August 2008

There are times in life when taking advice from a friend is a bad idea no matter how good a friend or how reliable of a reputation they have.  This is one of those times.

For months now a friend had been telling me that the Shrine Pass road from Red Cliff (off Tennessee Pass) to the top of Vail Pass was a really nice drive and just about any car could make the trip.  On the way home this week we decided to take my friend up on the excursion.  Picture this, a fully loaded Yukon XL (weighted down due to all the stuff in the back) heads out of Red Cliff after a nice lunch.  Kids are in back watching a movie with Julie and I looking forward to being on a route we had never done before.  About four miles up the road, which is an old logging road and well maintained, we come to a sign indicating that the Shrine Pass Road was to the left and Lime Creek was to the right.

With blind faith in what my friend, Dan, told me we went left.  Bad idea, Dan is a very bad man!  Within 300 yards we were heading up a narrow road, rocks the sizes of very large dogs and no way to turn around.  I found myself driving a 14 foot car where I would think twice about taking my Jeep.  But Dan said he had gone on this route numerous times and he drives a “citified” 4WD car.  Another 400 yards and we were now on a piece of road that left me as nervous as I have ever been, scared actually.  All the while trying not to show my fear to Julie and the kids.  This Hell went on for two hours and 30 miles.  As we came to the end of the trail we were met with a steep, muddy, rocky, very steep hill to climb out of.  At the top of the hill was a pair of Hunters in their ATV looking at us like we were aliens or something…  I suspect they were not willing to take their ATV on the very same road that a big, black Yukon XL had just gone on.  (GM would be very proud.)

In the end, the trailer hitch was now missing all of its electrical wiring, there were new scratches down the side of the car and I do not even want to look at the bottom of the vehicle.

My next adventure will be to take Dan down the same path of Hell that we had just gone on.  By the way, the “New” Shrine Pass Road is well maintained and poses NO risk for any vehicle made today.

Happy Trails!