The Alpine Loop

[markc]

I just got back from SW Colorado, Jeepin in the San Juan Mountains.  By far my favorite part of Colorado, and favorite past time while there.  I took note of the side X sides and ATV's on the trails and by far the Polaris Razor and various Polaris ATV's were the most common. This is not an endorsement of Polaris, just an observation.  There were many Can Am's and then some Honda & Suzuki ATV's.   Not sure what that means, but if you ever have the opportunity to transport your buggy to SW Colorado, you must at least once in your life drive the Alpine Loop.
 
Here are a couple pics from this years trip, 2nd trip in as many summers.

On the way up Kendel Mtn

Turning around at a snow buried switch back on the way to the radio tower on Kendel Mtn

Coming down from Engineer Pass on the trail to Lake City

Top of Engineer Pass, over 12,000 feet

Black Bear across County Rd 2.

Buffalo Boy Tram House on the road to Stony Pass (ele 12,650 ft)

A cabin open to public use

Former Jail at Animas Forks ghost town

Another Road

Early Morning in Silverton

[Old Syko]

Thanks for the pics Mark.  I have relatives all over Colorado and because of that, have seen about all these same sites.  Great place to visit.


With regard to what brands of equipment show up, I've noticed it varies from one region to the next and for no apparent reason.  I've always figured it had more to do with which "reliable" dealers were available than anything.  What do you think?

[Graybeard]

Beautiful country Mark. Thanks for the photos.

[Lloyd Smale]

beautiful country. Got to love the west!

[markc]

Hey OS, you may be right. Spoke to a guy who operates a Jeep and ATV rental place in Silverton. He said they purchase most of their vehicles used, and bought the Can Ams new. Interesting that he have what appeared to be more of a variety of makes and models than what I was seeing on the trails.  My friend that was with me spoke to a number of Razor drivers and they couldn't say enough good about them.  I think the combination of size (small/compact),and speed makes them very popular.
 
Yes the west!   It is hard being back home with the drought and 100+ degree temps, tons of mosquitos, flat ground.  Can't wait to go back.

[Lloyd Smale]

i have a razor and there hard to beat for trail riding. i dont think any other side by side will get into places they will do to there size and power to weight ratio. there not a work machine for the farm though as theres not much room to put things in the back.

[markc]

Hey Lloyd, one Razor driver had a custom made lockable bed cover to help hold things in place in the shallow bed area.  The guy with me asked him about it, so I have no details.  Razors were all over the place. They are very popular in S/W Colorado.  Would love to drive one.

[Old Syko]

The Razors have quickly become the go-to ride on the racing circuits such as EROC and others.  They don'seem to have much competition from anyone.  No there not much of a workhorse but they never were intended to be.  Seems funny to me they didn't inherit the numerous problems of of the Sportsman and others. 

[Lloyd Smale]

they have there share of reliability problems too. At least the 800s did. the new 900 is suppose to be a much better built machine. I had to buy a 500 dollar intake because the originals sucked dust and burned up motors. I also have replaced a wheel bearing and a front and  2 rear axles. thats with less then 1500 miles and im not a young man beating on this thing. I dont ride around looking at the birdys either but id hate to see this thing if it would have been given to me when i was 16!!

The Razors have quickly become the go-to ride on the racing circuits such as EROC and others.  They don'seem to have much competition from anyone.  No there not much of a workhorse but they never were intended to be.  Seems funny to me they didn't inherit the numerous problems of of the Sportsman and others.

[Old Syko]

Lloyd I'm not a Polaris fan as you know so I'm not backing them but at least you don't hear of seats rubbing through the wiring causing a fire that consumes the whole bike and rear diffs that explode for no reason.  The air box issues are simple to solve as long as you don't do what Polaris tells you to.  This has been a serious issue from the beginning and they haven't done much to fix it even on the new models and it is really a simple fix.  Should never have cost you even close to that much to change to a proper filtration system.


You'd think for what they cost you wouldn't have to redesign and rebuild the thing before you use it but if you take the time to do just that they make a pretty good ride.  Things like having to shim those front wheel bearings to keep them from going bad and poor air systems are no way to get return business but even then they're a huge step above the Polaris of the past.  They never will be a Yamaha!

[markc]

Not to pour oil on the fire, but seeing as there are realiability issues with the Razor, has been in the past with other Polaris ATV's, could any one reasonable expect that quality is going to improve now that they are going to be built in Mexico?   I did enter a raffle today to win a Sportsman, the $ going to tornado victims in Jopiln.   I wouldn't mind winning one, would enjoy it, but would not purchase one mostly because of their move south.   

[Lloyd Smale]

id love to agree with you because the move pissed me off more then anyone but i checked out the new rzr 900 and believe me its a much better put together machine then my 800 and it doesnt take a blind man to tell. Would i buy one. Probably yes. But the only reason is nobody has anything that competes with it. the can am is near as fast but is a fat tank compared to a rzr. I still hope the yamaha will get off there duff and make a performance side by side. You best believe when they do nothing will touch it. Ive heard rumors of a 1000cc 120 horse motor being designed for it.

Not to pour oil on the fire, but seeing as there are realiability issues with the Razor, has been in the past with other Polaris ATV's, could any one reasonable expect that quality is going to improve now that they are going to be built in Mexico?   I did enter a raffle today to win a Sportsman, the $ going to tornado victims in Jopiln.   I wouldn't mind winning one, would enjoy it, but would not purchase one mostly because of their move south.

[Lloyd Smale]

no but the exaust system has lit more then one on fire and the air fix isnt an easy one. Not if you want it right and dont want a single bit of dirt to get in your motor. theres two companys that sell good air boxes for them dragon fire and one other and its name is esacaping me right now. My box cost 500 bucks. the other brand is about 350. By now polaris should have copied it themselves and solved this problem. I paid 14000 for my rzr as it sits and for that much money i sure shouldnt have to buy parts to make sure it doesnt burn up in a month of use!! I saw a couple that went down from sand injestion at the dealership and you wouldnt believe how bad those motors looked. It amazed me that they still even ran.

Lloyd I'm not a Polaris fan as you know so I'm not backing them but at least you don't hear of seats rubbing through the wiring causing a fire that consumes the whole bike and rear diffs that explode for no reason.  The air box issues are simple to solve as long as you don't do what Polaris tells you to.  This has been a serious issue from the beginning and they haven't done much to fix it even on the new models and it is really a simple fix.  Should never have cost you even close to that much to change to a proper filtration system.


You'd think for what they cost you wouldn't have to redesign and rebuild the thing before you use it but if you take the time to do just that they make a pretty good ride.  Things like having to shim those front wheel bearings to keep them from going bad and poor air systems are no way to get return business but even then they're a huge step above the Polaris of the past.  They never will be a Yamaha!

[markc]

Lloyd, considering the power and speed of the razor, I am thinking about the lawsuits against Yamaha. Carelessness, etc... Yamaha recalls Rhinos and installs doors and grab handles at their expense. The lawsuits must be coming against Polaris and the very fast Razor.  Now it is either Polaris or Can Am that comes with 3 different keys, each one allowing the vehicle to essentially be governed at specific maximum speeds.  Not sure which manufacturer it is.  The idea seems like a slam dunk to remove liability from the manufacturer and placing it on the owner/driver.  It remains to be seen, but I like the idea and providing those keys as safety features and putting the responsibility on the owner.   What is your view on the safety key concept?
 
PS, even without  the move to Mexico, the cost of a Razor alone would keep me from purchasing one. Of course that goes for most new Side X Sides.  Picked up my Jeep for near the same price as a new razor, and my Rhino was only 7K.   

[Lloyd Smale]

i paid half as much for my jeep as I did my rzr so i have to agree with you on the price. As to the law suits if you drive both you will see that the rhino is a big tippy dinasour compared to the rzr. its much harder to flip a rzr even though it is about twice as fast. Remember i said hard certianly not impossible. As to the key i just wouldnt let anyone drive it that i dont trust has the ablility to drive it safely. Keep in mind that its is fast compared to the other side by sides but compared it to a snowmobile or a dirt bike its a slug. My 700 grizzly would beat it in a race. what its good for isnt racing its good to take a ride with two people as you can talk to the other one while running down a trail. Its good because no helmets are needed to drive it. It has enough speed to run down dirt roads at a pace that feels right. The buddys 660 rhino is wide open and bumping off the rev limiter at 40 going down a road and thats a casual pace for me.

[bulletstuffer]

Gorgeous pictures    I love the mountains and the west.  Could a person drive a 4 wheel drive suburban on this trip you took the jeep?
 
Thanks,
 
Bulletstuffer

[markc]

Bulletstuffer, the answer is yes, however!   What I observed watching others drive the trails I was driving was that even Toyota 4Runners needed to back up and pull forward on a number of the switchbacks that the Jeep would routinely make in a single pass.  The tight turning radius on the Jeep is a major plus on trails like these.  I had to back up on pne switch back. The issue here is that when you have to back up on such narrow and steep trails you increase the risk of going off the trail and tumbling to the bottom.
 
There was an older gent with a lifted Suburban running an outfitting service. He was up on top of one fairly easy to reach pass dropping off back packers.  There was another guy in a Chev Avalanch. The wider vehicles have problems on some narrow shelf roads, but as long as you have 4WD and  Low Range, decent tires, you can do all but the "difficult" rated trails.  I've seen people driving vehicles up there that they should never have left the trail head with.  Somehow they usually make it.
 
Saw one guy in a VW SUV. Not sure the VW model, but it was obvious that this german engineered SUV crossover vehicle really wasn't intended to travel serious roads like this, especially when he nailed the undercarriage a number of times on the rocks.  What damage he did to his expensive SUV I don't know.  You rarely see Subaru's, Honda's or expensive SUV's on the moderate trails. Jeep wranglers rule, followed by other Jeep models, Toyota mid size trucks and 4 Runners, then a few full sized trucks tossed in.   
 
Ground clearance and a low range are mandatory if youn want to hit any of the passes, Cinamon, Engineer, Stoney, or others. 

[bulletstuffer]

Thanks Mark    This gives me a really good perspective on the type of trail it is.  Some of those switchbacks are tiiiiight    Thanks again for the pics.
 
Bulletstuffer

[markc]

 
This picture from last years trip shows how narrow some roads can be. This one has a little room to spare. Seems like I can't get anyone to get out and snap a photo on the really narrow shelfs, or on this years crossings of Pole Creek that nearly took the license plate off the front bumper.