I became aware of another report of some others that drove in the way Ken and I did. Their report is less melodramatic than mine (see front page) and makes it more matter or fact. I would still caution you to first walk some of the shelf road that drops down to Piute Windmill and assess the driving conditions for yourself. I personally would not drive it again but that is just me. Ken Jones agrees with me but if you can make the drive, you can cut the elevation gain and distance up the mountain in half. Here's the other report:
"We drove up the Soldier Meadows Road to Soldier Meadows Ranch. From there we passed through 3 unlocked gates (after gaining permission from the ranch) and drove up Slumgullion Canyon to Paiute Windmill. Then we continued south and parked near Trough Spring. 1.69 airline miles to the summit with about 2100 feet of gain. The road up Slumgullion Canyon doesn't show on the topo, but I had spotted it on the satellite. The road from Solider Meadows Ranch onward is rough in spots but easily passable in 4 WD / High Clearance."
Ken was driving a 4 runner, I was driving a Tacoma pickup and the party mentioned above was driving a GMC Envoy.
After we came back from our hike of Big Mountain, a ranch hand we met at the Soldier Meadows ranch told us he turned around on an ATV before the drop down to Piute Windmill because it was scaring his dog."
Dean - May 3, 2015 7:42 am - Hasn't voted
Soldier Meadows accessI became aware of another report of some others that drove in the way Ken and I did. Their report is less melodramatic than mine (see front page) and makes it more matter or fact. I would still caution you to first walk some of the shelf road that drops down to Piute Windmill and assess the driving conditions for yourself. I personally would not drive it again but that is just me. Ken Jones agrees with me but if you can make the drive, you can cut the elevation gain and distance up the mountain in half. Here's the other report:
"We drove up the Soldier Meadows Road to Soldier Meadows Ranch. From there we passed through 3 unlocked gates (after gaining permission from the ranch) and drove up Slumgullion Canyon to Paiute Windmill. Then we continued south and parked near Trough Spring. 1.69 airline miles to the summit with about 2100 feet of gain. The road up Slumgullion Canyon doesn't show on the topo, but I had spotted it on the satellite. The road from Solider Meadows Ranch onward is rough in spots but easily passable in 4 WD / High Clearance."
Ken was driving a 4 runner, I was driving a Tacoma pickup and the party mentioned above was driving a GMC Envoy.
After we came back from our hike of Big Mountain, a ranch hand we met at the Soldier Meadows ranch told us he turned around on an ATV before the drop down to Piute Windmill because it was scaring his dog."