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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Impassable
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Offroaded on:
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10/27/2019
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I attended a meeting of the Colorado Association of 4WD Clubs yesterday (Saturday, October 26) and talked with some club members from Leadville. They told me that the peak is snowbound and impassible.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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10/16/2019
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We did Mosquito Pass from Alma to Leadville. The sign outside Alma said 'CLOSED' but we continued waiting for a barrier or impassable condition (snow) and never encountered anything, so we made it over to Leadville without issue. A few stretches on the Alma side were rough, no joke, more than I expected even after watching several videos of the pass. The Leadville side was a little dicey since the road was covered with snow drifts for the top 1000' +/-....not too deep (less than 12 inches) but the snow certainly added another wrinkle going down the upper shelf road.
We spent a couple days in Buena Vista, then heading back on 10/18/19 the peaks around Fairplay/Alma were covered with snow, so I'm not sure how passable the road is now.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/29/2019
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Rating:
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Did the trail from Alma to Leadville in a stock JLUR. Very rocky but not really technical. Shouldn’t be a problem for any high clearance 4wd low vehicles. Nice views on top and always fun to see old mining ruins. Sign at the top is unique and hard to believe horse drawn wagons did that path way back when.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/22/2019
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Rating:
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This was my first time driving this and I started on the Leadville side. The whole way up to the summit was very rocky and bumpy the whole way up, and same for part of the way down the other side. I found it to be a little annoying after a while, but the views made up for it. Not sure I would drive this every year because of how rough the road was. Not a really tough drive but definitely rough. As a side note it was disappointing to see a couple dirt bikes driving around off trail on the alpine tundra, goofing off and popping wheelies. People like that either don’t care or don’t realize their behavior causes trails to get closed for all of us.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/22/2019
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Rating:
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Drove Mosquito Pass to Birdseye Gulch today. Mosquito Pass itself is not an overly challenging trail, but has amazing views. One of my first trails featuring steep cliffs on the trail edge and felt a good introduction as there was never a time you were right on the edge or super off-camber towards an edge.
Note: I’d been looking beforehand for a recommendation on whether to run Birdseye to Mosquito or Mosquito to Birdseye (like we did). I would heavily recommend Birdseye to Mosquito as Birdseye was much more challenging and contained several technical/rocky sections I would have much preferred going up on instead of down.
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/11/2019
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Rating:
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I drove Mosquito Pass with a group of eight Land Cruisers from back east (Keystone Cruisers, Capital City Land Cruiser Club) as part of their Colorado Expedition. We had done Red Cone and Webster Pass the prior day, and used Mosquito Pass to cross over to Leadville where we'd then drive the highway south to access Tincup Pass.
Mosquito Pass doesn't disappoint; it has neat mining history and provides fantastic panoramic mountain views. We had clear weather, so the trip was especially good. The road is in good condition, and there were relatively few others present, maybe three other vehicles and one group of hikers.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/07/2019
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Amazing ,breathtaking absolutely on of the best places I've ever seen ! You must be alert when driving this road!
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/31/2019
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Drove this trail from Alma to Leadville in a stock 4Runner TRD PRO. This was our first real off road trip, so it was definitely a learning experience (rig capabilities, choosing lines, etc.)
There were a few stretches where I questioned proceeding (because I'm new to this), but i tried to pick the easiest line, and the 4Runner did great. Hit the skid plate a couple times (barely grazed it, no dents/scratches), but that was 100% driver error: I guarantee a better driver would have avoided the obstacles. That being said, as a beginner, I wouldn't want a vehicle with any less clearance on this Trail.
I'm pretty scared of heights, but with the trail being fairly wide, I was never too worried. We did get way too tippy for comfort on the second switchback heading down the leadville side (left hander), but again, I chose a poor line: 100% driver error.
The views on this trail are gorgeous, and my wife and I definitely enjoyed the excursion. Lots of Pika and Marmots around at higher altitude.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/24/2019
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Rating:
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Great day to run the pass. Ran it from East to West and only saw one m/c, three hikers, and two mt. bikes so we basically had the trail to ourselves. Very windy at the top so we didn’t hang around too long. Came back to 285 via Weston pass which, as expected, was much more crowded. It has been graded to be not much more than a rough two wheel drive road, but is scenic just the same.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/17/2019
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Rating:
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Fun trip, but a little crowded with other vehicles. Shoulda gone on a weekday...
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/17/2019
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Rating:
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The sign at CR 12/CR 10 (east side trailhead near Park City) said "closed" but the road is OPEN. Just a little bit of snow remaining on the side of the road at the false top (WP 8). The road is rocky and bumpy, but totally within the capability of a stock 4x4. Get out and see it before the snow flies again in late September or October!
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/15/2019
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Rating:
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Awesome trail. so much more to explore in this area as well.
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/09/2019
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Rating:
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Mosquito Pass is now open and passable all the way through. A crew shoveled it open through the last drift.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/07/2019
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Rating:
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Always a favorite of mine because of the scenery and elevation. Very rocky, and would be a challenge for some stock vehicles. 2000 Frontier (3" lift) and 2001 4Runner (3" lift) on 32s din't have any problems with clearance or articulation, for reference. As mentioned, what little snow is left was easily passable. The switchback at WP10 seems to be getting a bit more tippy on some lines in the last couple years. Pick your line carefully.
Lots of wildlife, so keep your eyes open. We saw lots of marmots, pikas, ptarmigans, and even a yellow fox.
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Author:
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Status:
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Partially Open
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Offroaded on:
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07/25/2019
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Rating:
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Mosquito Pass, we started from Birdseye Gulch and went East to the top at 13,185 feet The east side down to alma from waypoint 9 looked like it still had snow drifts, didn't attempt to go down turned around and headed back to leadville
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Author:
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Status:
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Partially Open
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Offroaded on:
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07/23/2019
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Ditto on impassable at North London Mine because of snow. Trail further past looks questionable also.
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Author:
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Status:
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Partially Open
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Offroaded on:
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07/22/2019
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Rating:
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Open up to the North London Mine. Still too much snow to get pass that point.
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Author:
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Status:
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Seasonal Closure
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Offroaded on:
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07/14/2019
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Rating:
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About 6 to 8 feet of snow at North London Mine (Waypoint 7). Hopefully not too much longer!
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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06/26/2019
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"Mosquito Pass/Lake County Road 3 is open for 1 mile past the Diamond Mine. Snow drifting on the shelf parts of this road."
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Temporary Closure
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Offroaded on:
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06/19/2019
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Officials announced today that the pass is closed until further notice on account of avalanche debris. Check back here for updates.
"Park County Road 12 (Mosquito Pass) is closed due to avalanche debris along with snow still at the higher elevations. This is a very popular 4-wheel drive road from Fairplay to Leadville. The public is asked to seek an alternate route."
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Impassable
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Offroaded on:
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11/09/2018
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Rating:
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Stopped in Leadville on November 9th when returning from Moab; there was 8" of snow around town and more at elevation. I drove to the east side of town (just beyond the houses) and snapped this picture.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/22/2018
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Rating:
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We ran this trail in a 2000 Frontier (3" lift) and 2006 4Runner (2" lift), both with 32" tires. We had a pretty easy time making it all the way through. The trail is rough but not challenging and there is a lot of room for passing vehicles for most of the trail. There is only 1 switchback corner on the west side of the pass that could get a bit tippy if you take it wrong.
Overall very enjoyable. Good scenery. We did the whole pass in about and hour and a half.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/15/2018
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Rating:
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Amazing Trail with Amazing views. Difficulty level is not easy enough to bore you or difficult enough to discourage new off roaders like myself. Follow my adventure on instagram its_b_ram
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/15/2018
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Rating:
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Highly recommend this trail during the fall. We didn't air down until after first ascent, but we did air down after the first ascent making the rest of the drive more enjoyable. Fun drive and lunch in Leadville made for a great day on the trail. We drove our Willy's with a 3 inch lift on 34 in. Nitto Ridge Grapplers.
Ben & Lindsey
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/02/2018
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Rating:
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September 1, 2018: Pass still open. Fun trail. Definitely doable with a stock Jeep JKU. Challenging in some places.
Despite some initial concerns there are plenty of places to pull off when encountering vehicles coming the other way.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/31/2018
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Rating:
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Breathtaking. the single word my wife used to describe this route. we made this trip using our 1999 stock wrangler TJ sport. We traveled from Fairplay, over Mosquito Pass, and down into Leadville,
This was an incredible route. Road was chunky and bumpy but not un-doable or too hard by any means. Generously wide road with plenty of passing areas throughout. Mining buildings and other implements are littered throughout the landscape. The view at the top of Mosquito Pass is just beyond words. Breathtaking, as my wife declared. This route is one of America's National Scenic By-ways. It is worth it, if you have a solid and sturdy rig, to make this trip.
As it was suggested to us, at the top of Mosquito Pass, by a Leadville local, we suggest the Leadville Grille at the end of your journey for a well earned drink and hearty Colo-Mex meal. Keep your rubber to the road & stay safe
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/18/2018
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Rating:
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Calvary 4-Wheelers gathered for our Back-to-School Special run on Saturday, August 18, 2018. Along for the trip were me in my lifted XJ; my wife, Missy, in her stock TJ; my daughter, Leona, in her newly-lifted late ‘70s Plymouth Trailduster; Jon and his friend David in Jon’s red, lifted Cherokee; and John and his two boys in their blue JKU Rubicon. We had originally planned on going up to Wheeler Lake but found out there was going to be a major trail maintenance project going on there so we switched to Mosquito Pass.
We met in Jefferson on the west/south side of Kenosha Pass. It was cold, overcast and windy feeling more like late September than mid August. We drove into rain on the way to Fairplay which got steadily heavier until it was raining pretty hard. I was beginning to wonder if we might find snow at 13,000 feet on the top of the pass.
We took a back way in from Alma, heading up CR 10 (Park Hill Road) and then across FSR 449 (Narrow Gauge) along the old railroad bed. Along the way we saw a large bull moose and a pretty good-sized muley buck. We took a wrong turn at an unexpected fork and ended up coming down Orphan Boy Mine Road to CR 12 before the end of 449.
By this time the rain had started to let up and was down to off and on sprinkles. We made a brief stop at the information Kiosk for the North London Mill to take some pictures and, for those that wanted to, to air down. When we reached the left hand turn that starts the pass in earnest, we shifted into 4wd and began the climb.
After bouncing our way up the rocky road, pausing occasionally to admire the view and take a picture or two, we stopped for lunch at the North London Mine. The rain had completely stopped by now and the sun was intermittently peeking through the clouds. When the sun was out, it was quite pleasant. When it went behind a cloud it was still a little cool. We ate our lunch at a leisurely pace, enjoying the day and each other’s company.
After lunch and a little time to explore the mine ruins, we headed on up the pass. We only stopped at the top long enough to take a quick picture of the sign and then headed down the other side. The weather continued to improve and, by the time we got to Leadville, we were able to shed our jackets. We stopped at a gas station for a bathroom and some snacks before hitting the highway and heading home.
The trail was clear and passable the entire way. The views were as impressive as ever. This classic trail is definitely worth it.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/18/2018
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Rating:
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Awesome trail with amazing views! It is very bumpy because of rocks but a relatively easy trail!
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Author:
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Status:
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Partially Open
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Offroaded on:
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06/29/2018
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Rating:
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From Leadville, the road/trail to the summit is open but a bit challenging on the switchbacks due to large rocks protruding in the trail. A good line will keep you moving, otherwise one could reasonably expect undercarriage damage on a stock, unlifted vehicle. Low range gears, soft tires, and high clearance will be helpful. Approximately 1/2 mile from the summit towards Alma, the trail in impassable due to six foot snow drifts covering the road. This is a shelf road and any attempt to traverse the snow could result in a catastrophic event. Don't go alone!
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Author:
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Status:
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Seasonal Closure
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Offroaded on:
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06/23/2018
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Rating:
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The trail is still closed due to a few snow drifts across the trail. Between waypoints 8 and 9 are where the drifts are. They are passable with a motorcycle if you dont mind hiking a bike through at least two of the drifts. It will likely be another two weeks before they are open unless it heats up soon.
Still a great trail to explore from either side. It is completely clear on both sides other than those drifts.
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Author:
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Status:
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Partially Open
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Offroaded on:
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05/11/2018
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Snow drifts at just under timberline were passable. By the time we got to one we couldn't pass, we could see London Mill, probably only 1/4 mile away. This was about halfway between waypoints 3 and 4. So we camped in the sites near the intersection with 696.
Big note here, I guess Mine Water bought up most of Mosquito Pass and the are to fix it up. You can search and find articles about it if you search 'London Mine' on google. I had permission to camp and explore up 696 from the guy running security here. Be advised that the current MVUM maps aren't be updated for the change in ownership. There are sheets stapled to trees about the mine claims that were bought.
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Author:
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Status:
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Seasonal Closure
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Offroaded on:
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02/17/2018
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Attempted to drive up to the London Mine site but the trail has snow drifts a few hundred feet after waypoint 2. Could be passable with more than one rig or a great starting point for a hike up to the mine.
There are areas for parking at waypoint 2 as well as where the snow drift is.
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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10/01/2017
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Rating:
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Classic Colorado right here on this trail!
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Partially Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/29/2017
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Recent storms have delivered early snow to the high country, particularly routes above 12,000ft elevation. While Mosquito Pass technically remains "open", there is approximately 4" of snow accumulation towards the summit. Use caution during this transition of seasons--don't travel alone (single vehicle).
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Author:
| Official Crew |
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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09/11/2017
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I ran Mosquito Pass from west to east (Leadville to Alma) with friends visiting from Virginia, on Monday, September 11, 2017. Weather was stormy but we made it to the summit before rain began to fall. By the time we reached North London Mine, the rain had stopped but the ground was wet. There are two spots where the road is deeply rutted, one above and one below North London Mine. Careful line selection made it a non-issue, even in a stock '88 Trooper on 29" All-Terrains.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/26/2017
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Despite a sign on the Alma side indicating that the pass was closed due to snow, it was wide open. There were a few gnarly sections that required careful wheel placement for my stock LX470, but otherwise it was a nice, bumpy trip. Beautiful views the whole way. Chilly up top.
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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08/19/2017
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Road was clear (no snow). Wet in only a few places. Beautiful day.
We started off from Alma. The posted sign noted the pass was closed. However, a member in the group had checked the website the night before and it noted the pass was open.
We had one flat just up the first climb before North London Mine on the trip but he gave it a shot using 2wd most of the way. 4-low was only necessary in a couple of spots. The first just as you start the climb up from North London Mine.
It was chilly at the top so make sure you bring a jacket.
Last note. if you are into Geocaching, there is a location at the top of Mosquito pass. 😉
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Author:
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Status:
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Open
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Offroaded on:
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07/26/2017
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Went over starting from the Alma side. There is still a roughly 60' long snow bank across the road just past the saddle that is above the North London mine. It is rutted and all three vehicles went up unassisted. The smallest with 32" tires.
