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Schofield Pass - The Most Dangerous Jeep Trail in Colorado?September 1998The Inaugural Range Rover Club World Tour of Colorado, which took place in August traveled on some fantastic jeep trails and tracks. However there was one that we missed out on at the time as it was still closed in the height of summer. Initial reports said that a landslide had wiped out a large portion of the shelf road over Schofield Pass, and it was unlikely to open at all this year. When the trip passed through Crested Butte, the town at the south end of the pass, we asked again, and were told that the road was okay, but it was still impassable due to snow. So we drove around the long way, but we determined to return at a later date when the pass was open. Schofield Pass is supposedly the most dangerous jeep trail in Colorado, having claimed twelve lives to date. As it runs through a canyon, the snow lingers on, and in early September the forest service was still telling us it was closed due to a snow bridge in the canyon. I had been ringing them every week, and finally in mid September the Sophris Ranger District said that it was open to Jeeps but, the ranger warned, " it's a very very dangerous road." Me: "Is there any particular reason for that?" Them: "It's just a very, very dangerous road." Me: "Avalanche, washouts, landslide, snow bridge?" Them: "No, it's just a very, very dangerous road." Me: "Rampaging black bears, alien abduction, army bombardment, nuclear fallout?" Them: "No, it's just a very, very dangerous road."
We drove in from the west along the Crystal River, the same way that the Range Rover Club trip went, past the old Dead Horse Mill clinging precariously to the cliff face above the river, and through the ghost town of Crystal. This portion of the drive is wonderfully scenic as the rough track descends down to run alongside the Crystal River. With our new soft top rolled back, we were able to gaze up at the canyon walls and appreciate the enormity of their height. We met a couple of Suzukis coming in the opposite direction and we asked them if they had come over the pass, and how was it. They said, "fine", but looked dubiously at Juanito - who is hardly an oversize vehicle - and said, "it'll be a tight squeeze to get through though in that". Uh-Oh.
So, the infamous Schofield Pass. Stunningly beautiful. An exciting jeep trail. A dangerous one? Not really.
© Bushducks, 1998
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