Engineer Pass claims two lives

[wrwtexan]

Met a new farm repair customer today (McGee) who just lost his son and daughter in law to Engineer Pass this June. I was working on his tractors while he was dealing with this tragedy. So chilling to think how many times I've made the pass. They were on their way up in bad weather with his parents right behind when they went over the edge, rolling 10 times down 400 yards. Coroner called it an unsurvivable accident even being belted in all the way to the bottom. To personally meet this man and talk to him about it brings a respect and fear for the trails that I didn't have before. No way I'd do another night ride... See the story the Lake City Silver World News for the story.

 

[Admin]

 

[PJon]

That’s a shame. I’ve heard of some horrible accidents on Black Bear but not on Engineer.

 

[Hondasxs]

This is sad to hear.
Those clifts are no joke and that trail must be respected through its entirety.

I found the story on FB but it doesn't give any details as to why they lost control. Doesn't say exactly if it was weather related, machine or operator falure. Only that there was bad weather either at the time or coming in during the rescue.
Story spoke like the driver was experienced at riding on a farm but that is in no comparison to a challenging trail.

Lake City Silver World Newspaper

A young Texas couple has died in Hinsdale County’s first OHV fatality. Pronounced dead at the scene as the result of blunt force trauma were Ladonia, Texas, residents Dalton and Alyssa McGee. The...

www.facebook.com

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[wrwtexan]

The father told me he had grown up from Suzuki 50's to SxS's and was a good driver but the father was far enough behind that he didn't see them go over or why. I'm sure the trail was slick and it sounds like it happened near the rock outcrop right near the top. Always gives me the heebee jeebies! They had waited down at Animas Forks for the sleet and rain to pass then decided to head back to Lake City anyway when it happened. I've seen the weather change fast up there. We're flat land so any experience he had was from destination riding like Arkansas or there.

 

[Vikes79]

I don’t understand….inclimate conditions + unfamiliarity with trail equals full stop for me….regardless of the wait.

Call me a wuss….I don’t care…but driving a unknown trail in crappy weather isn’t so smart or necessary.

Maybe I’m missing something but it looks like it was completely avoidable.

 

[trigger]

I don’t understand….inclimate conditions + unfamiliarity with trail equals full stop for me….regardless of the wait.

Call me a wuss….I don’t care…but driving a unknown trail in crappy weather isn’t so smart or necessary.

Maybe I’m missing something but it looks like it was completely avoidable.

Exactly what I thought. Unless there's a mechanical failure it comes down to operator error, which means possibly not attempting it at all. Still very sad for everyone involved.

 

[wrwtexan]

We have Corgis that ride with us and occasionally one will hit the gas pedal. Wonder if one of the dogs might have caused it?

 

[CID]

I don’t understand….inclimate conditions + unfamiliarity with trail equals full stop for me….regardless of the wait.

Call me a wuss….I don’t care…but driving a unknown trail in crappy weather isn’t so smart or necessary.

Maybe I’m missing something but it looks like it was completely avoidable.

Monday morning quarterbacking on my part and trying to figure this out to prevent myself from making a similar mistake (like everyone else). Using 20/20 hindsight, almost all accidents are avoidable.

Having just ridden that last fall - it's a high use jeep road, not particularly narrow and a destination loop for anyone with a 4 wheel drive vehicle which 'should' make it an easy trip for a buggy. If they were camped in Lake City, that was one of two logical routes back from Animas Forks. If they were riding clockwise, I would want to finish the loop too.

I've been caught out in 'bad weather' on numerous occasions, I put on my raincoat and continue on my way, especially if I'm trying to get back to camp. I'm not staying at Animas Forks (11,200 foot elevation) overnight, it's a ghost town, no services or rooms.

I just posted a couple of photos in Shots From the Trail where I got pulled off the road in an instant, clear blue sky, full daylight. Doo Doo happens.

 

[Vikes79]

Monday morning quarterbacking on my part and trying to figure this out to prevent myself from making a similar mistake (like everyone else). Using 20/20 hindsight, almost all accidents are avoidable.

Having just ridden that last fall - it's a high use jeep road, not particularly narrow and a destination loop for anyone with a 4 wheel drive vehicle which 'should' make it an easy trip for a buggy. If they were camped in Lake City, that was one of two logical routes back from Animas Forks. If they were riding clockwise, I would want to finish the loop too.

I've been caught out in 'bad weather' on numerous occasions, I put on my raincoat and continue on my way, especially if I'm trying to get back to camp. I'm not staying at Animas Forks (11,200 foot elevation) overnight, it's a ghost town, no services or rooms.

I just posted a couple of photos in Shots From the Trail where I got pulled of the road in an instant, clear blue sky, full daylight. Doo Doo happens.

I don’t know the area for sure.

the report said rain turning to snow / sleet and something about the conditions were such that a rescue helicopter couldn’t fly or something.

In the ranges I’ve rode in the trails become extremely greasy in simple rain let alone sleet or snow. Going up ain’t so bad…..it’s the greasy uncontrollable rocket sled ride on the way down that is driving my comments.

I doubt we will ever know what really happened.

 

[CID]

I don’t know the area for sure.

the report said rain turning to snow / sleet and something about the conditions were such that a rescue helicopter couldn’t fly or something.

In the ranges I’ve rode in the trails become extremely greasy in simple rain let alone sleet or snow. Going up ain’t so bad…..it’s the greasy uncontrollable rocket sled ride on the way down that is driving my comments.

I doubt we will ever know what really happened.

Historically, they've had ground covering snow on nearly every day of the year at those altitudes so that's entirely possible.

 

[Hondasxs]

Let's not place blame on the driver and just call it a tragic accident.
It's terrible enough to hear this happen.

 

[Vikes79]

Let's not place blame on the driver and just call it a tragic accident.
It's terrible enough to hear this happen.

I’m not blaming the driver per say, just the question of why are they out on a unfamiliar trail in poor conditions. It’s unclear if they had guide help or not…

If the driver made an error…we will never know…but to ignore the possibility doesn’t help others to maybe learn from this tragedy.

How many of us have been on a trip to an area and only have one day left to drive a trail and are really pushing hard to cover ground? Can you honestly say you’d turn around in poor weather if you didn’t know the trail…I know I’d have a hard time doing it, even though I have said it’s a no go for me earlier.

Maybe that’s the lesson to consider?

 

[Hondasxs]

I’m not blaming the driver per say, just the question of why are they out on a unfamiliar trail in poor conditions. It’s unclear if they had guide help or not…

If the driver made an error…we will never know…but to ignore the possibility doesn’t help others to maybe learn from this tragedy.

How many of us have been on a trip to an area and only have one day left to drive a trail and are really pushing hard to cover ground? Can you honestly say you’d turn around in poor weather if you didn’t know the trail…I know I’d have a hard time doing it, even though I have said it’s a no go for me earlier.

Maybe that’s the lesson to consider?

We stayed in lake city about this time of the year.
Had weather rolled in while at Animas Forks.
I would have voted to continue.

In regards to it being an unfamiliar trail.
I bet that is the case for 90% of the people who travel it on the weekends and holidays.
That was my first trip. Its a wonderful trail experience. Cant wait to go back.

 

[CID]

I'd call it a well-traveled Jeep road, suitable for a widened Rubicon, more than a trail. CP showed me a trail and I could barely squeeze my 70" Talon through many places. But it was heavily forested, nowhere to go off an edge, unlike much of the Alpine Loop. If there was enough snow to cover the road, the grades would have been nearly impassable. Or any precipitation if the temps dropped enough to freeze, not unusual at those 12,000' + elevations.