Three Days in Colorado's Loneliest Mountain Town
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- Опубліковано 30 січ 2024
- Nestled in the heart of the San Juan mountains of Colorado, Ophir is a tiny little town that is almost completely isolated. Without four-wheel drive, you might not be able to get here at all. It takes a certain type of hearty mountain folk to live in this remote, barely populated old mining town. After having driven over the infamous Ophir Pass, a rugged Jeep road, several years ago, I haven't been able to shake my curiosity of what this little town is like in the winter. So I went to go find out.
That was pretty cool! No pun intended. You should do a summer version of this adventure. It's a really great hike back into where you were show shoeing in Ophir. Thanks for sharing! 😄
Really enjoying the diversity on the channel once you went solo! Keep it up Eric!
Tip regarding your stovetop oven: You burned them slightly on the bottom because the bottom gets really hot. For baking bread and such, they sell a seperate little circular rack that lifts bread of the bottom. That way the bottom won't get scorched. The oven is called Omnia, so you can find accessories for it under that name. I sell these at my part-time job at an outdoor store and know them quite well. Haven't used it myself, but a colleague uses it loads and loves it!
Well thank you! I'm having fun creating all sorts of videos. I did have something beneath the main Omnia compartment to give it some space. I think I mostly burned them because I was reading and not paying attention. But I'll look for those accessories as I'm interested in stove top baking.
Enjoyed this one 😊 I appreciate you showing the ‘less than perfect’ side to a trip that you went out to film in a particular way and didn’t quite work out, so thank you for sharing. Glad you had a way to contact Kristy too.
The van build is amazing. So cozy. I am the poster child for setting my phone down or having it fall out of a pocket on trail . Arrrrrgh. I definitely know that sinking sick feeling and I'm sorry. Be safe and thanks for keeping it real and adventurous!
It's a crappy feeling. And thanks! We love our van.
Really loving your content since the change. Love Colorado and am envious of your van setup. Lastly... all of us who get outdoors know sometimes things just go all sideways; thanks for keeping it real.
I’ve watched you for many years and enjoy your work so much. You are not only inspiring, you are seriously the most genuine content producer I’ve watched even though you hike with that Dan Becker dude 😊
Pretty awesome Eric. You are living the life!
Thank you! Life is good.
Glad to see I'm not the only one with holes in my AGC alpaca hoodie.
haha, I wear mine all the time. My big mistake was going canyoneering with it and totally shredded the sleeves.
Thanks for being so transparent about your mishaps. It makes us feel a bit better knowing that it can happen to even the experts and serves as a reminder for us to remain alert. God bless!
Thank you! haha yep, even though I have lots of experience I still bungle stuff up!
Wow what a great adventure.
Just finished reading The Wager- great book. We have one of those ovens for the truck camper but havnt used it yet. Now Im inspired!
I took a couple people doubled up on snowmobiles to do some back country snowboarding. One of the girls was videoing everything and hitting the slope when she could. Then... the famos "wheres my phone?" She spent 3 hours looking for it. We were about to go when we took the snowmobile up the hill one more time and ended up churning it up! True needle in a haystack
Might want to think about getting some snow chains. They ad a lot of peace of mind on roads like that. Recently got stuck for half a day on a snowy logging road until i got rescued before i learned my lesson.
Thanks Eric. Your unscripted reality is completely relatable. A bad day in the mountains almost always beats a good day in the office.
Glad to hear it! I was pretty frustrated, but yeah, still a great time out there!
Pro Tip: Once I was on an outdoor trip with my youngest son, and he asked for my car key to get something out of the car. He then managed to drop the keys in a field. The field has low, sparse vegetation so we thought the key would be easy to find...but it wasn't. I finally had to call a tow truck to try to get back in my truck or have it towed back to civilization, but while talking to the tow truck driver on the phone, I had a revelation and asked him if he happened to have access to a metal detector. It was a good thing I did, because apparently 4Runners are nearly impossible to break into and after nearly an hour of unlocking the doors using a shim...and then the alarm going off and relocking it, he finally gave up. But during that hour of using the metal detector, on the last pass before I gave up, we found the key. That metal detector saved both an expensive tow and needing my wife to drive 4 hours to meet us with the spare key.
Moral of the story (other than always having a spare key with you 🤪), is to pick up a cheap metal detector to keep in your vehicle on your adventures. You can usually find one at Costco or a sporting goods store for approximately $100, but it would have allowed you to retrace your steps and find your phone even buried in the snow.
Also, no one should rely on only electronics for navigation (be it a phone, garmin, etc.)...ALWAYS have a paper map backup. And while an avalanche beacon is obviously an important tool for winter camping/hiking/skiing in the mountains, as you mentioned, it's not that useful on a solo trek. Some sort of emergency beacon, either Garmin or a dedicated emergency locator beacon (like an ARC ResQlink) is also a must!
I had the same problem at Ice lake in colorado. I was just thinking of making a new trail fails episode on that experience. Lost my phone in the woods 1000 feet below. Backtracked and miraculously found it. Would have been a terrible as I have a Canadian sim card in the phone which I couldn't be able to get a new one for in America.
Sending cheers because you are awesome. There are hot springs not too far from you. And, hope you will visit Flagstaff in Boulder or the sand dunes - it is beautiful. If you will head south to New Mexico, it is an awesome trip too.
I love Ophir. Ive visited there many times riding the mountain passes.
Fun trip.
I have been paranoid about losing vital gear on trail, such as phone or car keys.
I put a Tile tracker on my keyring. Bonus: The Tile can find the phone as well.
Apple watch and iPhone can find each other, too. Bonus: The watch complains when you leave the phone behind.
Have fun
Great channel with lots of awesome info.
Your replacement well not the best yet.
Well thank you! And these transitions take time.
Bacon makes everything better! 😋
I know exactly how it feels to lose your phone in the snow! 😂 I lost mine out winter camping a couple of years ago, couldn't find it! Came home, bought another one, and 2 days later got a message that someone had found my phone, so they mailed it to me. Now I have a spare 😉
Ophir looks like a nice location for an unexpected horror movie 😉 beautiful, but something is hiding...duh duh duuuuh 😮 😂
As he turns off the 2-lane highway toward the little town of Ophir...."a snowstorm is starting to come down, I really don't know if this is a good idea or not." It's a case of that inner voice warning you, versus the sense of adventure that you crave. Go forward with caution. Nice job.
Did anyone else fall in love with Ophir and go running to Zillow or just me? 😂
haha, not a lot of homes to choose from though!
Love that green puffy 😂
Beautiful videography as usual. That waterfall running through the snow was very pretty but you didn’t make it to “the waterfall” did you? Loved the solitude.
haha yeah that giant green puffy is my favorite! So warm! And no I didn't make it, I realized I lost my phone and thus began four hours of scouring the trail with no luck.
I am so not judging, but I noticed you have a hole in your mustard, yellow hoodie that you were wearing. Honestly, some of my favorite things are my most mended in patched. I think it’s your alpaca hoodie. Anyways, I have a creative project for Kristi while she’s laid up. Visible creative mending, or creative darning, is a cool way to create art instead of just a patch.
Sorry to hear about your phone. Thankfully though all isn't lost...the hardware is pretty transparent and your data should be safely backed up (hopefully). Sucks about the hit to the wallet though. Thanks for the video and looking forward to future ones!
That is frustrating, glad you got through it. One thought I had is you could have downloaded a route via Google Maps on your laptop when you were connected to wifi, just in case. Not sure if you needed a route but that is a backup plan if it ever happens again.
Bummer. Looks like a good time to plan a return trip w Kristi in the summer!
haha yes! We'll go find my phone and get redemption!
Hi Eric! Nice video! What was that sign that had the little light thing on it that beeped when you went past?
It's to test your Avalanche beacon. As Eric pointed out, pretty much pointless if you're on your own, but hey. I suppose if you're caught in an avalanche another explorer carrying a beacon *might* happen to see it and be able to search for you.
Tile has a “ find my phone” setting. You put the tile on your keys and hit it twice to beep your phone if you can’t find it.
gaaahhh!!! The phone!! Sorry about that. Great video in every way. Colorado Girl
it was a bummer, mostly because I ended up spending 4 hours searching for my phone when I could've been hiking and exploring Ophir.
Surely you heard a local doctor was just killed in Ophir snowboarding alone. I’m surprised by your lack of satellite communicator, especially when going out alone. And why don’t you have a heater in that van?
Hey Eric. What camera do you use for photography on trail? Cheers and happy trails.
Good to see that I'm not the only one who has some oh-ohs while camping. We all must have a little MacGyver in us to make us look more competent than we really are. Turns “gee, that was stupid into wow, gee, that was clever”
I always take my Inreach (or similar device) with me for situations like this. Haven't had to use it yet but….
I enjoy your new channel, thanks for keeping us entertained. Congratulations on your marriage.
I made a reflectex insert for my hiking backpack bladder, keeps water cold while hiking and keeps it from freezing when its cold out.
Funny seeing the building with "Founded 1881" when I'm from a town that was founded around 850 AD but then again I'm from Denmark and seeing as America really wasn't visited by anybody but vikings before 1492 I get it. It still is strange to think about how young the US is.
Anyway, here's to all you yanks 🍺
I don't know if I could drive those mountain roads in a van, especially with only two wheel drive.
Beautiful video as always tho
It's definitely a little nerve-wracking. But the van handled it like a champ. Thank you!
Saw the book you're reading. I finished it recently, and thought it was stellar. You like it?
I loved it. Really interesting book. I love a good survival tale!
Have you considered the Garmin 66i?
If you were to buy 75 dollars worth of Reflectix insulation (same cost as the Hyperlight Bottle cozy), you could make, I don’t know, 5000 bottle cozies.
👍🍺 New Brunswick Canada 🇨🇦
“If you’re feelin’ lost… make some bacon!” - Eric’s new T-shirt design
❤ from 🇮🇪
I thought I lost a wallet on a trail once. Back tracked 5 times and finally gave up. When I got home I found it on the back of the toilet. So I recommend you check there!
Maybe you could add a metal detector to the van. Next time you might be able to find your phone that way.
I thought there was a strong chance it was just in my van somewhere. But alas. She gone. I like the metal detector idea! That would've been the ticket!
I don't know if you have a Garmin watch or not, but if you do you could've retraced your steps and used the Find Your Phone feature which if your phone was nearby it would've connected and beeped for you.
I don't have a smartwatch. That would've been very handy!
How well would that refletix work for improving cold weather performance of a sleeping pad? It weighs almost nothing
I think it would add about 1 R and I definitely think it would be worth purchasing some for various camping uses. It's incredibly light and takes up less space than a foam mat.
i noticed you were using what looks like the Motorola defy. If that's the case: I have been testing that thing out for about a month and have mixed feelings. What do you think of it?
Well, I have only just started using it and as I show in the video, I promptly lost my phone! So I had no real way to test it. So at this point, inconclusive. I definitely need more time.
@@eric_hanson yeah, sorry for the phone, it's a real bummer. If you want to stay positive, it's a way to beat the dust out of your map & compass abilities and to actually disconnect :D
This video made me want to take some vitamin D.
haha go outside!
It’s pronounced o- fur 😂 …that’s my old neighborhood ❤️🩹
Ophir like gopher? Haha woops! Well, I feel like Ofear makes it sound cooler.
fyi….it’s O-fir, not o-fear. I lived in Telluride for two years many years ago, so know how it’s pronounced. been there several times. Opir pass road is pretty rough, even in summer. a 2 wheel drive van not gonna make it
Get a set of chains if you do not already have them.
I have more aggressive tires plus maxx trax, but yeah chains for true snow driving would be a good idea!
No worries Dude. I lived without a cell phone for almost 40 years. You can survive.
I spent the last 10 days ish since I lost my phone without a replacement and it was honestly pretty refreshing!
From 1960 - 2000? 😁
Dude just died in an avalanche near Ophir last week.
You need a tile.
ha this is true!
I tether my phone to my belt buckle.
I appreciate your videos, but 2wd to this spot and to be able to access other spots seems shortsighted and isn’t going to buy you any friends.
The phone ended up where it belongs... away. You got anxiety because you've become dependent on it.
So you hike without a phone?
@ This is going to blow your mind but; I don't even have, nor have I ever owned, nor will I ever own a smart phone.
@@Warrior_Resisting_Colonialism 🤯
Oh stop, you’d freak out if you lost your car keys
@@MacTh3Kn1fe Cute.
Careful or you might become an overlanding or Van Life channel with that van. Trail Recon used to do a lot of cooking with those Omnia Ovens.
Probably be better for views. Getting views on hiking videos is like pulling teeth.
@@IdRatherBeHiking I think they are both hard for getting views. Overlanding probably has more gear you can sell… but I’ve found that I don’t really like to make gear videos.