Switzerland Trail

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Topic author
csuengr
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Joined: Sun Mar 24, 2013 10:24 am
Location: Sterling, CO

Switzerland Trail

Post by csuengr »

The weather was wonderful Sunday. The temperature was near 70 degrees and since I got the heads redone, I decided to go do a little driving up on the Switzerland Trail outside Boulder. It is a remnant of yet another Colorado abandoned narrow gauge roadbed. It was a combination of muddy, snowy, dry, and pretty.

Gratuitous Jeep shot.
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Trail out of windshield.
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Scenery

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1977 Cherokee S, Ford 5.0, 5 speed, BW 1356, 33 x 10.50 BFG's. No longer my DD.
2007 Mercury Milan, 2.3L, 5-speed, now my DD. 29 mpg average.
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Lumpskie
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by Lumpskie »

That trail is on my to see list. It looks like a scenic and fun trail. Thanks for posting your pictures.
1989 Grand Wagoneer - Rebuilt 360, 2" Alcans, 10" travel Gabriel Guadian shocks.
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AwesomeJ10
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by AwesomeJ10 »

It's usually just a scenic dirt road, but the shady spots will have snow on 'em half the time.

You can take it all the way to Nederland via a few other trails.

Thanks for sharing!

Nikkormat
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by Nikkormat »

From the Nederland side you can wheel to I-70 at fall river or over the pass to winter park later in the year.

Thanks for the writeup.
Gabe, "reformed" Jeep hoarder.

Topic author
csuengr
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by csuengr »

You talking about the "bypass" around Rollins Pass?
1977 Cherokee S, Ford 5.0, 5 speed, BW 1356, 33 x 10.50 BFG's. No longer my DD.
2007 Mercury Milan, 2.3L, 5-speed, now my DD. 29 mpg average.

Nikkormat
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by Nikkormat »

From what I've heard, the bypass is now legal.
Gabe, "reformed" Jeep hoarder.

Nikkormat
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by Nikkormat »

I was given some bad info. The company which maintains the large gas pipeline running over the pass had left the gate open for a month, it wasn't open on purpose.

People are still trying to open it though... Boulder county is the last obsticle. Boulder county says that they would only open the road in a way to make it accesible to everyone. Meaning they want it to be passable in a honda civic. They also say that opening it to that level of improvement would be to expensive. (So why not open it as a 4 wheeling trail again!!!??! Less chance for idiots to litter the place up that way anyway.)

Even the Colorado Sierra club backs the opening of the wagon road. Which shouldn't have been closed in the first place as it existed since before the creation of the wilderness area. But I digress, if Boulder County could get off there high hippie horse and agree to open it at a lower level of improvement, we could all be happy.

You can still wheel Kingston peak all the way to fall river. No obstruction there. :fsj:
Gabe, "reformed" Jeep hoarder.

AwesomeJ10
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by AwesomeJ10 »

csuengr wrote:You talking about the "bypass" around Rollins Pass?

what bypass is this?

Topic author
csuengr
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Location: Sterling, CO

Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by csuengr »

Go on Google Maps satellite view and there is a road that goes around to the north of Yankee Doodle Lake.
1977 Cherokee S, Ford 5.0, 5 speed, BW 1356, 33 x 10.50 BFG's. No longer my DD.
2007 Mercury Milan, 2.3L, 5-speed, now my DD. 29 mpg average.

Nikkormat
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by Nikkormat »

As far as I know there's a big gate too.
Gabe, "reformed" Jeep hoarder.

AwesomeJ10
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by AwesomeJ10 »

that hasn't been opened in years. at least I haven't seen it open....

Nikkormat
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by Nikkormat »

Ran into a group of guys wheeling 80's Toyota pickups saying they had come over from the winter park side. They said the gates were open on both side. They could have been full of BEEP but I heard a similar story from a buddy's dad. They claim to have gone over September last year. Again, they could have been full of it.
Gabe, "reformed" Jeep hoarder.

AwesomeJ10
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Re: Switzerland Trail

Post by AwesomeJ10 »

No. The tunnel is closed and the bypass that goes down from the tunnel is impassible.

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