I first went over independence pass on June 5, 1979. I was hitchhiking from Chicago to Glenwood Springs. I caught a ride out of Denver it took me out on 285 to Buena Vista. The guy who gave me a ride owned a machine shop in that town. He had me over for dinner and since it was nighttime and pretty cold he offered me the spare bedroom. In the morning we had biscuits and gravy at a café on the north end of town . I caught a ride almost instantly over to Aspen. The pass had only been open for a day or two and the snow was deep up near the top. Making my way through the Roaring Fork Valley, I felt like I'd been transported to a magical place. It took me four rides to get from Aspen to Glenwood Springs, but I got there and stayed for 10 years.
Living in the area, Driven it with 4 and 6 wheelers lots. I've cashed in my mirrors on at least 30% of my drives. I've seen plenty of trucks hauled out of the two tightest turns, yes, against cliff faces. All above the Grottos
HI from old trucker in uk now 87 yrs retired . What a fantastic journey loved every minute of it also find it very relaxing with your voice . Keep the videos coming , Keep safe Cheers Nigel
Thanks for taking us along on this ride. Love the scenery and enjoy your stories. This is definitely a road I would want to see first hand. Keep making these videos please and keep traveling safe.
I've driven over Independence many, many times over the years, always as the driver. However 3 or 4 years ago I was the passenger in a friend's 3/4 ton GMC pick up going from Aspen to Leadville. I gained a new appreciation of how close the the drop off on the passenger side was in places. LOL
Im glad you have the physical/ mental fortitude for this; most don't . Ive had so many challenges thrown at me past 6 months. I watch this in amazement. you have such stamina and calm .wish i had some.
Thanks for the ride. I went over the pass 26 years ago. Yes, the flat landers blew my mind. They were in the inside lane and drove down the middle of the road, completely blocking traffic. Again, thanks
I ve been over this pass dozens of times with 45 footer in the 70 and 80s no problem if you pay attention to what your doing I grew up in Gilman Colorado until 1960
I worked highway maintenance on that pass for 12 years, met semi's with plow truck several times. Had to run escort so they could get across. Scary business.
The last time I went over Independence Pass was in 1995, this time of year (end of August). Thanks for the ride and the memories. That ore bin looking thing is at the ghost town of Independence.
Thanks Mike! Loving this. The now ex wife and I work camped the summer of 15 at Arrowhead Point, Buena Vista. Camped at twin lakes and drove over this pass several times! Loving this
I came across your videos last week and love watching them. I lived in CO back in the 70's thru '84. My favorite town was Leadville, my favorite mtn is Mt. Massive and my favorite pass was and still is Independence Pass. I used to camp at the Halfmoon Campground way before it became what it is now. I also love the drive down to NM, passing all the 14er's as you go. Will keep watching you as you travel thru CO. Brings back many memories of days gone by...I am 74yo now. Lol. Thank you!
This was a beautiful ride. My husband said we drove over the pass, but I must have closed my eyes a lot. Thanks for giving me another chance to see it.
Hi Mike. Thanks for this ride today.a bit different but thoroughly enjoyable. A great Sunday night’s entertainment here in lockdown in Melbourne Australia
Hi M.; Great video! Refreshing drive up in the mountains seeing some rain after all the heat. As for the trucker's mistake in a restricted road, running flagger stop sign, double fine in work zone, WOW. R.
So I just want to know if you heard about that guy on the news? Somebody had to do a whole lot of backing up. I went over Independence back in '73, in a car, and as I recall (just barely) there weren't any guard rails and a whole lot less greenery. Also keen to see the look on his face when he met that lil' stretch of cliff face.
Thanks for the ride over Independence Pass. That's one pass I've not been over. The mountains are so green and beautiful. My last visit to Aspen was not pleasant so I've not been in a hurry to go back.
My husband and I just found your videos. My husband drove a truck from 1972 until he retired in 2010. He delivered liquor throughout the state of Colorado. On one trip to Aspen in fall of 1972 he decided to take his Peterbilt..with suicide gears..over Independece pass. No paved road..he made it over the pass but he never did it again. He said the road looks better now but he still wouldn't take a truck over it! Thanks again for the video as we enjoyed seeing the pass 49 years later!
Enjoying your trip over Independence Pass. Just had to write because of something you said, brought back some wonderful memories. So, you mentioned Chapman Dam and Reid Res. My husband created a road off that road so equipment could be brought up to a water diversion project done by Harrison-Western Corp. I believe it was 1979. We made many trips up to that job site hauling heavy equipment. Most definitely the scariest job site i had ever been to. Don't want to bore you with more details...just nice to have that place mentioned. Safe travels. Good thing you're not in Boston today. Lol Hope that upcoming trip is a good one for you.
Mountain Main Mike, thank you for bringing me so much entertainment. That trucker we saw go by is totally foooked, both physically, and lawlly. Woohoo! :D
🍭SWEET🍭BEEEEEEEEEUUUTIFUL!!! I was there last in the late 1960’s! I miss Colorado so very much! Thanks for the ride Mike! 🚛Rubber Down, Metal Up MM Mike🚛💖ML💖 SunnyRay Woods🌞🌲🌲🌲🇺🇸✌🏻
Thanks for the ride. I spent the whole afternoon studying and I had to find a way to chill out. Beautiful scenery and cool conversation. Appreciate it 😉👍🏼
What a lovely scenic ride, I didn't think a huge semi with a trailer could fit on this narrow curvy highway, that guy in the semi with the trailer i bet found out the hard way. Nice trip.
thanks for the ride -- reminds me of many trips over loveland before I70 in our '59 belaire -- putting on chains because of the idiot flatlanders slowing it all down -- changing a diaper over the backseat and feeling the car slip in the snow -- aw those were the days
had to look at the news and see if that driver got caught - couldn't find that one... BUT I did find this one out of the Aspen Times: a deputy ticketed the driver of a car carrier semi-truck who drove over the Pass from the Twin Lakes side and held up a line of about 20 cars heading down into Aspen, he said. The ticket will cost the driver, who was pulled over in front of the Aspen Police Department, more than $1,100.
I have driven this pass many times but it has been about 15 years. That narrow section is wicked! Camped up the pass for a week in the 80's and had to drive to Aspen for supplies a couple of times and that was the only part that was difficult and I think that is why no semi's are allowed. Someone was working on restoring some of the buildings in Independence in the 80's. So has anyone heard if anything happened with the semi? Traffic up on 40 was terrible! I drove parts of it both ways a couple weeks ago. Just had to drive as traffic allowed. I am like you in that if someone wants to maintain a good pace and stay off the brakes then I can follow them just fine. I have a 2005 Durango that will get up and go! Very fun to drive and I can go off road with it.
An A+ ride. Thank you. My last time on that road was '91. A rainy summer day, like this one. The big difference? We were almost alone, it was not a detour route that day.
If I had been on my motorcycle I would have made a u-turn and followed that semi up Independence Pass just to see how that trucker faired and recorded it with my Go Pro camera even up to when the Colorado State Police wrote him up to several pages of tickets "INTERESTING" wouldn't you say, also mountain man Mike: that accent isn't, Austrian isn't Australian or New Zealand or British English
About 30 years ago, my sister's family took us to Independence Pass in June and we walked through a ghost town. Took some great pictures. There was still snow in some parts. Video in the Jeep looked pretty good, even in the rain. Hope you do more Mike.
Comments here... 1. Love watching today's video drinking my coffee and relax... Beautiful scenic drive, thank you. 2. driving your Jeep with no wonky wipers... lol. 3. That Semi truck that went by = Good Luck!
Here in the Philippines someone asked me what I missed about the USA. I traveled many of the western states for years and I must say I do miss the drives and scenery....and wide roads. There is a lot of tolerance and little road rage here by Filipinos. They actually often make 3 lanes out of 2 by moving over to share the road. The US has its strict enforcement of traffic rules and that is fine but the "chaos" on the roads here seems to be pretty efficient. Few traffic signals and stop signs. People just make it work and give way to others. Safe travels!
No WAY ! ! ! Oh my goodness! I cant believe that driver thought he could take a semi where the signs are all over the place (both ways) WOW what a dope! There was a Ranger at the top - I hope that trucker gets to meet him$$. I am in Montana now but every time you drive this area, I, with ya Mt Man Mike.. Thank you SO much - you were driving my ole stomping grounds I miss it SO MUCH but I cant do commierado - I will not comply :) Still praying for you - Thank you brother - be safe!
@ 10:56, you drove past my favorite free campground, on the left. I've been staying there since my kids were little, back in the early 90's. There's a little creek along the backside of it, to draw water from.
Beautiful ride, I would like to do it myself someday but hopefully not so much traffic. I'm assuming if i-70 is open the traffic isn't as heavy on this pass.
Have not been over that pass but many others when we lived in fountain then the springs not a big fan of Denver or the springs love the smaller towns up in the mountains thanks mountain man mike
Awesome video! It's beautiful country there. I wonder how that trucker made it...he had to be extremely experienced to make it without going over the cliff or running people off...🤔😰😱
Just starting to watch this. I also went over Independence Pass in a semi riding shotgun 4 times. It was in 1978. The rig wasn’t as big as the new ones. There were no guard rails at all. The three single lane areas just had the rock edges. We were early enough we didn’t meet any traffic in the single lanes. I lived in Aspen then and worked for the White River National Forest at there’ll Jebel Tree Nursery. We were hauling ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine to the forests on the front ranges.
You just passed through the narrows without having to back up. But you passed a semi going up the pass. So I was really happy that you weren’t in a semi. Semis do get stuck up there and it is a mess. Even in the 70s the pass would get shut down and Aspen at that time was one square mile, and there was no place to park. The only choice would be to head back to Glenwood Springs. It’s a mess. Don’t go over independence pass in a semi. We were working for the federal government hauling their trees and our bosses told us that we were going that way. The first time we knew what was ahead of us and talk about nervous until we got to top and through the first hairpin and made it around. Then we finally were able to relax and enjoy the trip.
Well Mike you never told us if you have a brother, but if you do that was probably him drivin that semi over the pass. And despite how dumb it was, I think perhaps you were a little jealous, because after all :These are the voyages of Mountain Man Mike. His mission: To go where no semi has gone before !
Thanks for another great video Mike.. Glad to hear you were a Mustang guy.. I had three myself, A1966 and two 1972s , one was a Mach 1 , White with Black stripes, wish I still had it too.. Stay safe ..
Hi...From the Isle of Harris!...Off the West Coast of Scotland!....Did you find out if the semi made it over?...Get stopped...Make the news......A Cracking channel....Cheers
Reminds me of last year when 70 was closed due to fires. We were headed east and were going to take Independence Pass as our alternate route. However our F450 & 36ft toyhauler push a total of 56 ft. Got turned around, spent the night near Rifle and took 13 the next morning (13 was undergoing construction, sure its better now). I think we'd have been okay on the pass, but who knows. P.S. - Having now watched to the end, I'm certain that I could have comfortably taken this route. I really didn't see anything that was that much worse than Million Dollar, but I know it has to be as there is no prohibition of trucks and trailer length there. Thanx for the ride. 👍
Hey Mike, love the trip and the video of the pass.I guess you cant fix stupid. " Well my GPS told me to turn there." Wonder how he felt in the one lane part.. Oh i know, someone who does that kind of thing has no regard. Let the little cars get out of my way That is really HDS coming through HA
26:08 a car went off the road one night on that turn, they weren't found till the next day, 500 feet down the embankment. Tourists had stopped and saw it.I reported it when I got to the bottom, no cell service there. same year you drove through
That semi driver was one toke over the line! They do it at Smugglers Notch all the time in VT and never fail to get stuck and close the road to thru traffic. Just blow right past all the warning signs.
Thanks for the amazing ride. Such beautiful scenery. Any news about the idiot trucker that went through? Enjoy your grandbabies because time flies. Peace out✌️
A few years ago I rode over this pass on a sport-touring motorcycle, and I was still a bit freaked by the one-lane section! Can't imagine doing it with a semi truck. But yeah, with Glenwood Canyon flooded out, you have to get creative. Was thinking a lot of east-west truck traffic diverted north to I-80 (Cheyenne) while the canyon was closed.
If the smaller trucks are allowed, they should be able to use the road. The one truck that can't turn around is going to get a big ticket. Running through a CDOT mandatory stop is going to cause driver big trouble too. He should not have a CDL & is endangering others.
Glad to have you drive those touristy areas! I get too frustrated with the slow pokes in front and tailgaters behind! The trucker who blew through the stop sign must have a hot load to take a chance like that! Wish I could of seen what happened with him or her!!
Looks like a beautiful rainy day well l just hop into the passenger seat Riding Shotgun bout to buckle up ready for this ride!!! Let's roll Mountain Man!!! PS: hope all is Well ^ Good with you and FAM too, always thank you for what you do hint: Trucking and your Entertainment... Stay safe Mike and PeAce Brotha.....
I own a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it's been a dependable car has the 4.7 V8 gets decent gas mileage I think I will keep it as long as I can keep it running older jeeps are best in my book. Good luck with your Jeep mike
@@HardRockMaster7577 YAY to Class of '73 HS grads!! My group & we're all very proud. Had the best of everything - music, cars, no draft except beer...still able to drink at 18 😍
