fatal consequences. There is minor slush and ice in some of the shaded areas leading up to the mine. At the time of writing it's not bad and there has been plenty of traffic. One or two snows and the drifts will start to get heavy. If you want to visit the mine, now is the time.

Went up to check on the revegetation work being done on the site. It looks like they are overdue on their schedule since it's weather dependent. You may encounter a slow-moving hauler, moving materials up to Waldorf Mine and other places on the trail near the mines. It also appears they have filled in the beginning of Leavenworth Creek. We're going to monitor to see if those trail 'repair's' are permanent or meant to run off in the spring. At this time Waldorf Mine is pretty well taken over with gear and materials for work on the mine sites. Stay clear of this area and watch for damage to the trail from the hauler.

Amazing day on the trail. This is an annual trek up the mountains in the area. I was able to finish most of the trail but got turned around when the weather went south. The county is doing some work on Santiago and there is large equipment in the area. Watch for cones and signs to indicate where people might be working. There are no details about what the next steps are, but this is a revegetation project. The trees and foliage and some heights is already starting to turn. There are some amazingly pretty wildflowers left up there though. Only a few more weeks and these will be closed by snow!

Took the in laws up here today after Geneva Creek. Lovely day with no issues. On the last few weeks new signs appear to have been put up and some of the camping at the start of the trail is now closed for revegitation. Mind the signs, rocks and trees blocking and stay the trail. There is more camping further up. The trail page will be updated by Monday with this new information.

Went up as far as Waldorf mine with no issues. Didn't attempt to go further as the weather looked like it might start storming pretty bad (not sure if it ever did). Enjoyable trip up. No issues with stock Tacoma. Had it in 4Lo the whole trip, mostly to control speed.

We could have made the summit but our time for today ran out and we had to head back down. The road appears clear to the top, with some wet and even snowy spots along the way.

We received a report that the trail is currently open and mostly snow free as far as Waldorf Mine. Areas above that and above the treeline still have large drifts of snow in them and there's likely another month or so of melt before it's passable.

Checking in on the trail conditions. We made it to about Waypoint 6 before snow turned us back. Based on weather conditions, it could be another month or so before you can even get to the mine.

Beautiful day on Argentine. There was a large group at Waldorf Mine when I went by but they were gone about an hour and a half later when I returned and the sun was setting. The trail is in good shape compared to 2015. The only thing I noticed was that the last switchback with the rock in it has gotten deeper/taller and a little harder to negotiate. We'll be watching for more snow damage to this switchback as soon as the trail is passable in 2017.

Argentine Pass and the nearby abandoned scenic railroad bed are favorite outings of mine, but a word of warning about the snow. I made this trip solo in early October several years ago, with little snow on the ground except on the roadways. (The snow on the rocks melts quickly.) While traveling on virgin snow, my left rear Jeep tire slipped sideways and hung off the ledge road. I had lots of emergency supplies with me but sadly, did not have a shovel. My Rubicon lockers were not enough here, as the three tires with power simply spun on the ice below the snow. I tried various ways to clear the snow without much success and before long, had gotten quite cold. Fortunately, there was good cell service up there. I spent the night in the Jeep and the next day a friend brought some shovels and we were able to clear the snow and ice enough for the tires to gain traction. I now follow two rules - 1) never go anywhere in the Jeep without a shovel, and 2) Never be the first one to go down a snow covered road far from civilization.