Four wheeling up to the Crystal Mill near Marble will cost you a few bucks for gas, but getting back down could cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars in towing and/or recovery charges.
Author Roger A. Neal has summered in Crystal since the 1950s and wrote a 79-page book that includes the potential trials and tribulations of first negotiating Daniel’s Hill and then Forest Service roads 314 (to the Crystal Mill) or 315 (to Lead King Basin). The book’s title is “Stupid Stuff” and chapters include: “Rubicon Rolls into the Crystal River,” “Jeep Overturns” and “Jeep Drives on Top of Kawasaki ATV.”
This writer’s favorite chapter from “Stupid Stuff” is “Jeep Rental.” Mr. Neal writes that in 2009, a Minneapolis man named James flew to Denver to meet five friends, one of whom had a Jeep Rubicon. James rented a Jeep in Denver; the plan was to drive the 13-mile Lead King Loop.
None of the men were experienced four-wheel drivers. James followed the lead Jeep up Daniel’s Hill, then on Forest Service Road 315, then down the stretch of road that leads to Crystal. Long story short, James put his Jeep on its side (no injuries). The six men split the scene and headed back to Denver.
The next morning, James boarded his flight back to Minneapolis and called Dollar Car Rental to report their Jeep was near Crystal. A pair of Dollar Car Rental guys drove to Crystal, assessed the situation, then called a tow truck out of Denver. A Crystal resident asked about the towing fee. The car rental guys said they had no idea, but they did have Jim’s credit card number and driver’s license information. The chapter ends with, “The driver was also in trouble for not reporting an accident.”
Ok, that’s some scary stuff, but it can get even scarier beyond Crystal on Schofield Pass toward Crested Butte. “That [Schofield Pass] is a whole different level” of four-wheel drive road, Aspen-Sopris Ranger District Ranger Kevin Warner told the Sopris Sun.
A U.S. Forest Service document said Forest Service roads 314 and 315 are Level 2 Forest Service roads, which means passenger cars are “not considerations.” Warner said both roads are “very much” four-wheel-drive roads. Signs posted at Beaver Lake in Marble and on Daniel’s Hill warn that the road is for four-wheel-drive vehicles only, with high clearance. The Marble Chamber of Commerce website specifically says eight inches of clearance.
Crystal River Jeep Tours owner Sam Smith Wilkey, who has operated tours for decades, said she sees major mistakes by visitors on a regular basis. They include:
Thinking four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles are the same. “They are not,” she said.
Not knowing how to operate a four-wheel-drive vehicle, such as how to put the thing into four-wheel drive.
Starting trips late in the day.
Some sections of Forest Service Road 314 to Crystal are one lane, which means when uphill and downhill drivers meet each other, someone usually must back up. Warner noted the road can be a challenge for big four-wheel-drive trucks when they are forced to back up “a considerable distance” to let other vehicles get through. “There are many instances [like that],” he said. Another tip from Wilkey: Don’t park on wide areas of the road.
The Crystal Mill overlooks the Crystal River and sits a stone’s throw from Forest Service Road 314, about 100 yards below the semi-ghost town of Crystal.
There are other considerations four-wheelers should be aware of when driving the six miles from the bottom of Daniel’s Hill to the Crystal Mill. First, there is no cell service up that way, so planning for many scenarios is not a bad idea. (Note: There is wifi at The Hub and at the Inn at Raspberry Ridge in Marble). Warner said it’s advisable to bring food, water and extra clothing. He said it’s a good idea to bring a saw in case you encounter downed trees. It’s also good to bring tow straps, and a shovel for burying human waste. “There are no facilities in the area,” Warner said. It’s becoming more of a challenge for Forest Service workers to keep the area clean, so: “Pack out your trash.”
One more reminder from Wilkey: There are no gas stations in Marble or Redstone, so gas up before you go.
Roger A. Neal’s book “Stupid Stuff” is available at the Marble Hub and also at the Marble Museum. It’s published by Crystal Tale Books in Elkhart, Indiana (www.crystaltalebooks.com).