Today's review takes us back to the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, as we cross the Imogene Trail from Telluride down to Ouray. This is one of the premiere overland and off road trails in the world, and it definitely doesn't disappoint!
Great video and commentary! I want to someday drive Imogene Trail but I need to build a rig first. I will watch this video in the meantime and just keep dreaming.
Thats awesome you guys did Imogene! I just moved to Ouray last summer. The trails are great. We had a GX (sold) then and now I've talked my wife into a Discovery 2 after watching your channel. Hopefully you guys come back.
Everytime we leave I spend 6 months looking at real estate in Ouray or Ridgeway. I told my wife one day I'd like to base out of Ouray. The Disco does awesome on Colorado trails, just watch that 4.0L engine and pray she doesn't slip a liner!
Many of the trails in the San Juans drain really well in the rain and surprisingly don't scare me, unlike many Utah mountain trails when they get wet! There are a few that are terrifying and become impassible, but trails like Imogene aren't scary.
Now that my kids are getting older and helping with filing, we hope to do many more longer adventure vids along with the shorter off tracks reviews. Thanks for watching!
It looks like your GX is 100% stock minus the 265/70s on those TRDs. I have a 2006 KDSS model with 100k miles. I am looking to the same wheels and tire size and maybe a 2 inch Dobinsons lift. Car will spend most of its life on pavement except for the odd off road camping trip here and there. I think the 2 inch lift shouldn't interfere with the crusty old KDSS system. From your videos, it looks like you're doing great on the stock height suspension and air bags. Did you change those out? You're making me rethink my plan. Just replace the rear air bags and do new electronic shocks... But that almost adds up to the Dobinsons lift. Any thoughts or guidance would be awesome!
You have a good eye. It is 100% stock save the wheels and tires. So far we plan to keep it that way. Maybe sliders, maybe not. The LX470 is our primary trail rig, this is more of a daily driver and it's so competent in stock trim we don't want to mess up the ride quality. And with the majority of Colorado trails being on the less-technical (but narrower) side, we will probably feature the GX more in Colorado adventures.
Gorgeous views-- I'd say the part at 5:45 was my favorite. Those drop-offs, though-- the road looked slick and just wide enough for one vehicle, with lots of loose rock when you were a half-mile from the top. Do they have areas to pull off throughout the trail, or do you just have to watch for spots where the road gets slightly wider?
The trails aren't as slick as they look. You can actually get good traction on these trails if you have good tires. But yes, oncoming traffic is arguably the most terrifying aspect. There are places to "pull over", but on some stretches they are few and far between. We stayed spaced out, and the leader would call "two side by sides" on the radio and we'd find a comfortable spot to pull over and wait. It was the leader who had the problem of backing up (or sometimes the other guy).
I got a stock 1999 Durango 4x4 with Two Speed transfer case. I have BF Goodrich K02s, given the fact I saw a lot of stock 4 runners and your truck looked stock. I am suprised that I may be able to do this in my truck. I am worried about people not giving way on the shelf roads. It was a problem seen in other videos I saw. Anyways safe travels!
The "tour trucks" are full size Chevy Silverados. Your size won't be an issue here. Colorado is really good at "uphill has the right of way", but it is really nice to send someone in front who can radio you too find a spot to pull over for oncoming traffic regardless of direction. There are a lot of places safe to pull over, but the trail is really narrow in spots and a Durango is already somewhat wide.
Older Durangos like mine are actually narrow. Except mine has the larger mirrors shared from the Rams at the time. That's good to hear you saw good trail manners.
It was a lot of fun, for a stock GX, I couldn't be happier. Stay tuned for the Granby Lakes video....I rated it technically "easier" than Imogene, but we were hitting our undercarriage constantly due to the size of the boulders. I swear if I had 1/2" more ground clearance, I wouldn't have even noticed! But for a daily driver???? Our GX has been AWESOME!
@@ForgottenWaypoints I really couldn’t say which direction I prefer. We usually take Imogene then Ophir to return or the other way around. As long as we get to eat lunch at Brown Dog Pizza.... It’s been 3 years so I’m ready to get back out there...
Just found your channel. This is fantastic! I have a 2017 F150. RWD. 35” tires on a 6” lift. Could I do this trail in dry conditions safely? I’m a risk taker, so I tend to try things even with the uncertainty of the outcome. Would love your feedback. Cheers!
An experienced person can cross in any stock SUV with low range, it's not an extremely technical trail. Try not to take any unnecessary risks and enjoy beautiful Colorado!!
Great video! Do you think this pass is doable in a 2000 2wd tacoma prerunner all stock with 31 A/T? or is 4wd a must? Is there a direction that would be easier?
@@ForgottenWaypoints so basically no I shouldn't lol. Is there any off roading you would recommend my vehicle could be capable of? I have a rear diff e locker if that makes a difference. I'm going to be there in about a week and a half.
@@ardvark842 , I would start with ophir pass, although it is steep an you'll be riding your breaks on the down slope, but I'd still go the direction that descends into ophir vs. climbing up. You can get to animas forks from Silverton and spend hours. There are a few passes that aren't steep, I'll have to look at my maps.
I've thought the same, but it's actually more dangerous to reverse downhill than uphill, so that has been the consensus in every area I've wheeled. Colorado is especially keen on educating right-of-way rules as they have tons of shelf roads. I never heard much about it in Moab, but those trails are typically very wide. I still use my best judgement and stop if I'm in a safe spot and a vehicle is descending and I'm climbing.
I was wondering if you are not a Colorado native: you pronounce yoo-RAY (correct) as YOU-ray, and Imogene is said by old Coloradoans in the English way with a short "i" as in "it" : I ma jin.
Hahah, there is nothing more intimidating that I do on my channel than try to pronounce names! The biggest I catch grief over is Gemini Bridges in Moab. My dad is a big space -nut, so it's always "gemin-knee", just the way NASA and the right stuff like it...it's been that way for me since '88 and it's not easy to change...
@@ForgottenWaypoints LOL You say Gemini like an Italian - which is the most correct! I meant no criticism, I just thought you might find the pronunciations interesting. Listen, no one in your position (and you do a great job with these vids!) should be expected to know how to pronounce every location! Cheers.
@@greenshp , hahah! No offense taken! In some areas even the locals say things different, so you'll get corrected both ways, lol. There are places around my hometown where we will tell someone how the locals say it, but tell them that they should pronounce it correctly, because we locals are lazy and say it wrong! I actually enjoy pronunciation, accent, and language discussions. Thanks for the comments!
