Pace Lake (part 2

Pace Lake (part 2)

Along the Happy Trails

May/10/2008

By Jerry Smith

(Continued from Pace Lake part 1)

The Pace Lake road was firmly in the crosshairs today.  The previous failure needed to be rectified. 

In talking with the BLM about the Pace Lake road, it was clear that it had been closed by Mother Nature at least two years before and probably more.  This would possibly be the first reopening of a trail I had done in some time. 

Southern Sinbad Valley with Lone Cone and the San Juan range near Ouray on the skyline.  On a clear day, this is an eye-popper.

Reopening trails is something that brings a wealth of pleasure to me.  I have fought road closures from Montana to Utah and Colorado since back in the mid-1970s.  It's become a passion.

This trip I knew the Pace Lake road would be traversed further than the first time barring any major changes to the roadway between then and now.

The lower Pace Lake road offered little resistance but as we (Happy Trails and me) began the ascent up the mountainside, there was a repeat of the last trip.  (While I do often go alone, I do not recommend it).

Many new rocks had rolled into the road and the V-cuts had been enlarged so the work began early.  It was obvious that the spring runoff had been dramatic this year.  Water runoff damage to the Pace Lake road was everywhere.

After an hour of rock moving, we were finally up to that pesky tree blocking the road just above the intersection.  The Mile Marker HI9000 hydraulic winch made quick work of it.  Pace Lake or bust!

On this corner is where the burnt fir blocked the road.

For the next mile or so, we stopped several times for rocks, trees, and brush overgrown into the roadway.  This was the easy part.  Brush trimming is a common occurrence where I go and we go prepared.

The next major obstacle was a 50-60 yard stretch of the Pace Lake road where the middle and lower side of the road was a three-foot deep gully.  As I have made a habit of, I walked well past the bad area to see if working on it would be rewarded or just scoffed at later.  I made up my mind that the Pace Lake road could be overcome.

Between the back of the Jeep and to the corner where another Jeep is barely visible is where the road had to be filled before any further progress could be made.

The first attempt at straddling the deep notch ended up with the entire left rear tire hanging well below the road surface.  This was really a bad kind of stuck but we crawled out after a little rock and tree limb placement.

There was some damage done to the fender flare and a little scuffing of the corner paint, but it's a Jeep.  The bad part was that this was the first real damage done since Happy Trails was new in '06.  Pace Lake would be remembered.

OK, this would require some serious fill work to make it passable.  After gathering all the downed trees and large rocks nearby, I began shoveling the high bank into the ditch until it looked good enough a little over 3-hours later.  You can't believe all the dirt and debris it took to partially fill that ditch.

A couple of turns later we encountered another "challenging" obstacle.  Pace Lake wasn't giving in yet. 

This one had both erosion and three major boulders in the way.  The boulders were nearly hood high, so going over was not a good option.  They blocked the road in such a way that going around the low side of the first two would work, but the third one was too close to the lower side of the road to get around. 

The corner, just below the 3-large rocks, has caused several problems for many who have driven this trail.

After some technical "calculated eyeball" measuring, I decided if we could get past the first two and go hard left between the second and third rocks and then go high enough on the upper bank, we could make it past.

The first part of the plan went well.  Crawling the very steep upper road bank tightened the seat cover to the breaking point.  To say we were leaning over was like saying there is sand at the beach.

The rear couldn't climb the bank and the right rear wheel hooked the point on the third rock breaking a chunk of the faux bead lock out and mutilating the center cap.  More damage!

Cutting brush back takes place about every two years to keep this trail open.  The first trip up, it was all me.  Since then, we recruit some help and it goes much faster.

 With more rock rolling, tree removal, and a lot of brush trimming, we cruised through the gate into a meadow where Ponderosa Pines grew.  To the left of the meadow was a serious barbed wire fence on the Colorado/ Utah border and Pace Lake just across the road on the other side of the fence.

The fence line is patrolled by the JB Ranch and no trespassing is permitted.  After a very late lunch with a view of Pace Lake, we proceeded further up the road to the National Forest boundary where the signs say "closed to motorized travel".

Stay on your side of the fence… they mean stay out!

Known locally as the "Little Forest", this small isolated parcel is closed simply because the Manti- La Sal Forest Service doesn't want to manage it.

Unfortunately, this is the kind of things we too often find when out in the Great American BackCountry.  Cleaning-up thoughtless people's trash like this is an every trip duty.  One day, we hope to catch the jerks leaving this kind of mess… they will answer to the law at a minimum.

Note:  I have recommended that the BLM assume responsibility for the area and that they allow us to pioneer a short road to the east where another road ends that comes from the John Brown road.  This would create a "Loop Road" that is so popular with land management these days.  (we are currently working with the USFS, BLM, and a private land owner to create that connector)

Looking in the rearview mirror shows the kind of rocks you can expect to run over, around, or through.  "Through" is not recommended.

Returning to the meadow, I was rewarded with the sight of several elk on the Pace Lake dam.  It's always great to see wildlife.

As the day was getting late, we had to go down the Pace Lake road at a much faster pace than the ascent.  With most of the bad obstacles passable now, that was not much problem.

Many large critters can be found in Sinbad Valley.  This is a large black bear track in case you didn't know.  The Sinbad ranch caretaker claims they have bears nearly every day in their yard during the warm months. The first year after reopening this trail, we always saw at least one bear.

The Pace Lake road was open once again.  Pace Lake was worth the effort to see and the trail is a dandy class 7 or 7+.  If you're going to attempt the Pace Lake road, you better come equipped and capable.
(over the years since then, the road has mellowed.  It is now about a 6 or 6+ for difficulty -- but will still challenge you)

The views from the upper Pace Lake road are incredible.  Sinbad Valley is beautiful and you can see over the south end clear down to the San Juan Mountains near Ouray. 

The Pace Lake road is and will be a challenge for the foreseeable future.  I hope you make an opportunity to see Pace Lake.



The author and one of his favorite companions.

One last thought;  When you come to a fork in the road, take it!  Adventure is where you find it.

Happy Trails to you.

Copyright 2008- 2017, all rights reserved 


Note:  Most of the pictures in this article are from other trips to Pace Lake.