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4-Real
By Lyndon Conrad Bell
The Earth is a different place at
13,000 feet.
The sky is bluer and the air is cooler
when you drive to an altitude most peo­
ple only experience when they are safe­
ly ensconced in an airplane.
Imogene Pass runs through the
Colorado Rockies. A former stagecoach
trail, it is only accessible by hikers, heli­
copters and off-road vehicles. The pass
peaks at 13,100 feet before it descends
into Telluride from Ouray (you-ray),
and it traverses some of the most beau­
tiful terrain in the United States.
Peaks of solid rock rise 2000 feet
above the trail. Aspen trees color the
hillsides with gold, yellow and red
leaves in early autumn. The rock faces
range in color from gray to reddish
brown. Luminescent waterfalls tumble
into gorges 1,000-feet deep. Everything
in this landscape exists on a
grand scale.
There 1 was picking my
way along a primitive trail in
Jeep’s
2001
Grand
Cherokee. Miles Davis on
the CD player, chilled bot­
tled water from the cooler in
hand, the climate control
system set at 72 degrees,
luxurious leather cradling
my tush, and an incredible
automobile underneath me,
14 Tty Can't We adjust Buckle Up?
I was hugging the trail like a mountain
goat in love.
The Grand Cherokee inched its way
up sheer rock faces, straddled boulders,
and waded through pools of water and
mud so deep that the name on the door
of the vehicle was submerged. Yet, when
we arrived back at the hotel, it was as if
I had just returned from the grocery
store.
To get an idea of the ruggedness of
the terrain, we started at 9 a.m. and
returned at 5:30 p.m. Yet, the odometer
had only advanced 58.6 miles. One does
not drive the Imogene Pass, one inches
his way along it — carefully!
Just after lunch, we met someone
who’d learned this lesson the hard way.
Rounding a bend, a sudden cloud
appeared. O ur caravan stopped.
Everyone jumped out of their vehicles
and ran to the front of the pack to find
a white Grand Cherokee clinging pre­
cariously to the trail by three of its four
wheels. The fourth wheel (the right
front) was hanging helplessly ov*t a
1,500-foot dropoff. .
Our group helped him qnd his pas­
senger out of the vehicle, and then we
continued into Telluride and sent help.
Later, they told us that after three
hours, $350, and one highly experi­
enced tow operator, they were on their
way. The amazing part is, they contin­
ued up and over Imogene Pass after the
harrowing experience. Their Jeep
looked totally unblemished. The guys,
well, let's just say they were trying to be
brave.
That seems to be the essence of the
four-wheeling experience. You see
places you’d never see any other way.
Relying upon vour skill, self-confidence
and equipment, you’ll have the experi­
ence of a lifetime. And if you’re very
careful, you’ll come back to tell others
just how cool it is.
"Every Jeep Jamboree features adven­
turous trails and is supported by knowl­
edgeable trail guides who help the par­
ticipants negotiate the trails," says Lou
Bitonti of Jeep.
Each Jamboree is limited
to 100 vehicles that are bro­
ken up into small groups
and led over the trails. The
cost to participate is $215
for children age 7 - 1 4 and
$75 for kids age 3 -6.
For more information,
log on to www.jeepun-
paved.com/woj/jamboree or
call 530-333-4777.
February/March 2001