Hermit Pass Colorado 6/16/12

[ttora4runner]

I wasn't quite sure if I was going to make this trip or not due to not feeling so well lately but at the last moment I decided to go and get the heck out here. My original plan was to hit up Hermit and Medano Pass but as I started to head out on Hermit Pass my check engine light decided to rear it's ugly head. I had this same issue on the Metberry Gulch run and thought I had it fixed bt apparently not.

At that point I could either just head back or go ahead and run Hermit and skip out on Medano for another time. Well, you can probable guess what I did since I'm posting a trip report.

Headin on to the trail - somewhere up there is where I was headin

On the trail

 

[ttora4runner]

Nearing the top - my 4runner is on the left hand side

The last switchback was still block by a snowd drift, hence the reason I parked the 4runner and hoofed it.

The otherside of the pass. There used to a road down the other side but it was closed off long ago and now you can only hike it.

The trail below is what I was headin to - needless to say route finding wasn't that easy.

 

[ttora4runner]

The view from the trail I noted above and what I hiked down to get here

The other side of that pass

The lunatic behind the camera

Decided at this point to go ahead and start on back instead of contining on. Mostly, due to some storm clouds coming in and not wanting to get stuck in it. The photo may not seem that bad but by the time I got back to the top it was a little worse.

The one snow pack that had to be crossed

The highest elevation on the trail

Flexin shots on the way out

The trip overall was mostly uneventful minus the check engine light and skid plate bang around from being a little lose. I ran the trail in 2wd minus using 4low to help control the descent back down.

 

[RockTrout]

Great photos. Thanks for sharing the report. I miss Colorado....

 

[upndown]

beautiful area..Thanks for sharing!! Do any of those ponds hold fish or just snow melt holes? Thinking about a Colorado,Utah fishing trip this summer.:camping:

 

[chicken corners]

Nice, thank you.

 

[ttora4runner]

beautiful area..Thanks for sharing!! Do any of those ponds hold fish or just snow melt holes? Thinking about a Colorado,Utah fishing trip this summer.:camping:

There is supposed to be fish in the lakes/ponds.

 

[Rot Box]

Great pictures thanks for sharing! :bike_rider:

 

[roverrocks]

Nice adventure! Beautiful pictures! Haven't been there. Want to go now. Thanks

 

[mrwizard]

Such a great looking area. Sweet trip.

 

[Larry]

Hey ttora4runner,

Great pictures! Much better than the ones we got. WOW small world, you passed right by us Saturday morning as you rounded the corner at Hermit Lake on your way to the top. Member Coloradobill had his Ram Charger, my wife had her new/used 4Runner and I had the K10 with the camper. We actually did hear something clanging around under your rig as you passed by, must have been the skid plate you mentioned. Funny, as my wife’s 4Runner was making a similar noise a few days prior and we found the left front shock loose. We joked as you went by that your shock might be loose too. :sombrero:

Speaking of fish in those lakes, we got there Friday afternoon and fished Hermit Lake without much luck. I caught 3 little bitty fish that made a sardine look big. I’ve never fished Horseshoe Lake up higher though but I hear they are pretty small there as well. The next trail to the North on the other side of Westcliffe takes you up to Rainbow Lake is much better for fishing.

This is where you passed us as we ate breakfast.

We saw you headed on up towards the top when we stopped and snapped pictures near Horseshoe Lake. You really got some great shots from the top too. We were planning to go to the top but there was a standard cab Silverado with a topper that was taking 3 forever’s coming back down so we got tired of waiting for him and headed back home after this picture.

The ride back down. This was my wife’s first time driving off-road in her new 4Runner we picked up in February. She had a blast on her first trip out with it.

We actually got caught in that storm when we stopped at the gas station in Westcliffe to air up tires. It hailed like hell for a few minutes!

Anyway, nice pictures. Small world

 

[ttora4runner]

That's awesome. Small world indeed. That guy in the silverado I past him while hiking at the top it looks like he spent a few days camping back in there. His pack looked like it weighed more than me. Hopefully, I didn't kick too much dust up.

You know I'll give the shocks a once over since I took the skid plate it's still clanging depending on where I drive.