The Blanca Massif can be dangerous to hikers and motorized recreationists alike. All too frequently, the peaks, road, and trails have claimed the lives of the unfortunate and the unprepared. Do not take the mountain or its road lightly. Know what you are doing, have good equipment, understand how to use it, and watch the weather. Storms form quickly and violently on Blanca, and precipitation is a regular occurrence. And perhaps most important: Never go alone!
We began our five-vehicle ascent on a Saturday at 9 a.m. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains rise directly from the floor of the San Luis Valley, making the Blanca group an imposing sight from the trailhead. The route directly approaches the base of the mountain via a gentle incline and then begins its ascent in earnest via a series of long switchbacks. The road is initially really slow and rough but not particularly difficult.As one climbs higher, the incidence of exposed granite in the roadbed increases and the difficulty slowly rises accordingly. The route tops a ridge and then drops into the confines of Holbrook Canyon.
Take a deep breath because the four-wheeling fun and the source of all that angst among the mountain-climbing crowd is about to reveal itself. At the mining settlement site of Commodore, several cabins stand in various states of disrepair. Late 19th-century mining activity in the area gave rise to the cabins and to this remarkable road. You might not spend much time admiring the cabins if you are a driver, as Jaws 1 is staring you right in the face.
A word or two about the major obstacle names on the Lake Como Road. No one seems to know who coined them. Maybe no one wants to claim the dubious distinction of naming them. As accurate as the monikers are, they show a severe lack of diversity! They are called, in order of appearance, Jaws 1, Jaws 2, Jaws 3, and Jaws 4.
Jaws 1 sits right at Commodore and straddles your upward path. A long and increasingly tall diagonal spine of light-colored granite runs across the road. There seem to be tracks around the lower end, and it looks tempting. The off-camber nature of this "bypass" and its close proximity to the creek below doesn't make skirting the rock a very appealing alternative. There are two schools of thought on Jaws 1 depending on vehicle clearance and breakover angle. One can attack the spine directly and let gravity drag the skidplate over when the vehicle high-centers, or one can creep up the diagonal and drop one tire at a time over the crest. Either way, going up is much more fun than coming back down!
Once past Jaws 1, the route crosses Holbrook Creek and makes its way steeply up the mountain on an increasingly rocky path. Soon Jaws 2 looms ahead, smack in the middle of a narrow shelf road. This particular obstacle has been the site of most of the vehicle mishaps on Blanca Peak. Although not as formidable as it once was, it demands respect and care. Again, a large chunk of the mountain's mineral skeleton lies exposed on the trail. There is a large pile of loose rocks on the lower side of the ledge and a pesky point that loves to snag the undercarriage. To the left is the yawning space of high-mountain air and very little else. A lively throttle and a bouncing vehicle on this near edge has been the fatal recipe for more than one enthusiast. If you don't climb it cleanly on your first try, stop, carefully back off, and make another attempt.