Como Lake road and other Blanca ???

The route is the Blanca and Little Bear traverse.

The vehicle is a geriatric old Toyota T100. I'd rather this road not become it's final resting place. 

I hear reports of 10000ft in a stock 4wd. That's not really informative. How far is that from the lake or the trailhead? 

Should I backpack up to the lake or higher on the first day and stash packs to go up the second? Or would it be better with no pack and just a CamelBak in a car to car effort from wherever we park.

Is there Friday afternoon parking along the rough road, or am I going to find myself 4 wheeling in reverse because there will be Dodge Durango's everywhere feasible to pull off?

Backpack in, camp near the lake, traverse the next day, walk out that same day. 

Sorry, I've never driven to the area myself, but this: 

https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=como0&type=14ers

Seems to describe you could get ~3.25 miles into the 7.5 mile road to the lake with the type of vehicle you have. I would expect crowds and 4WD traffic on the road on a Friday. It's not the funnest walk in (hot, dusty, exposed to sun)

Long Ranger wrote:

Backpack in, camp near the lake, traverse the next day, walk out that same day. 

Sorry, I've never driven to the area myself, but this: 

https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=como0&type=14ers

Seems to describe you could get ~3.25 miles into the 7.5 mile road to the lake with the type of vehicle you have. I would expect crowds and 4WD traffic on the road on a Friday. It's not the funnest walk in (hot, dusty, exposed to sun)

Car to car push is reasonable in one day, but you should bring plenty of water (the road really does suck... I've been on it several times and can attest).  Might want to also bring a filter to fill up while heading down. The traverse from lake como is not a super long ordeal, but will definitely use up some energy, so chill at the lake for a few, eat, drink, then walk out. Also start very early to try to be done on exposed ridges by midday. Lightning.

Friday afternoon will definitely be busy. Maybe plan to arrive Friday afternoon/evening and get as high as you can and just sleep in the truck. Get up sat morning early and see if you can go any further then park and hoof it.

Good luck!

Rope Byrne wrote:

Friday afternoon will definitely be busy. Maybe plan to arrive Friday afternoon/evening and get as high as you can and just sleep in the truck. Get up sat morning early and see if you can go any further then park and hoof it.

Good luck!

I've never been on this road.

Is it super narrow with limited/non existent pull offs like you'd find on the other side of the same range? My nightmare would be to drive until it gets way too rough and every spot I could possibly pull over is already taken. I would like to make the initial hike of 3.25 miles or whatever the first day, so a level camping spot for the truck isn't a big deal.

It is narrow, but very passable for quite a ways. Lots of pull off areas. Not a lot of folks go too high on the road.  With recent rain it may be pretty washed out.

If you feel like you can pass the obstacles at 8800' then you can definitely get your vehicle up to around 10,500.  As Byrne said, there are lots of places to pull over.

Does anyone have a mileage estimate from the lake? I understand that 11 round trip is potentially the road. Just curious what a lake to lake distance for the traverse may be 

I borrowed my wife's 2012 Outback, and while I am sure it could have made it much further, I didn't feel comfortable thrashing it on volleyball sized cobbles everywhere.  Not sure how far I drove, but round trip mileage for the easy walk-up Blanca was 19 miles.  Your mileage may vary, literally.  Most lifted trucks didn't go that much further.  I believe I saw one lifted Cherokee at the lake, ATV's, and a UTV.  

it's been a really long time since i have been up there, but i basically did what long ranger did.  i remember it being a really hot, dusty walk out.  i don't remember how far or the elevation, but there is/was a big rock step that obviously weeds out the sunday drivers.  the main risk for driving might be that the little parking spots on the side are taken before you get there.

Last time I was on Como (2018), they had done some road work and made it slightly gentler. My rule of thumb is: Reasonable 2wd park anywhere below 8600 ft within the baby head cobbles; light SUV or Subaru park around 8600 ft at the end of the babyheads; reasonable SUV go past the initial tough spot at 8800 ft and head up as many switchbacks as you feel comfortable making until the Jaws sections. Pull outs at the end of each switchback. I normally park around the 9200 ft switchback with a stock SUV. 

In all cases, I prefer a crisp morning with a light pack versus a hot and heavy afternoon haul up the road for marginal camp sleep. A daytrip for the entire basin is certainly reasonable at a consistent pace. 

If doing the traverse, consider starting via LB's NW Face. More direct, faster and safer on a weekend.

You can answer all of your mileage questions playing around on Caltopo or the 14ers.com/map.php  route planning tools

Head over to 14ers, much better place to seek answers than here for 14er question

yeah, jaws - i think that was it.   maybe a 3 foot ledge or something like that.  we had no idea people could drive over something like that until we watched a jeep club roll down it.