[whitebark]

Colockum Pass is not the way to go to Wenatchee if you want to get there quickly. The road is one continuous rock field and it is hard to go more than 10 mph. The north side of the pass is especially bad. You really need a high clearance vehicle, or a beater car that you don't care much about. I did not do much hiking up there, just was looking for some fall color. The larches were turning golden near the 5300' pass, as well as a few small aspen groves. The cloudy and cold weather was not the best for larch photography, unfortunately. Still I enjoyed the long drive through the strange desert / alpine terrain around Colockum Pass. Ramshackle homesteads at the start and finish of the road also are interesting to look at. Like everywhere in the West, there is an amazing amount of building going on in seemingly remote locations. I always wonder what the inhabitants do for a living.

Larch

Colockum Road II

Colockum Road

Aspens

Aspen Grove and Larch

Aspen Leaves

Larches by the road

Colockum Plaque

These german shepherds think they own the road (and they do!)

Dogs on Road

With Social Security going bankrupt, I think that this is my future retirement home:

Dream Home

Dream Home 2

[Scrooge]

I remember this stretch of road, but it was sunny the day I was there.

I never risked Colockum in an ordinary passenger car, but the Forester had no trouble ....... although parts of it were definitely slow.

[Dogpatch]

Oh wow, that's some road all right. Whitebark, you shot the stretches where it's actually a road - got any of the (nonexistent) north side of the road? We took my 83 Nissan wagon over it a couple years back. What a ride! No signs to tell you that the road completely disappears. You just sort of lurch over the top and start downhill - and the road disappears! It was sort of exhilarating, in a twisted sort of way. In my car, it wasn't an option to turn around. So forward we went. I wouldn't do it again. (We've been back, though, to camp on top - just didn't make the full circuit.)

[Tim and Angel]

I sure liked reading your report and looking at the pictures. I took my Subaru Outback wagon through there a few months ago. I wanted to test it's durability and scope for new camping/hiking areas. I left Angel at home and just took a disposable camera (I have yet to develop). The north part of the road was so bad I was wondering If I was still on it. I think in some places it took me 30 minutes just to navigate 20 ft. There were lots of big and loose rocks, not to mention potholes galore. It is a wonderful scenic drive. I actually drove around some of the "off roads" still green dot, though. Got lost and had to figure it out. There were a few courteous "ATVers" up there. No German Shepherds but a cow or two just roaming around. There is something different about that place. It seemed like it was the freshest air I have inhaled in a long time and was so quiet. The smell of Ponderosa Pine was nice. I like the area where you can pull off the road and look down at the Columbia River. I was swatting at bees a lot, but it was worth the scenery there. I too was surprised by some of the "housing" at the beginning of the road. Thanks for posting.

[yew]