Unit 33 Road Conditions?

[YoungHuntr]

Hello all. Though I recently moved to Colorado for work, I'll be down for the annual family deer hunting trip for the November hunt in 33. Still trying for that first Coues buck. We put in for 33 for the first time after having a few difficult hunts in 32.. I have some general ideas of where I'd like to hunt, and will for sure get way off the road and glass a ton, trying to avoid the masses and road hunters. If you'd like to share any advice via PM I'll take whatever words of wisdom you have.

 

I know there are a million threads on unit 33, but I'm specifically wondering about accessibility. Normally I'd scout a new unit like crazy but I applied for this hunt not realizing I was going to move to Colorado, and work (RN at a hospital ICU) keeps me quite busy, so I likely will not be able to come down (12 hour drive) to scout before the hunt. We'll be heading up Thursday right before the hunt. My question is this, we'll have a Tahoe and will be pulling an old 4wd jeep. We don't mind camping lower down wherever we can get to and taking the jeep in early to access hunting areas. I am just wondering how far we might be able to comfortably get in on the gap road, and if there will be any decent camping spots left or if I should expect the place to be a zoo. We don't need much, just room for a couple vehicles, a tent, a few tables for cooking. I have a few backups in mind, but was just hoping for a general idea of how far we should be able to go and if camping will be available in this area.

 

If nothing else, just looking forward to seeing some beautiful country and having a nice vacation with family.

 

Thanks for any advice, and feel free to PM me.

[PRDATR]

If it's the road I'm thinking of you won't be able to get a trailer up it.

[5guyshunting]

If your talking about the Charouleau gap road out of Catalina a trailer is not going to far.

[Tropicalmulch]

The gap road got pretty hairy in a couple spots last yearand with all the rain this year I can't imagine it's any better. The jeep should make it in there but the Tahoe should stay in the parking lot. The gap will be a zoo as it is every year. I think you'd have better roads coming in through oracle or heading over to reddington. Of course if you're set on hunting the gap you can always camp in the parking lot

[bigbuckclub]

The gap is pretty hairy and you definitely won't be able to pull a trailer very far.

 

You could probably load up camp into your jeep and get back in there and camp in places as an alternative. Leave the Tahoe at the parking lot.

[azruger]

The gap is a zoo in november. I will never hunt there agsin in november. It was swamped with people. And the road is rough one!!!

[grey curse]

The gap is a zoo every season. Don't know if people like to test their 4x4 skills, or testing equipment out, or if it's the excitement of the race in with all the side-by-sides that light up the sky with led bars.

[Lucafu1]

I was scouting for sheep last year and set up camp real quick one night near the Galleros. I was amazed by all the lights traveling the road in 33. It looked like a highway.

[YoungHuntr]

Thanks for the info. Not super concerned about where we hunt, I know the unit has deer all over the place and we are definitely willing to put in the miles to get away from the roads. More concerned about finding a decent camping spot. Will there be areas to camp off the control road/offshoots of the road or is the north side of the Catalinas just gonna be a zoo with few options?