Durango Fires

[jaherbst]

Well on our way back from the Three Wheel Rally in Deadwood we were planning a stay in Durango at the Alpen Rose RV park. (a wonderful place to RV BTW) Looks like fires are increasing around Durango and the Million Dollar Highway has been closed for at least a week. (HWY 550) Starting to plan and consider Plan B.

Plan B would be west to Cody WY, Yellowstone and 191 back to AZ.

Anyone living in Durango or the surrounding area? Maybe you could give us an update on fires and damage already done. I know the Train to Silverton has closed down also.

Jack

 

[crazycanuck]

Yeah its unfortunate as it is such a beautiful part of the country and I loved the BRP owners gathering in Durango.

I will be riding from Deadwood to Jackson, WY to see Grand Teton.

 

[Highwayman2013]

Well on our way back from the Three Wheel Rally in Deadwood we were planning a stay in Durango at the Alpen Rose RV park. (a wonderful place to RV BTW) Looks like fires are increasing around Durango and the Million Dollar Highway has been closed for at least a week. (HWY 550) Starting to plan and consider Plan B.

Plan B would be west to Cody WY, Yellowstone and 191 back to AZ.

Anyone living in Durango or the surrounding area? Maybe you could give us an update on fires and damage already done. I know the Train to Silverton has closed down also.

Jack

I’m heading up that way, I’ll give a report next week.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Go to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/. They update fire information daily. The one you're referring must be the 416 Fire.

It's currently more than 23,000 acres in size and only 15% contained. Estimated containment date is July 31! San Juan Forest is closed.

 

[Woodaddict]

i'll have to keep this thread and news from DOT updated. planning a trip to Colorado and riding to Durango and million dollar hwy on 6-27

thanks for the news, any news that its under control would be good news

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

i'll have to keep this thread and news from DOT updated. planning a trip to Colorado and riding to Durango and million dollar hwy on 6-27

thanks for the news, any news that its under control would be good news

Check the inciweb site every couple of days, and find a local Durango news web site. That'll give you the best info you can get.

A lot can change in the next few weeks. With a projected containment of 7/31 that tells you it's a bad fire, in size or terrain, or both. If it moves north be ready to scrap your plans.

You ever been near a wildfire, especially a big one? It ain't pretty, during or after.

 

[Woodaddict]

i'll be in Manituo Springs 6-24 for 3 nights, so i'll keep up with TV

 

[jcthorne]

Here is a link to the local paper in Durango. Most of the major news sites actually distribute from there.

https://durangoherald.com/

The fire is bad and US 550 between Durango (just north of Hermosa) to Silverton is indeed closed and not expected to open for public traffic for some time. To clarify a bit, the million dollar highway is still open, that is the section between Silverton and Ouray.

I will be in Durango the end of the month for a week at our cabin and can report on any specifics anyone needs. I also know a number of folks in the area if info is needed before that.

 

[jaherbst]

Thanks for all the replies. Let us keep one another informed for the next month as many are planning a visit then.

An alternative routing would be Delores to Telluride if going North and South. Not a bad route. Just not as scenic.

Jack

 

[AeroPilot]

Different kind of Scenic up through Unaweep Tabaguache to Grand Junction

Hwy 145 up through Rico towards Telluride is a different kind on scenic, and you can cut over at Placerville on Hwy 62 to get to Ridgway and on from there. Or if you prefer the desert canyon take Hwy 141 from Placerville up through Uravan to Whitewater and then Grand Junction to hit I-70. Just be sure to watch your gas gauge and there are only a couple of gas stops on that stretch. Very pretty though.

 

[LeftCoast]

My brother lives in Durango and sent this pic this morning. Normally the hills are crystal clear. He’s also cleaning ash off his car every morning.

 

[UtahPete]

Go to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/. They update fire information daily. The one you're referring must be the 416 Fire.

It's currently more than 23,000 acres in size and only 15% contained. Estimated containment date is July 31! San Juan Forest is closed.

That's a great resource. Thanks.

 

[ARtraveler]

Check the inciweb site every couple of days, and find a local Durango news web site. That'll give you the best info you can get.

A lot can change in the next few weeks. With a projected containment of 7/31 that tells you it's a bad fire, in size or terrain, or both. If it moves north be ready to scrap your plans.

You ever been near a wildfire, especially a big one? It ain't pretty, during or after.

Yup! Drove through the Yellowstone fire area many, many, years ago. Not pretty. The damage was huge. A year later, most of the area was green again. Now, you would not know it had burned at all. Nature has a way of healing itself...but the damage is always catastrophic. :thumbup:

 

[easysuper]

Well on our way back from the Three Wheel Rally in Deadwood we were planning a stay in Durango at the Alpen Rose RV park. (a wonderful place to RV BTW) Looks like fires are increasing around Durango and the Million Dollar Highway has been closed for at least a week. (HWY 550) Starting to plan and consider Plan B.

Plan B would be west to Cody WY, Yellowstone and 191 back to AZ.

Anyone living in Durango or the surrounding area? Maybe you could give us an update on fires and damage already done. I know the Train to Silverton has closed down also.

Jack

Jack we stayed at a place on the West end of Cody that had a great RV park, Log Cabins, and a great dinner house that put on a great show for the guest. If you go that route check it out. We will go thru Cody on our way to Deadwood and on the return trip because we love riding the Bear Tooth Pass.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

The damage was huge. A year later, most of the area was green again. Now, you would not know it had burned at all. Nature has a way of healing itself...but the damage is always catastrophic. :thumbup:

Not so with a fire many years ago in the Warren, ID area. The fire was so hot it split rocks and sterilized the soil. Weeds didn't even grow at first. But after about 5 to 10 years pine saplings started to show. Still not much grass in the worst hit parts. Nature does recover, but sometimes it's an awfully slow process.

 

[ARtraveler]

Not so with a fire many years ago in the Warren, ID area. The fire was so hot it split rocks and sterilized the soil. Weeds didn't even grow at first. But after about 5 to 10 years pine saplings started to show. Still not much grass in the worst hit parts. Nature does recover, but sometimes it's an awfully slow process.

YUP! Some of the mosses in the BWCA (Northern MN) take a couple hundred years to cover the rocks and boulders.

 

[canamjhb]

I have been reading about and trying to keep up on the Colorado fires. This is an area my wife and I loved to ride in. It just leaves a hollow pit in my stomach when I think of it on fire.....

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I have been reading about and trying to keep up on the Colorado fires. This is an area my wife and I loved to ride in. It just leaves a hollow pit in my stomach when I think of it on fire.....

No need to feel that way. Just look on it as Mother Nature once again proving that in the eternal struggle of man vs. nature, Mother will always win in the end!

 

[jaherbst]

Hwy 145 up through Rico towards Telluride is a different kind on scenic, and you can cut over at Placerville on Hwy 62 to get to Ridgway and on from there. Or if you prefer the desert canyon take Hwy 141 from Placerville up through Uravan to Whitewater and then Grand Junction to hit I-70. Just be sure to watch your gas gauge and there are only a couple of gas stops on that stretch. Very pretty though.

I have done this several times in the past for BMW rallies in Grand Junction. There is a great car museum about three quarters of the way

on this route. Sorry I forget the name and small town. You are right, don't pass the chance to gas when you get it. "It is a different kind of

pretty" but it will do and is a good alternate for those diverting around Durango to Ouray. Just heard fire is thirteen miles north of Durango

as of two hours ago. Let us all hope and pray it does not reach town.

Jack

 

[jaherbst]

Jack we stayed at a place on the West end of Cody that had a great RV park, Log Cabins, and a great dinner house that put on a great show for the guest. If you go that route check it out. We will go thru Cody on our way to Deadwood and on the return trip because we love riding the Bear Tooth Pass.

Make that a Me Too! I flew with a fellow for years who has three ranches just north of Cody in Red Lodge, Luther, and Fish Tail. Been over

Bear Tooth many times. It was closed a lot when we were there in early June due to heavy rain and rock slides. We were at an RV park just

south of Red Lodge. It was cold, raining and we did a lot of Rock dodging.

Will check your place out. Can you give me a name? We usually stay on the East side of Cody coming in from Sheraton and

Sturges/Deadwood.

Of course nothing in the world compares to the Cody Museum. Best historic Gun Museum and Wild Bill Cody Museum there is. Don't miss it.

Jack