Schofield Pass & Devil's Punchbowl (Crested Butte to Crystal Mill and Marble)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- We took the back way from Crested Butte, to get to Crystal Mill. Schofield is not for the faint of heart but not very technical for a capable driver and 4x4 vehicle. The trail is very narrow. The trail is very narrow and you will get serious pin stripping from the Crested Butte side and you will have a few inches between you and the creek below on the shelf road section. Not recommended for groups or in bad weather. There is only one place for a single vehicle to pass once you start the rocky ledge from the top to the bridge. Lower in the valley toward Marble the trail is much more tame. Several people have died on this trail. Filmed 9-12-2016
Amazing video absolutely amazing!! We just sorta happened upon this place looking for a places to fish and to camp. Drove from Marble to Chrystal city in a new F-150 it was about 7pm late August it was raining like crazy, probably got to the Chrystal Mill about 8ish and WOW!! absolutely bigger than life there it was! the place I have seen all my life in every calendar I have seen since I was a kid....... WOW!!!
Ran into some fishermen walking up the road (remember we were just looking to catch fish and camp literally anywhere) asked them about the fishing turned out to be the owners kids, they said it was pretty good, asked them if there was anywhere to camp they said yeah just drive up about a thousand yards and ask my Dad for a campsite (it is raining and getting dark). I cannot say enough what hospitality the owners gave us, if there is a 10 star accommodation they get it!! they gave us a campsite for 50.00 brought us dry firewood and dry towels in the pouring rain! The rain stopped well after dark and we sat up our tents and campfire.
The next morning we did our bacon and eggs all that and unloaded our trials bike Gasgas's and headed to see the devils punch bowl it took about 25 minutes only because I am 54 yo a pack a day smoker and had to take couple of breaks, my son could have easily gotten there in half the time but WOW!! amazing!! I would never do it in a Jeep or even a side by side no way ever my hats off to anyone that would drive that. I wouldn't do it on a dirt bike and we have raced motocross all of our lives. Other than having to stand up our trials machines almost made the ride like going down a country dirt road if they only had a seat LOL.
Amazing video it truly is the best sir. You know and we know it doesn't show just how gnarly and treacherous this pass is.
Thanks. Yeah that's a beautiful area back there. But that road especially in rain can get deadly quick. I've driven it about 4 times now and honestly I don't need to do it again. But I might... 🙂
@@R2sAdventures If you do, it will be great to watch your video. We will almost certainly ride it again next June and fish the Devils punch bowl this time. Thanks again for sharing your video sir.
Great video! I live in Marble. I’ve ridden some of this on my motorcycle. But I couldn’t go from Schofield to Marble on my motorcycle. It’s too heavy - a 95 BMW R1100 GS. I’ve driven my Tundra to Crystal. But I couldn’t go much farther because of its size. I was in Gothic yesterday. But my better judgment told me not to try to make it Schofield proper. I’ve been to SCHOFIELD Pass in a 4 Runner. It’s strictly a side by side or light motorcycle road. You can do it in a Jeep. But if you meet someone, you’ll have to back most of the way out. Scouting with ahead with a GoPro is a good idea . Thanks for sharing this. I can’t see it any other way.
Enjoyed both the drone & GoCam views. Appreciated the speedometer & other statistics. Adds to how “scary/thrilling” this road can be.
Awesome video…wonderful drone footage. Very exciting actually I would have to get out and walk…😊
That's what I would recommend for everyone! I did it this summer and the trail has some new rocks that make it a squeeze.
My wife and I just did this route in our Rubicon last month. They put up a no drone sign at the mill unfortunately. I had 3 drones with me and sure would have liked to have gotten some footage. The aspens were starting to turn color as well. If it wasn't for the sign I would have left a donation. :)
great video and drone work!! We did this last summer mostly stock Wrangler unlimited and you are right, not for faint of heart! finishing the tough section I realized we were lucky as hell no came the other way from crystal mIll.once committed there's no turn outs... reversing that far, and over some of those sections just wouldn't happen
I watched the video again. I didn’t have the sound on the first time. The sound is good & added a lot of drama, especially when you were going through the “obstacle”.
I also enjoyed the drone views of Crystal City & the Old mill @ Crystal.
Schofield seems not to be as well maintained as it was in the late ‘50’s or early ‘60’s when my dad took our family of 6 over it in a ‘46 Willys Jeep pulling a trailer with fishing & picnic gear so we could go fishing at Emerald Lake. One trip he drove to the top of the pass, unhitched the trailer, & waited to see if a VW Beetle could make it up to the top. If he couldn’t, my father had promised to pull him over. The Beetle made it. My father was so impressed that he bought a Beetle in 1974.
Until 5 years ago, yearly I used to walk to Crystal City from Marble, then back. Good walk (12 miles round trip). I believe you can rent a cabin at Crystal City, walk to the Punch Bowl & back to Crystal City again.
That is impressive. I've never seen anyone take a trailer over this section, nor a non-4x4. Down would be easy for non-4x4 but up would be near impossible. There was a rock slide a few years back that pretty much eliminate long bed trucks unless it's been modified, due to how high and tight the turn is. Shorter is better. Though like most trails it changes over time and as nature throws new rocks or snow slides down the sides.
Great video!
Can’t wait till next summer. Just purchased an atv. Gary.
Can you hike to Devil's Punchbowl or is it all driving? If you can hike where would be the best place to park if coming from Crested Butte?
Yes, most people hike down the road but you have a small ledge to stand on if a vehicle approaches. They should wait for you to get to a safe place. Depending on your vehicle you can park at the Maroon trail head and walk a couple miles or drive through thick brush along rocky stream beds until you get to the pullout at the top of the canyon opening (you'll know when you see it)
How long did it take to get to Crystal Mill from CB?
It's been a couple years but I want to say 2-3 hours. Mainly because it's narrow and very slow and sometimes you get held up by groups in front of you. I want to say CB to Marble was about half a day with stops for pics, etc but I'm sure it could be done faster.
Did it a couple weeks ago and it was about 2-3 hours all the way from in town in CB to Marble, so just to the mill would be pretty quick.
Thanks for the info. I will be there at the end of September but I will be on two wheels.
Is there a good spot to park and truck and trailer anywhere?
You could probably park at the top of Schofield before the 4x4 road starts. There are parking areas for the Maroon Pass trail but they get very full. There are lots of trailers parked around the Marble side.
what about a beginner on an atv who also is a flatlander, do you think that would be a problem? I do have many years riding motorcycle and snowmobile experience.
You'll need to gauge your own abilities but I can tell you there was a first timer out with a big group on ATVs last year. She got so freaked out by the edge along the punchbowl, that she ended up driving into the wall, getting her leg caught between the ATV and the wall and it took about 45 min for them to unwedge her, and carry her down. For an ATV it's plenty wide, you just have to be willing to ride down/up that off camber jagged rock section which is almost down to the metal bridge where things mellow out. The only dangerous portion of this trail is like 500 yards long with only two sketchy spots, out of the entire 4 miles. The rest is just shelf roads and loose rocks.
O