Here in Europe the ability to leave the tarmac and explore forestry roads and trails is very restricted, so I always watch in wonderment (and envy) as Americans tackle extended off-grid trips such as Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR). In this installment, Taylor Gibler, partner Mckaley, and friend Mike, take on the infamous Colorado BDR, which stretches 691 miles and crosses several mountain passes over 12,000 feet.
The trio tackles the BDR in reverse, kicking off on the Wyoming border and finishing up in the Four Corners where Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah intersect (this enabled them to continue their adventure on the Utah BDR). On this journey, Taylor would be driving a Chevy Colorado with being in his Mike his Jeep Gladiator. I’m a fan of both platforms but was especially excited to see an overland-ready Colorado, which was awarded our Mid-Size Truck of the Year. The intro draws you in with dramatic music and narration and an “invitation to embrace the wild and celebrate the indomitable spirit of human exploration.” Despite both rigs suffering from mechanical and electrical gremlins from the offset, they kick-start their adventure and after hitting the dirt decide to pull up in a wildlife viewing area.
Taylor and Mckaley’s ability to capture imagery of wildlife is impressive throughout and undoubtedly a film highlight. The Colorado BDR encompasses numerous high-elevation crossings including Ophir, Corkscrew, Hurricane, California, Cinnamon, Cumberland, Cottonwood, Weston, and Hagerman Passes and Taylor does a wonderful job of capturing the majesty of these locations. Tensions are high as they scramble up Hagerman Pass against the dying light and deteriorating weather but the rigs make it safely (a reminder that it’s better to camp early than press on when traversing a route such as this). The group agrees that the highlight of the BDR is Colorado’s epic Alpine Loop, which navigates the spectacular San Juan Mountains and is rich with mining history (including seven ghost towns). Preventative maintenance and servicing is a running theme and as they conclude their adventure it’s a race against time to reach NAPA for brake parts ahead of the Utah BDR.
Taylor does a fantastic job of documenting the Colorado BDR and will undoubtedly inspire others to tackle the route. If you’d like to keep abreast of Taylor’s latest adventures then you can follow along on Instagram and YouTube.
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