Yes, Black Bear Road is dangerous

[Nothing Special]

.... Hadn't thought about the difference of length going up vs down, but I see what you are saying....

I gotta admit that I hadn't thought of it either, until I was coming down Mt. Antero in Big Blue's (slightly) older brother. Going up there had been one really challenging switchback to make, but I made it. When I got to that switchback coming down I turned into it, backed up once and realized there was no way I was going to make that corner. The next switchback wasn't that far away, so I just pulled straight into this switchback and backed down to the next. But as I was doing it I was trying to figure out what the difference was, and I realized it was not being able to hang a couple of feet of truck off the cliff.

And to try to get you into more trouble , Mt. Antero is another fun trail. No where near Ouray, so probably not the same trip. The bottom part is a long, rough slog, and the upper part has the tight switchbacks (I proved that they were mostly doable in an '85 F-250 which still had TTB). The road dead-ends a little below 14,000 feet. From there it's a very doable scramble to the 14,275' summit.

[Gary Lewis]

.... Hadn't thought about the difference of length going up vs down, but I see what you are saying....

I gotta admit that I hadn't thought of it either, until I was coming down Mt. Antero in Big Blue's (slightly) older brother. Going up there had been one really challenging switchback to make, but I made it. When I got to that switchback coming down I turned into it, backed up once and realized there was no way I was going to make that corner. The next switchback wasn't that far away, so I just pulled straight into this switchback and backed down to the next. But as I was doing it I was trying to figure out what the difference was, and I realized it was not being able to hang a couple of feet of truck off the cliff.

And to try to get you into more trouble , Mt. Antero is another fun trail. No where near Ouray, so probably not the same trip. The bottom part is a long, rough slog, and the upper part has the tight switchbacks (I proved that they were mostly doable in an '85 F-250 which still had TTB). The road dead-ends a little below 14,000 feet. From there it's a very doable scramble to the 14,275' summit.

I know where Mt Antero is. We took our '72 F250 w/a 9 1/2' self-contained camper on the back to Cottonwood Creek campground, which is north of Antero, many decades ago. We had our trail bikes on the trailer behind, and we rode all over that country. And, we rode horses on the flanks of Antero.

Looks to me like you are talking about CO 277. Right?

[Nothing Special]

I know where Mt Antero is. We took our '72 F250 w/a 9 1/2' self-contained camper on the back to Cottonwood Creek campground, which is north of Antero, many decades ago. We had our trail bikes on the trailer behind, and we rode all over that country. And, we rode horses on the flanks of Antero.

Looks to me like you are talking about CO 277. Right?

Probably. I remember the road coming up with the peak off to the right where that shows it off to the left. But there can't be two roads going up from the road to St Elmo to near the peak, so it must be the one.

[Gary Lewis]

Probably. I remember the road coming up with the peak off to the right where that shows it off to the left. But there can't be two roads going up from the road to St Elmo to near the peak, so it must be the one.

Then we've been part way up there as we did ride the bikes up to St Elmo. I remember that quite well.

In fact, Janey confuses St Elmo with Animas Forks, which we went to when we rented out of Silverton. When we are talking about the Silverton/Ouray area and I mention "the ghost town" she says "St Elmo?"

And speaking of Ouray, we are doing a LOT of documenting our earlier trips as our daughter is asking us to do so. Yesterday I ran across of pic of me wearing a t-shirt that has a red Jeep on it and says Ouray Colorado. Had forgotten about that shirt, but it was surely purchased on the trip where we went over Cinnamon Pass - in a red Jeep.

[Nothing Special]

Then we've been part way up there as we did ride the bikes up to St Elmo. I remember that quite well.

In fact, Janey confuses St Elmo with Animas Forks, which we went to when we rented out of Silverton. When we are talking about the Silverton/Ouray area and I mention "the ghost town" she says "St Elmo?"

And speaking of Ouray, we are doing a LOT of documenting our earlier trips as our daughter is asking us to do so. Yesterday I ran across of pic of me wearing a t-shirt that has a red Jeep on it and says Ouray Colorado. Had forgotten about that shirt, but it was surely purchased on the trip where we went over Cinnamon Pass - in a red Jeep.

Dredging up an old thread, but I just ran across another

. There's no video of the accident, just discussion and description of the situation and still pics of the vehicle where it came to rest.

This was a Bronco Sport that was driving up Black Bear Road from Telluride to Bridal Veil Falls (the road is two-way in that section). But they missed the signs where it started to be one-way and went up a bit. They realized that they were getting in over their heads so they decided to turn around and go back down (it sounds like they were also dealing with poor weather, rain and maybe hail). The passenger got out to spot so she wasn't in the vehicle. But in the process of turning around the vehicle rolled off the road and fell about 400 feet. It says the driver and a dog that were in the vehicle were ejected. The driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries (the dog had minor injuries).

Not that I think the rest of this thread was unclear on this, but it does reinforce the point that Black Bear Road is dangerous. In the video they say what I've said, that it isn't actually difficult. But it's VERY unforgiving. It doesn't take much of a mis-step to send you off the mountain.

Without knowing exactly what happened I'm not trying to say that these people did something specific wrong. But in the interest of trying to learn from others, I don't think I'd try to turn around anywhere on Black Bear Road other than a switchback. If I decided that I needed to go back the way I'd came I'd back up to the next switchback where I could back straight into the switchback, then pull forward onto the next stretch of road. I know some people are a lot less comfortable backing up than others. But use your spotter (if you have one) to help you do this rather than try to turn around.

[Gary Lewis]

Dredging up an old thread, but I just ran across another

. There's no video of the accident, just discussion and description of the situation and still pics of the vehicle where it came to rest.

This was a Bronco Sport that was driving up Black Bear Road from Telluride to Bridal Veil Falls (the road is two-way in that section). But they missed the signs where it started to be one-way and went up a bit. They realized that they were getting in over their heads so they decided to turn around and go back down (it sounds like they were also dealing with poor weather, rain and maybe hail). The passenger got out to spot so she wasn't in the vehicle. But in the process of turning around the vehicle rolled off the road and fell about 400 feet. It says the driver and a dog that were in the vehicle were ejected. The driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries (the dog had minor injuries).

Not that I think the rest of this thread was unclear on this, but it does reinforce the point that Black Bear Road is dangerous. In the video they say what I've said, that it isn't actually difficult. But it's VERY unforgiving. It doesn't take much of a mis-step to send you off the mountain.

Without knowing exactly what happened I'm not trying to say that these people did something specific wrong. But in the interest of trying to learn from others, I don't think I'd try to turn around anywhere on Black Bear Road other than a switchback. If I decided that I needed to go back the way I'd came I'd back up to the next switchback where I could back straight into the switchback, then pull forward onto the next stretch of road. I know some people are a lot less comfortable backing up than others. But use your spotter (if you have one) to help you do this rather than try to turn around.

Yikes! But it is amazing that the two passengers even survived.

Weren't the young ladies that went up from Telluride about two years ago also trying to turn around when they went off? And weren't they in a late model Bronco? I looked and didn't find anything about that.

But I agree with you - back up! And use the spotter!

I haven't been good about using the spotter, and your statement really made me think about that. YEARS ago we were driving a new '72 F250 with a 9 1/2' self-contained camper on it up a road in the Rockies and when we turned a corner there was a wall of snow. Janey got out to guide me and I started backing down. But I got too close to the side of the road and the rig slid off the driver's side and stopped against a LITTLE aspen tree. There was no way I was going to get out on the low side, and the door on the passenger's side was opening what seemed like straight up, but I finally got out.

Long story short, it took two wreckers to get it out - one to a snatch block on a tree and back to the truck to keep it from going over, and the other to pull it out.

All because I didn't listen to my spotter.

[Nothing Special]

.... Weren't the young ladies that went up from Telluride about two years ago also trying to turn around when they went off? And weren't they in a late model Bronco? I looked and didn't find anything about that....

This is probably that same story. It was two women in a new Bronco (actually a Bronco Sport). And I think this video was posted at least a year ago. I just came on it now.

[Gary Lewis]

.... Weren't the young ladies that went up from Telluride about two years ago also trying to turn around when they went off? And weren't they in a late model Bronco? I looked and didn't find anything about that....

This is probably that same story. It was two women in a new Bronco (actually a Bronco Sport). And I think this video was posted at least a year ago. I just came on it now.

Yes, I'll bet it is the same story. It all fits. Going to far, turning around, Bronco, etc.

I still regret not having gone down Black Bear in Big Blue. However, at the time he was running the carb and didn't run nearly as well as he does now. And that could have been a problem trying to back up to make some of those turns.

But we still had a whole lot of fun running the passes, so it is a small thing to not have gone down Black Bear.