# Schofield Pass, Devil's Punchbowl?



## Gary E (Oct 27, 2003)

Every paddler in the USA has ran the falls...They are better with more water as the first one hurts with a low water descent..
Gary


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## alacy1 (May 17, 2005)

pretty sure its still all snowed in.


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## WAV1 (Sep 20, 2004)

That snow has been out of the falls for 2 months. the drops are much better with some water in them.


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## Izza (Jul 20, 2005)

Drive up the Marble side! The four-wheeling to get up there is half the fun of the punchbowls!


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## twitch (Oct 16, 2003)

*PB*

Poted a pic of the area immediately upstream of the punchbowls. Downstream looks the same. Big slide year on Crystal Peak. Late July 05'.


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## medman (Mar 10, 2004)

I thought the punchbowl was closed from the Marble side to vehicles. Was up there in late June and was told that it had been closed b/c too many dumbasses kept driving off the road???


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## redbeard (Nov 6, 2003)

izzat the same punchbowls as on the pic of the day??

what the hell happened in there!!?


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## Izza (Jul 20, 2005)

You can't drive all the way because of the massive avalanche you saw in the picture. I drove up with my lady in mid/late July just to check it out and you had to stop about a half mile from the falls and walk over snow mixed with avy debris although I bet alot more of that snow has melted by now. As far as dumbasses driving off of the road there is a sign warning only experienced four wheel drivers should proceed - but there are plenty of places to turn around.


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

schofield pass (the road the punchbowls are on) is an extreme 4 wheel drive adventure. the crux move on the road is on the road directly above the punchbowls, where the road narrows to 7-8ft across and goes over a slanted rock that wants to roll you off the cliff. below the punchbowls, before Crystal City, there was an accident in 1970 that claimed 12 lives, and in 1998ish there was another accident in almost the same spot that killed like 6 people. I saw the wreckage from the second one, and there wasnt much left. Use caution if youre driving in that area.

as far as creeking goes, the punchbowls both go, as do some of the creek above that. has anyone been on the river from the punchbowls to crystal city? id imagine it to be fairly consistent steeeeep creekin but most of that distance trees block views of the river, so its hard to see from the road. anyone been down in there to scout? a longer south fork of the crystal would be an awesome compliment to the already steep creek runs in that area (NF Crystal, Crystal Gorge, Yule)


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## andy (Oct 13, 2003)

How is the road to Crystal City and the mill?

I will be up that way over Memorial Day weekend and am thinking about heading up there.

I will have an OK 4WD vehicle (not taking the Jeep) and will have my wife and 18 month old daughter.

Easy dirt road type or rock crawling slow going?


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

well...

i wouldnt recommend anything else than a jeep past crystal city...maybe a willys. the road from marble to crystal city isnt too bad but the road from crystal city to schofield park is extremely narrow, loose, and rugged. it gets really steep right out of marble, evens out a little bit by lizard lake, then gets rough until crystal city. just go slow and youll be alright. the other problem is you might not get access at memorial day. even if it was an average snow year the snow stays late in the upper crystal valley, and it might not be until july before the road opens.


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## andy (Oct 13, 2003)

Thanks...

I meant Labor day, not memorial day...oops.

I just want to head up and see the mill.

I looked online and the road from Marble to crystal city seems OK for a stock vehicle. I don't plan on going past it. That would be a bad, bad, bad idea with the kid and all.


Thanks for the info.


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## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

it can be done in a stock vehicle, if its got high clearence and low gear....its nowhere near what the devils punchbowl road is like, but dont underestimate it. its still a rugged road. anywhere else and it would be very noteworthy, but because of where it is people often underestimate it. just use caution


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## bigboater (Dec 10, 2003)

The road to crystal is pretty chill. You shouldn't have a problem in a stock truck. It is rough and slow though. Plan on almost 45 min to an hour to get there from marble. I just put it in low and creep to minimize vehicle abuse (mostly loose rock crawling). Your biggest problem will be passing other vehicles due to heavy traffic. I would imagine that area would get packed with ATVs, motorcycles, jeeps and occasional hard core sedan drivers on Labor Day. Be prepared to pull over or back up every 5 min or so. Going to Led King basin would be a good alternative. The road is smoother and the views are better. You can check out the NF also. Maybe mountain bike down it. My opinion, crystal mill falls is kind of whatever. The road gets real rough at, and after, the NF section (between the NF run and town of Crystal). A stock truck can due the loop (I did it with a fully loaded Tundra extra cab), but it might get a little sketchy with the spud in the back and all. There are a couple of places that made me very uncomfortable. 

Enjoy, its one of the coolest places in CO.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

With boats getting shorter and shorter, what might be needed is a kayak carrier on a dirt bike. :wink:


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