I am ok with out and backs. I figured I could do Jarosa Mesa to La Garita to Miners Creek into Creed and was just wondering if I could use McKenzie to make a loop and take me back towards LC. Does not sound like thats the case and I don't even know if its possible to cover that much ground in one day.

 

It appears that you are correct about McKenzie, but I wont tell if you don't.
I would think you would be able to make it from Lake City to Creede by lunch if you got up early. I know the roads up on Bristol Head are easy and you only have to what out for pot holes. I haven't been on the other roads, but I haven't heard any horror stories either.

Along highway 149 it is approximately 50 miles and typically takes 1 hour between Lake City and Creede.

I don't know if you found this web page with all of your searching but you can download some US Forrest Service Roads and Trails in Google Earth format.
US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region - GIS Library


This is the information I got from Jarosa Mesa track.
It is funny that it says it is open for a Bus but it is not maintained for a passenger car.

NAME: Jarosa Mesa
OPER_MAINT: 2 - HIGH CLEARANCE VEHICLES
SURFACE_TY: NAT - NATIVE MATERIAL
SYSTEM: NFSR - NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM ROAD
SEASONAL: seasonal
PASSENGER_: open
HIGH_CLEAR: open
TRUCK: open
BUS: open
MOTOR_HOME: open
WHEELED_OH: open
TRACKED_OH: open
OTHER_OHV_: open
ATV: open
MOTORCYCLE: open
OTHER_WHEE: open
TRACKED__1: open
OTHER_OHV1: open
TIKMARK:
ADMIN_ORG: 020904
SECURITY_I: 0209
M1:
M1_1:
CREATED_BY: FSDBA
CREATED_IN: 0
MODIFIED_B:
ERROR_FLAG: 0
FIELD_ID:
SBS_SYMBOL: Road, Not Maintained for Passenger Car

 

Wow, what a wealth of info, right where I am headed August 1. There is a DS ride that weekend & I should be getting the gpx tracks for that.

Landon, did you put together a excel file & have any gpx tracks? It would be great to share, I'll pm my email.

I plan on being in this area till about Aug 14th, sounds like you may be gone by then. I would love to get your input on the trails. I'll be riding mostly alone, so a heads up on death trails would be good too.

 

Ok. After much advise that I probably don't need to rejet, I still think I am going to. Lake City is at 8,500' and I live at about 700'. My bike is still a 250 and I run the pilot stock at 35. My main is a 125 (keihen) and I think I am a bit rich here at home.

So. I think I am taking the main down to 110 (about 10%).

Should I leave the KDX snorkle in or go back to stock? I can always take the KDX snorkel and switch it if needed. I also plan to take jets incase I need them.

 

my 02, if your using the 300 needle drop it all the way down to #1 clip position. been there done that had to tear into the carb on the trail.

 

I use the stock needle.

 

Do whatever Rimbender suggests...he's much more familiar with jetting than I am.

I will say I took my rich-running (at 2500 ft) 331cc, no snorkle, with a DJ 132 main and 40 pilot down to a DJ 128 with a 35 Pilot, since I'm now at 5000 ft, and it's MUCH better. I can probably go leaner. Since it appears my Pilot got a speck of something in it, I have to go back in (waiting on a bowl gasket, as my old one has a bad spot in it), and I just might drop down to the DJ 124.

Putting the snorkle in will make it run richer, so, if I were advising you, I'd jet it as lean as I dare for the altitude WITHOUT the snorkle. If it turns out I got it too lean, all I'd have to do is pop the snorkle in. It's a lot quicker than re-jetting. In fact, that makes sense for me to go ahead and try the 124 main...if it's too lean, I'll put a KDX200 snorkle on top of the box...that will quieten it down a bit, too.

Again, do what Rimbender suggests. I'm just shooting in the dark with the little bit of experience I have...no specific scientific measurements to back it up.

 

Landon, I don't know if you are still planning on going to Lake City to Creede using single-track as discussed in this thread. A similar discussion on Advrider Rockies Region determined and I quote: "I wouldn't recommend that ride by yourself. The east end of Snow Mesa and the top of Miner's Creek is difficult and remote."

Below is a link to the thread if you are interested.
Lake City-Creede

 

Grub has a link somewhere on ADV to a ride report of that trail. It's very detailed with lots of pics and info. It looks doable but probably not solo. I wish I had that link. I'm going to check it out on my trip out there in August. I may join Grub if he's available, but I will still probably poke around on it even if alone. A lot of the scenery on that ride was awesome.

 

Thanks for the link of Lake City to Creede. There are 6 of us going out, not all of them will want to do that route, but I bet at least 2 or 3 will so I won't be solo.

I asked Grub over on ADV for a link to the ride report.