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COBDR Colorado Back Country Discovery Route

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KoryJ

KoryJ

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Planing on doing the COBDR Summer of 2018. Looking for some info on weather, road conditions, and closure info. There is a good forum on the NMBDR but not much for the COBDR. Me and my father have been riding for a few years in all kinds of conditions. We completed the NMBDR summer of 2017, and planing on the COBDR summer of 2018. Any advice on specific places that are have to see along the way. Also anyone know the camping restrictions along the track. Thanks


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Oh you will HATE Colorado. I suggest staying home and get that silly notion out of your head young man.:rofl:

Is there a map of this so I can see where the route runs?
 
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I rode the COBDR this past summer, and the NMBDR the year before. They are a lot different. I thought the NMBDR was harder because of the sand and mud and a couple of tight spots in trees. But the COBDR is beautiful and a blast riding up the passes. Ophir Pass with it’s loose rocks was the hardest thing I remember in CO. And the other factor that added some difficulty is all the traffic on a couple of passes, trying to get around Jeeps and those mule things.

Another difference is that CO has great towns to ride through with brew pubs and restaurants and other attractions. NM was kind of boring in that regard. As far as camping it is pretty open most places, and there are lots of parks. One that I would suggest is the city park in Telluride, if you can find a spot! It is right at the end of the main drag so you can walk to the downtown area. I happened to be there for 4th of July and they had a great parade, and the biggest fireworks show I have seen in many years. And it was in the park next to the campground. If you stay there you can then tackle Ophir Pass in the early part of the day.

It was a great experience, and I plan to do it again.


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HighDrag said:
One that I would suggest is the city park in Telluride, if you can find a spot! It is right at the end of the main drag so you can walk to the downtown area. I happened to be there for 4th of July and they had a great parade, and the biggest fireworks show I have seen in many years. And it was in the park next to the campground. If you stay there you can then tackle Ophir Pass in the early part of the day.
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+10

I and the Great Tricewife stayed there as well. With rooms in Telluride costing several hundred thousand dollars per night (you get the idea), my $10 camp site (military discount) was not only a bargain, it made the Telluride experience fun. You'll need to go early in the day to find a spot. The word is out.

Tricewife was driving SAG in my Dodge Ram, so we packed the whole kit 'n kaboodle as far as camping gear goes. This made the daily ride on the KTM 500 light and breezy.

Interesting your comment on Ophir being the tough segment. What did you think of the silt north of Gypsum?
 
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HighDrag said:
I rode the COBDR this past summer, and the NMBDR the year before. They are a lot different. I thought the NMBDR was harder because of the sand and mud and a couple of tight spots in trees. But the COBDR is beautiful and a blast riding up the passes. Ophir Pass with it’s loose rocks was the hardest thing I remember in CO. And the other factor that added some difficulty is all the traffic on a couple of passes, trying to get around Jeeps and those mule things.

Another difference is that CO has great towns to ride through with brew pubs and restaurants and other attractions. NM was kind of boring in that regard. As far as camping it is pretty open most places, and there are lots of parks. One that I would suggest is the city park in Telluride, if you can find a spot! It is right at the end of the main drag so you can walk to the downtown area. I happened to be there for 4th of July and they had a great parade, and the biggest fireworks show I have seen in many years. And it was in the park next to the campground. If you stay there you can then tackle Ophir Pass in the early part of the day.

It was a great experience, and I plan to do it again.


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Click to expand...



Thank you very much this is exactly the info I’m looking for. If your ever in Ouray on the 4th they have a massive firework show and all kinds of stuff all day. Like firehouse battles, parade and all kinds of stuff. Thanks again.


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tricepilot said:
+10

I and the Great Tricewife stayed there as well. With rooms in Telluride costing several hundred thousand dollars per night (you get the idea), my $10 camp site (military discount) was not only a bargain, it made the Telluride experience fun. You'll need to go early in the day to find a spot. The word is out.

Tricewife was driving SAG in my Dodge Ram, so we packed the whole kit 'n kaboodle as far as camping gear goes. This made the daily ride on the KTM 500 light and breezy.

Interesting your comment on Ophir being the tough segment. What did you think of the silt north of Gypsum?
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Awesome. I’ve heard the sand north of Gypsum is pretty bad but on the NMBDR there was miles and miles of deep sand. It starts around the 4:30 mark. https://youtu.be/AgFdxEMdnq8
Thanks for the input.


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Cherioer said:
What are folk's thoughts on doing the COBDR alone?
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That is a BIG, "It depends", kind of question.

I would not do it unless I was an above average rider in terms of off road skills.

I would not do it unless I was in pretty good physical shape, and I don't mean, "Round is a shape" kind of shape :-P I mean able to engage in somewhat strenuous activity at heightened mental focus for hours on end, for days on end. Fatigue is cumulative on rides like this and can really become a serious issue after 2-4 days of straight riding, especially when you start getting into the more technical stuff. Fatigue leads to mistakes and injuries. A planned day off every now and then can make a world of difference.

Bigger bikes generally take more physical effort than smaller bikes. Heavily loaded bikes generally take more effort than lightly loaded bikes. Again, this goes toward the cumulative fatigue issue.

If I were do go it alone, I would DEFINITELY get some kind of Spot or PLB device so I could alert someone if I really needed serious help. Cell phone service can be questionable, especially in the mountains.

I believe there are some alternate routes for big bikes that avoid some of the more gnarly technical stuff. If you are riding alone, you REALLY need to be smart about deciding whether to push on through something hard or perhaps being wiser and taking the easier route. Even a short technical section can cause you to expend a tremendous amount of energy, leaving you a bit wiped out if there is more to come. This is especially true if you start falling down and have to pick up the bike!

Personally, I'd go with at least one, if not three other riders. I understand the appeal of a solo ride. However, I also enjoy sharing great experiences like that with good friends (and shared experiences like that can make people good friends of they aren't already). Most of all, having 4 riders usually means no one gets left alone if something does happen and someone has to go for help.
 
Thanks Scott. All great advise and most things I have considered given this would be my first big adventure ride. I always take it more cautious out there when I'm by myself (which itself sometimes gets me in trouble). Riding alone isn't by choose (this time). My only riding buddies backed out on me this year causing me to cancel my Newfoundland plans.

I was starting to plan a new trip to do all the passes around Telluride when I saw this route.
My questions are really around taking a big bike (the 1290). How truly technical the route is, and spots to maybe avoid along the way. I read on COBDR site that some sections aren't really passable on a big bike any longer. I'll definitely be sticking to the more heavily traveled passes and roads, and avoid the 16 hours in the saddle days.
 
I would not take the big bike on any of the passes around Telluride, if by those passes you are including Imogene and Black Bear. Those passes are pretty technical and VERY steep in places. But, I watched a guy come down Black Bear on an old KTM 950 like it was nothing... I might do Ophir on a big bike depending on reports near the time was going to be doing it. Bolam pass (South of Ophir) was fairly easy when I rode it back in 2010. This last time in 2018, it was considerably rougher and more challenging, and I was on my KTM 530 instead of a KLR 650 like the first time.

I've done the main section of Engineer from Lake City heading West on an 1150 GS, and could probably do it on a 1200 GS. The West side is the steeper and more technical side. When you reach the turn off to go to Animas Forks/Silverton on the West side of Engineer, take that fork! IF you go North and continue on Engineer to where it drops out on US 550 just South of Ouray, that section is extremely rough! Most jeep rental agencies now require you to sign a promise NOT to take their jeeps on that section because so many of them were getting torn up trying to go through there.

Cinammon Pass between Animas Forks and Lake City would not be bad on a big bike. I don't recall any sections that were particularly challenging.

Corkscrew is steep, but not especially rough. There was one short skree section heading up toward Hurrican Pass and Lake Como that was pretty rough, but if you were careful you could probably get through it without too much trouble.

Road conditions change constantly out there. If they have been getting much rain the roads can get VERY rough and loose.

The only good thing about most of those passes, and bad depending on your perspective, is that they are well traveled during the summer months. So even of you are technically riding alone, there are usually other people around. Whether or not they will be willing to help you... :shrug:

If you have a particular date in mind, I would just post up here. That is a popular riding area and there are always folks here that head out there every year. I bet you could find a few folks willing to head out there and at least ride part of the time with you.
 
Tourmeister said:
I would not do it unless I was in pretty good physical shape, and I don't mean, "Round is a shape" kind of shape :-P I mean able to engage in somewhat strenuous activity at heightened mental focus for hours on end, for days on end. Fatigue is cumulative on rides like this and can really become a serious issue after 2-4 days of straight riding, especially when you start getting into the more technical stuff. Fatigue leads to mistakes and injuries. A planned day off every now and then can make a world of difference.
Click to expand...

Altitude is another factor to consider - even if your in good shape for multi-day off road riding here in Texas , physical activity in the higher altitudes in CO can take a toll on you.
 
I've never ridden starting from four corners. Starting in Cortez or Dolores works well. Cortez is the last big town you'll see for a while so accommodations and vehicle storage can be easier there.

If you ride during the tourist season then riding alone is unlikely. There's usually plenty of company headed in both directions. Worse case you'd have to wait an hour to get help picking up a loaded 1290. Still, I'd recommend having a couple riding buds along. It's a popular route (for good reasons) but not everyone out there is safety minded and some locals go out to day ride like a race. That's usually on either side of bigger towns. Around Ouray/Telluride/Silverton/Lake City there are plentiful jeeps and quads. If you're not willing to pass aggressively then it can be frustrating. Most are good folks who ease over to let you get by soon as they can but a bunch of folks are in rented equipment, have no experience and are scared senseless and aren't about to budge no matter what. They can get a little emotional but you can't mess around or you'll be the one getting hurt.

It's a diverse route from end to end and really that's one of the things that makes it such a cool experience. Transitions in land types can be abrupt and breathtaking. If you take a camera along just double whatever amount of time you expect a section to take... stopping for pictures is going to happen... a lot. If you're camping then places to stay are all over. Motels, on the other hand, can be a real challenge and bloomin expensive when you can find one at the end of the day. Unless you have mechanicals or other issues then getting to the end of a section in one day shouldn't be a problem. Make reservations.

Each section is different. If you're familiar with our trail difficulty ratings then you've seen how a nice class two trail can be a class 3 or 4 just because of a short stretch of technical stuff along the way. Same on the BDR. To be honest, this is not a good place to go learn to ride off road. And dang sure not on a loaded 1290. You absolutely want to make a habit of turning off TC and ABS every time you leave pavement. Both will get you hurt in the mountains. It takes me two or three weeks to get acclimated to altitude. Some folks get sick and it's debilitating. Never seen anyone "tough it out." I've been lucky so far but seeing folks who weren't made me a believer. To have some idea of equipment, the 1190 was designed for this kind of riding. The 1290, I honestly don't know. KubotaMike rode with me on the BDR with his Honda AT. He handled it like a champ. BUT, he's from SoCal and his parents gave him an old hand grip for a teething ring after he was born (the dude can freakin ride). So, deciding if you want to do this on the 1290 is one you'll have to call. If you haven't spent time off road in Colorado it may be a trip to work towards after you have.
 
At altitude, staying WELL hydrated is crucial to avoiding altitude sickness. It is not a guarantee against it, but not being hydrated is almost a guarantee you will get it.

If you are just looking for some great big bike friendly riding in Colorado that is not necessarily on the BDR, let me know. There are loads of places to ride.
 
Jarrett said:
I get ABS, why traction control?
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Some times wheelspin is critical to maintain the big Mo. Momentum is crucial in loose climbs. A loss of throttle control at a wheel spin will stop you. Then you may be glad you turned off the ABS. Just a guess as I don't have either.
 
_RG_ said:
You absolutely want to make a habit of turning off TC and ABS every time you leave pavement.
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{Smiling} I have already learned that lesson riding on 308 and 315 (near Click) recently. They are pretty washed out after the recent rains.

Thanks everyone. I'm nailing down dates and then will start some serious planning. I am very familiar with Colorado, and will hold off on the tougher stuff this year. I will make my way through the center of the state hitting a pass or two on the way to Glacier National park.

Sorry to hijack the thread a bit, but this info might be useful to another thinking about the same trip.
 
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My wife and I have ridden most of the BDR routes, including NM and CO, but we are on relatively small bikes CRF 450x and 250x, we had a great time and loved them but we did start to suffer from altitude a bit towards the end but loved both routes. The biggest issue for us was all the 4 wheel vehicles on the trail who’s drivers had no idea of hand signals or pulling over to let bikes pass. We would arrive and hold up 2 fingers to explain there are 2 bikes behind us and everyone would just wave and have no idea to let us know how many where in there group.. then you would get to rocky sections and they would all just keep going across at 4mph with no idea that a 2 wheel vehicle can’t go that slow and so we had to constantly stop/start and eventually force a pass. Everyone seemed very nice but had no clue about off-Road etiquette.. you will have a great time but I would strongly advise NOT doing it alone, have at least 1 other rider with you.

Gary
 
Yeah, the short answers on TC and ABS are above. My first experience fighting a totally confused computer was just past the Tom Boy mine going up Imogene pass from the Telluride side. Under normal riding conditions the computer makes me a better rider than I actually am. I'm glad they're on the motorcycle. Thing is, in the mountains you're climbing or descending through rapidly changing strata with completely different properties. Going up, you hit a scree zone and the engine/TC throttles back to stop while you're twisting for all you're worth. Going down, ABS doesn't know what to do... it catches a little solid rock and then tries to use that same approach with the scree ten yards down the hill. You're stomping that brake peddle into the frame and the bike keeps right on rolling. I'd rather have a consistent and anticipated brake lever that my foot is attached to. So many times on a steep down-hill, I'll be dragging the rear and grabbing all the front possible when I can. Computers just don't seem to know how to handle that trick.

Almost forgot to mention the end of pavement thing.... up there you have no idea what's just around that next corner. Things tend to start out as mild jeep trails, gradually morph into quad trails and then degrade rapidly after that. Waiting until I suddenly needed to turn off TC/ABS has generally ended badly for me.
 
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Hi all. This is my first post in many, many moons. I've been lurking a lot recently and I should probably visit the Introduction thread and re-intro myself...

My fiancée and me did the CO BDR two-up on a my 1290 Super Adventure last July. We took it easy and slow and didn't have any problems. We did, however, skip the Alpine Loop which is probably the most challenging part. The rocks on Ophir Pass were so loose I didn't want to risk it, especially with a pillion on board, so we turned around. We found that Last Dollar Road out of Telluride (close to the airport) is an easy dirt/gravel road alternative if you don't want to do the Alpine Loop. I've been on two wheels for over 30 years, but just started riding on the dirt a couple of years ago so I was somewhat skittish but gained confidence the longer the ride went on. Luckily, the weather was dry our entire trip so we did not have to deal with any mud or deep water crossings. We had an absolute blast and are planning on doing the UT BDR next---probably in 2020. Upcoming wedding and two-week Alaska honeymoon will burn all our vacation (and funds) this year. Lots of good tips already posted in this thread. I definitely turned my ABS and TC off whenever we left the pavement. On the 1290 you have to be stopped and it takes about 20-25 seconds to disable it from the thumbswitch. The ABS and TC modes default back to the "ON" setting every time the engine is turned off. I'll be buying and installing an ABS dongle prior to our next extended off-road trip to eliminate this nuisance. The other thing I would highly recommend is to follow the "Stay Right" concept like your life depended on it. Several times this saved me (us) from becoming a Jeep hood ornament!

I posted our Ride Report on Advrider. Here's the link if anyone is interested:

advrider.com

Two-Up Dirt - The Final Frontier...

When I purchased my 1290 Super Adventure in November ’16, I began dreaming of all the adventures that would soon follow. Unfortunately, most of the...
advrider.com advrider.com

EDIT: Correction---I didn't actually turn the ABS completely off. I switched it to "OFFROAD" mode which disables the ABS on the rear wheel but ABS still functions on the front wheel.
 
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