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Gillespie Gulch 050618

June 18, 2005 by Monica

Gillespie Gulch

Trail Run on June 18, 2005
Report and photos by Monica I., Trail Leader
View trail information for Gillespie Gulch

Gary R.
Yellow 1978 Jeep CJ-7
Austin C.
Khaki 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Bob S.
Green 1997 Jeep Wrangler
Monica I.
Red 2010 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Perry S.
Purple 1994 Ford Explorer
Derek S.
Black 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Dave B.
Black 2004 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Cheryl W.
Orange 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon
Bob R.
Green 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Ladd G.
Green 2003 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon
Jed P.
Green 1998 Jeep Wrangler
Kendall C.
Blue 1988 Suzuki Samurai

We had heard that the trail was very muddy and slick and that a lot of people were having a hard time getting through The Chutes past the cabin. We had to go check it out for ourselves! When we got there it was completely dry but it was still a blast. Ladd even did Nugget Hill without any problems.

We were airing down when a couple other vehicles were on their way down, and luckily we didn't come across anyone else coming down on our way up (the trail is often very narrow). We started up and made it to the mine at noon so we stopped there for lunch. The sun was out and it was pretty hot out, and we enjoyed our lunch there. There had been a lot of rain and snow so the trees were very green, unlike some years there. A few vehicles passed us while we were eating.

When we got to the first big hill right before the cabin we passed the people who had just passed us. They were concerned about making it, so they wanted to follow us. All but one of them turned back soon after that, and the one who kept going stayed with us the rest of the day.

Almost everyone played on the big rock on the left in the middle of the first hill. Kendall was driving his Dodge truck that is usually the tow vehicle for his Samurai. It's a huge truck and it was a lot of work getting it up the first hill. He ended up backing down the bypass for the first hill just a bit, which proved to be as difficult as the trip up the hill in the first place.

We were all packed around the cabin and all over the trail, then we started up to The Chutes. It looked a little different than it did the year before. The earliest part of it wasn't tough at all because it was mostly flat instead of full of big whoopdeedoos like it had been before. But the rocks in The Chutes were much more pronounced because the loose dirt around them was really dug up.

Monica tried to go up the right side, over a big rock. She got a pretty good wheelstand or two before realizing that path wasn't going to work. She went around it and up, and that proved to be the line everyone took. Bob S. tried the same rock on the right but it didn't work out that time, either. He came right up through the middle instead.

Jed came through next, making it look easy. Derek brought his Grand Cherokee through it right after and showed us how a few things are a lot more difficult when your vehicle is a lot bigger and heavier. He managed to make it through with no body damage, though.

Austin followed right after Derek and drove right up it like it was pavement. Then it was Kendall's turn. Coming through it with a little finesse wasn't going to work out so he had to give it some gas. At first it looked like he had come through it just barely missing the rock sticking out of the wall on the left, but closer inspection revealed a couple deep scratches near his gas tank cap. The truck is officially broken in, now!

Perry came through next in his Explorer and we were expecting more damage because of the larger vehicle. He came through with no issues, though, and no damage. Dave and Gary followed right after him and also didn't have any issues.

Bob R. was next and it was going well until that same rock that got Kendall's truck also completely dented in Bob's fender flare. He managed to not get any of the actual fender and he also missed his turn signal light. He popped it back out but it's a little worse for wear.

Cheryl and Ladd brought up the end of the group and neither one of the Rubicons had any issues.

We got to the meadow fairly quickly and we all stopped to go take a look at Nugget Hill. Monica and Bob S. also took some time to pose for flex shots in the little ditch there. We walked down to check out the obstacle but no one wanted to do it at that point. Ladd said he might consider it if we had time after we went up and came back down.

We went up the whoopdeedoo hill and everyone had a good time getting tires in the air and flexing suspensions. A lot of people played on the rocks on the last hill before the overlook, too.

The scenery at the overlook was as beautiful as ever, though there was definitely a brown haze over the front range as far as we could see. The mountains behind us were still covered in a lot of snow, so the higher trails are still very closed.

We made our way down and stopped at the meadow again to see if Ladd was going to do Nugget Hill. He thought about it for awhile and then decided he was up for it, so we all got out and made our way back down the hill on foot.

Bob S. rode along in the passenger seat while Ladd carefully made his way down. He got very tippy in the usual spots but Jed spotted him through it exactly where he needed to be. Ladd didn't need a tow strap or any other assistance, making it through it without any scares.

People often turn around at the bottom to come back up, but Austin knew of a wider spot in the trail further down. Ladd went further down the trail to turn around and we all hung out and waited for him to return.

He finally got back and started back up Nugget Hill. There was a spot where it looked like he may have been too high on the hill but then his tire slipped down where it needed to be like he planned it. He went all the way back to the top with no issues. It was great to watch!

It hardly took any time to get back down the trail, like usual. Ladd was playing on the big rock on his way down through The Chutes and landed hard on the front edge of his rocker panel. It didn't hold up and the lower part of his fender is now pretty bent.

We aired up at the trailhead and a lot of us went to Murphy's afterward for dinner and beverages. We were filthy and fairly sunburned and we were all smiles. It was a great time!

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austin_in_the_chutes_part_1
austin_in_the_chutes_part_2
austin_in_the_chutes_part_3
austin_on_a_hill
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austin_on_the_first_hill_part_2
austin_on_the_first_hill_part_3
austin_on_the_trail
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bob_r_in_the_chutes_part_2
bob_r_in_the_chutes_part_3
bob_r_in_the_chutes_part_4
bob_r_on_the_first_hill_part_1
bob_r_on_the_first_hill_part_2
bob_r_on_the_first_hill_part_3
bob_r_on_the_trail
bob_r_trail_damage
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bob_s_posing_part_2
bob_s_posing_part_3
cheryl_in_the_chutes_part_1
cheryl_in_the_chutes_part_2
cheryl_in_the_chutes_part_3
cheryl_on_the_first_hill_part_1
cheryl_on_the_first_hill_part_2
cheryl_on_the_first_hill_part_3
cheryl_on_the_trail
dave_in_the_chutes_part_1
dave_in_the_chutes_part_2
dave_in_the_chutes_part_3
dave_on_the_first_hill_part_1
dave_on_the_first_hill_part_2
dave_on_the_first_hill_part_3
dave_on_the_trail
dave
derek_in_the_chutes_part_1
derek_in_the_chutes_part_2
derek_in_the_chutes_part_3
derek_on_the_first_hill_part_1
derek_on_the_first_hill_part_2
derek_on_the_first_hill_part_3
down_from_the_overlook
first_hill
gary_in_the_chutes_part_1
gary_in_the_chutes_part_2
gary_in_the_chutes_part_3
gary_in_the_chutes_part_4
gary_on_the_first_hill_part_1
gary_on_the_first_hill_part_2
gary_on_the_first_hill_part_3
gary_on_the_trail
green_trail
jed_in_the_chutes_part_1
jed_in_the_chutes_part_2
jed_in_the_chutes_part_3
jed_in_the_chutes_part_4
jed_in_the_chutes_part_5
jed_in_the_chutes_part_6
jed_on_the_first_hill_part_1
jed_on_the_first_hill_part_2
jed_on_the_trail
jed_past_the_cabin_part_1
jed_past_the_cabin_part_2
kendall_family
kendall_in_the_chutes_part_1
kendall_in_the_chutes_part_2
kendall_in_the_chutes_part_3
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kendall_in_the_chutes_part_5
kendall_in_the_chutes_part_6
kendall_on_the_first_hill_part_1
kendall_on_the_first_hill_part_2
kendall_on_the_first_hill_part_3
kendall_on_the_first_hill_part_4
kendall_on_the_first_hill_part_5
kendall_on_the_first_hill_part_6
kendall_trail_damage
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_1
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_2
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_3
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_4
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_5
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_6
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_7
ladd_down_nugget_hill_part_8
ladd_in_the_chutes_part_1
ladd_in_the_chutes_part_2
ladd_in_the_chutes_part_3
ladd_on_the_first_hill_part_1
ladd_on_the_first_hill_part_2
ladd_on_the_first_hill_part_3
ladd_on_the_first_hill_part_4
ladd_on_the_trail
ladd_trail_damage
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_1
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_2
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_3
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_4
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_5
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_6
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_7
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_8
ladd_up_nugget_hill_part_9
lunch
monica_on_the_trail
monica_past_the_cabin
monica_posing_part_1
monica_posing_part_2
nugget_hill
perry_in_the_chutes_part_1
perry_in_the_chutes_part_2
perry_in_the_chutes_part_3
perry_in_the_chutes_part_4
perry_in_the_chutes_part_5
perry_on_the_first_hill_part_1
perry_on_the_first_hill_part_2
perry_on_the_trail
the_overlook
view_from_the_overlook_part_1
view_from_the_overlook_part_2
view_from_the_overlook_part_3

Reports from Other Days: 4

Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Gillespie Gulch. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.

May 8, 2004

Led by Monica I.
We always get a big group when we do this trail, and this time there were 12 vehicles when we finally got to the trail at noon. No one broke or dented anything and Brian even did Nugget Hill. We even managed to make it off the trail before the…
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