Sounds good - keep us posted if you see any further improvements. Maybe a ride I will get to do later this year! Besides, my 640 would look good posing for a pic on the same bridge where B-Rod and Chad M's previous KTM's were lounging...
Looks like a great ride.Could someone tell me how far across this trip is? I'm thinking in terms of fuel. thanks.
It's only 55 kms from Crawford bay to where it meets up with the Grey Creek Pass, and then another 25 kms or so to Marysville.
Rose pass is evil as hell. Only because the overgrown alders, We did it in a jeep last weekend (we were supposed to do it on our ktms, pinched back nerve changed that plan) , it was a 6hr push. at times the road/path was virtually non existent. I dont think it would be passable on a bike, maybe an atv. I surely will never be running that pass again anytime soon.
Been up Rose Pass twice so I can't understand why it's not passable on a bike...There are pics earlier in this thread of me and a few buds doing it. And in fact two of us are gearing up to do it now so I'll report on it when we return... IF we return. MUahahahahahahahaha Garrett
Apart from flattening (is that a word?) both tires at the SAME TIME on a sharp rock that pinched my UHD tubes...the ride was as expected. The alders that grow around the lower portion of the trail get heavy when it rains, and it was raining, so it's a bit of a PITA but completely doable on DRZ400SM's. No snow up there yet and the area has had quite a bit of rain so it's damp but very little mud anywhere on the trail. Hardly an evil ride, just good fun. Garrett
So now you're in the market for some new goggles or shield after all the alder? Arms about to fall off due to all the "massage"? Any pics?
My goggles and shield aren't nearly mangled enough for replacement....YET. It was quite wet when we did it so the alders were overhanging the trail. It's not as bad when it's dry. Not really much opoint in posting more of the same pics just look back in the thread from last year. Love the ride though it's very cool. I don't find Rose to be an arm killer, even on a DRZ. I do have a picture of me giving the ADVrider salute to my 2 flat tires on the road just before the river crossing. Hit the same rock and pinched both tubes at the same time. F**K!!! Garrett
me and a friend did rose pass august 2010 ,me in a 94 f150 , friend in a 95 nissan pathfinder from crawford bay . great fun ,not recommended for anyone squeemish about paint or body damage. i put it in nuetral coming down the east side using the overhanging bush as a brake. Had to make 1 3point turn on west side. We did most of it in 2 wheel drive except for 2 spots coming up. my truck did overheat a bit on way up , temperature was 30 degrees celsius that day. We are going back in 2011
These pics were from July 2010 Rose pass road (from the west) is like this for the first 10 miles or so... ...then you come to this...yep, the trail goes straight ahead:huh ...then lots of this. Damn branches grab the handlebars making steering a little difficult in places...but it does get better. KTM next time.
It certainly gets crazy there in mid Spring. Almost time to take a brush saw through there and clean it up. I'd hate to come around one of those bushy corners only to find a big ass bear staring right at me with either of us anywhere to go! :eek1
I haven't been there yet but I've heard it's several km of alder, so you'd want quite a few people to tackle this project. And then the next spring it would be worse than before. A loader with a brushing flail would be most effective.
Ian and I did it last weekend on Sunday. Great ride though my 990 fully loaded was a bit of a handful at times. Very doable track and some guys cleared a fair bit of the alders though you will still take a beating in patches.Way more fun than Grey creek. If anybody wants to clean it better PM me and I'll bring my Husaberg and brush scissors.
The trail is wicked. Overgrown yes, simple no, would I recommend yes. The GPX track posted earlier is excellent. I ran into problems when it came to seeing were I was going on the steep sections. With a loaded KLR I started running off the road into the vegetation and pinned my leg under my panier at one time. Riding solo is OK but fighting the trail is always more fun with someone else. Would love to do it again. Rode from West to East, stopped 2.4km from top of pass, still had 300m vertical gain to top of pass. Fresh tires help. Here's a link to a quick vid. http://www.vimeo.com/30115622
