AWD Van Conquers Colorado's San Juan Mountains - Off-Roading Corkscrew, Hurricane, California Passes

PLEASE WATCH ON A BIG SCREEN!

We've long heard that vans can't do this route. But hey! It was rather easy, at least for us. BIG scenery, miles of fall colors, mines, and a snow scare late in the off-roading season. This was part of a 10 day overlanding trip in Utah and Colorado. Join us for a wonderful and exciting adventure!

The AWD Transit Overland channel follows Jim and Katya Preston as they explore the U.S. West and could reach into Mexico, Canada, and Alaska in the future. Jim is a native of the Santa Cruz Mountains in California and Katya was born on a train in Siberia, Russia. They have traveled extensively since meeting in 1994 in Anchorage, Alaska and started traveling and camping in Ford vans in 1996. Trips included hot springs in northern Mexico and along the Alaska Highway in Canada to driving deep into the Brooks Range in Alaska above the Arctic Circle, and decades of road trips and overlanding in the U.S. West.

With this channel they will show you their favorite overlanding trips along with exploring terrain that is new for them. This channel has three themes: Overland exploring quaint old gold and silver mining towns, remote backcountry exploring, and overland trips for hiking, exploring slot canyons, and remote gourmet cooking.

Keeping the vehicle weight down and the center of gravity low are critical for our off-roading adventures so we didn't build it out as a motor home.

Patreon:
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Gaia Maps link - Corkscrew to Animas River Route:
https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=13.8...

Sponsors:
None.

Equipment links - non affiliated:

Our interior build-out materials, including electrical, was about $7,000. Total build not including the $7,000, but including RV windows, vent, spare tire carrier, A/T tires, Van Compass hooks and rear shock lifts, off-roading wheels, awning, propane shower, GMRS radio was about $12,000 more. Van Compass lift for $3,000 . The new 2022 AWD van with options was $51,840 not including extended services and taxes.

Maxx Air fan: https://www.amazon.com/Maxx-Air-00007...

Motion Windows: https://www.motionwindows.com/ford-tr...

Method Racing wheels: https://www.methodracewheels.com/coll...

Aluminess rear spare tire rack: https://www.aluminess.com/products/dr...

Fiamma F45S awning: https://www.fiammausa.com/en/fiammast...

RoadPro 12v portable oven: https://www.amazon.com/RoadPro-RPLBST...

Van Compass front hooks kit, 2" lift, rear shocks lift kit: https://vancompass.com/collections/tr...

The build:

2022 Ford Transit 130" wheel base, medium roof, AWD, EcoBoost gas engine, 6,800 pounds with gear. BF Goodrich KO2 245/70/R16 tires. Method Racing 703 wheels. Van Compass 2" lift, front bumper hooks and rear shocks lift kit. Aluminess spare tire rack. Motion RV windows. Maxair vent with fan. Fiamma F45S awning.

Single and double burner Colman stoves.
BougeRV Rocky 55 fridge.
Victron house electrical system
GMRS Midland base and portable radios. Call Gray Whale.