Argentine Pass
We ran the Argentine Pass trail after McClellan Mountain, which meant that we picked up the trail after our lunch at the Santiago Mine. We started out by coming down the steep hill into the Waldorf town site with everyone enjoying the ride down. We followed a Jeep Grand Cherokee up from Waldorf to Argentine Pass. The only other vehicles on the trail were some Toyotas that took a spur just as we were meeting them as they came down the trail. That was good luck for everyone because there are few places where vehicles can pass on this part of the trail.
The trail to the pass was free of snow except for one small patch encroaching into one side of the trail. We were soon at the top, with room for all eight of us to park and get out for some sightseeing. We took some time to look at the trail going down the other side of the pass and to wonder what it was like when that was passable by vehicles. There's no way now (it's blocked off, of course) but it was fun to wonder what it was like "back in the day."
After coming back down to Waldorf from the pass, we all decided to run up the steep hill and come back down it as it's the only optional obstacle on the whole trail. We all made it with no trouble but it was interesting to see some dirt bikes having difficulty and having to turn back. They make some things look so easy, but then there are things a Jeep can do that a bike cannot.
After that, we all headed down the trail making good time and only meeting with the occasional uphill traffic. Even though the uphill traffic had the right of way, they all found a place to pull over so we could pass. It's nice to meet people like that on the trail, and we did appreciate their consideration of our large group.
After hitting the pavement, we had a short delay as we had to wait through two cycles of the traffic light at the one way section of Guenella Pass road in the construction zone. Given that each cycle of the light is 10 minutes (it seemed longer!) we sat there for a while.
We aired up in Georgetown, and since most of the group had plans for the evening our group broke up from there.
Reports from Other Days: 5
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