Red Cone on Wednesday

[Starkman]

I have my Dad in from PA. and I am planning a run over Red Cone and through to Breckenridge. Anybody up for that?

[thesoundmaster]

I would love to do that, I get out of school at 11:15!!!!!

[Red]

i'm interested too

[mattadams]

Red COne is one of my favorite trails I've ever done. Have a blast!

[rwmorrisonjr]

Can't make it, gotta work.

[Starkman]

OK, so when can you guys meet at say, Park and Ride at Ward Rd and I-70. I don't want to run out of day light on the passes.

[thesoundmaster]

Rich, I'll be able to meet up there at 11:30-11:35, like I said, I get out of my last class at 11:15 and have the rest of the day free!

[Starkman]

Anybody else?

That sounds good, 11:30ish at I-70 and Ward at the Park and Ride. Bring warm clothes and a camera. Hopefully the Aspens are still gold.

My plan is to start at Red Cone and then down Radical Hill to Middle Fork Swan River to Tiger Rd. If time permits loop back to North Fork of Swan River to St Johns or Deer Creek to Montezuma then out.

Weather is the biggest factor, lets see, 10 days a rations.... :rolleyes:

[thesoundmaster]

The results are in, Red Cone is probably one of the coolest and freakiest trails I have run to date.

It was only Rich, his father Rick, and myself who went, had a blast. We started up Webster Pass, turned around and got to Red Cone... made a wrong turn. Once we got to the top, we were amazed. It was spectacular and you can see for miles. The descent down was a riot, had me shaking at the bottom though. I took the Bronco, and we all know how trustworthy it is (it really isn't.) I did take a small, cheesey video of the first descent and the final descent, I'll have that posted tomorrow evening.

From there we ran Radical Hill over to North Swan River. Both of those are spectacular runs as well. Radical Hill is a fun trip up, North Swan River down to I believe it was Service Road 6 is a real steep descent as well... but beautiful none the less.

We ended just south of Dillon Reservoir around 5:15ish, started the series at about 12:30ish.

[mattadams]

The decent is only part of the fun :). One time I went up there with some buds and I was just riding along, and the wind was so fierce at the top I was literally on all fours on the ground because if I wasnt it was blowing my backward. I am pretty sure at one point it picked me up off the ground. Never been in wind so strong. It's definately a kick though. The decent is the msot written about part of the trail but honestly, the whole trail is fun!

[thesoundmaster]

The decent is only part of the fun :). One time I went up there with some buds and I was just riding along, and the wind was so fierce at the top I was literally on all fours on the ground because if I wasnt it was blowing my backward. I am pretty sure at one point it picked me up off the ground. Never been in wind so strong. It's definately a kick though. The decent is the msot written about part of the trail but honestly, the whole trail is fun!

It was pretty windy at the top as well, enough that Rich and I were bracing ourselves against the trucks at times. The decent was fun, but the view was the selling point for me! Not to mention it's amazing driving the ridge of a 12,881 foot mountain!!!

[mattadams]

Yeah I remember once I got in the vehicle (an explorer, fyi) we had all the doors shut,w indows shut, etc. and there was still a strong breeze moving through the vehicle. Strongest wind I've ever seen, pretty wild. A good buddy of mine used to be int he jeep club that adopted red cone so we'd go up there fairly regularly and "break the trail open" for the season and close it down for the winter.

[thesoundmaster]

One thing I'd recommend in that area other than Redcone has to be Radical Hill and the Swan River trails, I was mistaken we did middle fork, but they all look fun! Radical Hill may be hard for stocker's though, I did have the Bronco and dragged it up the trail so it's hard for me to make a true judgment. Clearence isn't a huge issue, I hit a couple of times, but it would've been nice to have my LS from the Ranger or a locker in some parts, especially towards the top where there's a sharp switchback with some big rocks sitting up top... not to mention it's a straight drop on both sides of the switchback. Other than that it's a great getaway!!!!

[Hypoid]

A couple people from the Cherokee forum are going Sunday. Any snow in the high country?

[Starkman]

Just got back in town. I agree with Chuck, that was the best trail I've done for scenery. The descent off Red Cone was no big deal (OTHER THAN STEEP!) It appears that the loose rock has been swept down the hill so it had good traction.

Radical Hill was a nice challenging run. I had to laugh at my Dad because he was out last year and we ran a few trails with the Ranger stock and now it makes most of the hard stuff easy. He would get a little nervous but the truck would go right up with little drama. It is impressive to see Chuck run that stuff with his Bronc. Sometimes I think I should have saved my money and bought a Bronc.

The wind was strong but not a trace of snow. It was a perfect day! thanks Chuck....

Oh BTW, I hope the Goats are OK after you did that switchback. ;)

[thesoundmaster]

Oh BTW, I hope the Goats are OK after you did that switchback. ;)

I just hope I didn't scare them too bad!!!

[thesoundmaster]

Pics are up, enjoy them!

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1137.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1116.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1117.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1118.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1119.jpg

[thesoundmaster]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1120.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1122.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1124.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1127.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1135.jpg

[thesoundmaster]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1138.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1139.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1141.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1143.jpg
Jeff, don't get too excited over this one
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1147.jpg

[thesoundmaster]

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1144.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1133.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1125.jpg
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1123.jpg

[Starkman]

Great pics!

This is my fav.
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g269/thesoundmaster/Redcone%20Pass-Radical%20Hill%209-26-07/IMG_1143.jpg

V My sig means something when it's with this pic V

[thesoundmaster]

^^^^^^ kind of looks like something that should be in a Ranger brochure or something...

That was one of those right place right time Kodak moments. Had it been 2 seconds later it wouldn't have been there.

[Walking Eagle]

Nice pictures. Looks like I have a new one for the background on my desktop.

[mattadams]

Love the one of the goats. Damn I miss that trail, it was always a blast.

[Walking Eagle]

Love the one of the goats. Damn I miss that trail, it was always a blast.
Oh hell no, you already have yourself a woman.

[corsa72]

Looks like an awsome trail. Wish I didn't have to work last wed.

[mattadams]

http://rmftc.com/trails/redcone2k/vegasontop.jpg
http://rmftc.com/trails/redcone2k/1stpart3.jpg
Proof that stock land rovers are capable vehicles, when I did the trail several years ago we followed a group of land-rover salesman taking stock land-rovers on red cone... that was fun. They had no problems either! :)

[Heath]

Looks like Matt is jumping brands... Lets just call him Chris... Next thing we know this board will fall into nothingness... We'll have to move over to www.rmlrc.com (http://www.rmlrc.com)

[mattadams]

No worries about that, I dont have the money for a land rover AND I test-drove one and its not big enough for me to sit in.

[Heath]

Not even the range rover?

[mattadams]

Haven't tried that one. I can't remember the exact models I test drove because I gave up on looking at them after I test drove them because I didn't fit in them and even for average height people they seemed cramped. I was looking at ones from 97-99 as I recall.

[Heath]

The Discovery is the one you see around mostly... The Range Rover is thier big boy though... I'd say its just slightly under the size of an Expy... The Discovery is more the size of the Explorer...

[mattadams]

Yeah the discovery is the ones I was looking at... that was when I bought my explorer because hte land rovers didn't fit me.

[Hokie]

Good LAWD... just looking at those pics gives me the chills. How late in the summer do you have to wait to run it? I figure its probably closed now.

[bugsbunny]

sweet pics looks like you had awsome weather like the pics of the goats.It look like you were not far away from the goats.

[thesoundmaster]

sweet pics looks like you had awsome weather like the pics of the goats.It look like you were not far away from the goats.

weather was amazing, about 45ish at the top and windy, but great the rest of the time.

Yeah the goats were about 15 feet from us!! It was pretty cool!

[Starkman]

Finally got the pics uploaded.

Chuck coming down the famous Red Cone.
http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/data/554/medium/RedCone9g.JPG (http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1004&size=big&cat=554)

This is the next hill we had to decend.
http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/data/554/medium/RedCone14g.JPG (http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1000&size=big&cat=554)

Looking back at the Cone.
http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/data/554/medium/RedCone16g.JPG (http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=999&size=big&cat=554)

Some other cool views.
http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/data/554/medium/RedCone5g.JPG (http://www.rmftc.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=1001&size=big&cat=554)

[Hypoid]

Somebody from the Cherokee forum went a few days later. Someone asked if there was snow up high. It was kinda funny because I linked them to this thread. Four days later they took some snow pics, now I'm linking you:

Made it to the top. There was snow up there. Websters Pass was the scary part with narrow switch backs.http://www.naxja.org/forum/images/smilies/skull1.gif My wife was freaking out. http://www.naxja.org/forum/images/smilies/cry.gif It would have been better without the snow. We skipped Radical it was covered in snow. One guy who came down Radical said he would never do it again. Said he kept hitting snow drifts on way down. I won't be going back until next Year. August maybe. http://www.naxja.org/forum/images/smilies/laugh.gif

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...RedCone060.jpg (http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c16/Stang5lgt/RedCone060.jpg)
Almost to the top
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...RedCone062.jpg (http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c16/Stang5lgt/RedCone062.jpg)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1...RedCone069.jpg (http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c16/Stang5lgt/RedCone069.jpg)

I still wish I could have made either trip.

[thesoundmaster]

Wow, I can't imagine coming down Redcone on snow. Dry it was a little hairy, snow would just freak me out!


Rich, liking the pics man!!!!

[Hypoid]

Me too, lovin all the pics!

[Starkman]

Somebody from the Cherokee forum went a few days later. Someone asked if there was snow up high. It was kinda funny because I linked them to this thread. Four days later they took some snow pics, now I'm linking you:

I still wish I could have made either trip.

I was posting to the same guy on Colo4x4. I told him the same thing. He posted some pics and it looked like to middle of winter.

PS, my Dad had a great time. All he could say at the top was "this is God's country". Everyone should do that run.

[Becker69]

Those pics are great guys!!! I wish I had more pics of when we did Webster and Red Cone in June... if I can compress the pics I'll show you the quad we had an encounter with (I drove my truck with a group of Rovers and Discos :D ... they were a helluva good group to go with - Sulihull Society is their group).


All I get are "exceeds forum quota by xx.x KB".... even after resizing and compressing the pics!! It won't let me load pics!! I've done this before what am I doing wrong?!

[thesoundmaster]

All I get are "exceeds forum quota by xx.x KB".... even after resizing and compressing the pics!! It won't let me load pics!! I've done this before what am I doing wrong?!

easiest way I've found is use photobucket. Plus, Matt's got it set so the forum lets you post 5 pics per thread

[Becker69]

Thanks.... those really are some awesome pics guys. I have a total of 2 pics on (coming down) Red Cone and really wish I had more.... it's truly an amazing trail. I don't know about those of you that did it for the first time, but I was happy I believed it was going to be a hugely terrifying experience....... it made it seem a lot less so, but still had big pucker factor :D ;) :glasses10:

On the backside of Red Cone (on the north side adjacent to Radical hill) -- where all the tight switchbacks are...We witnessed a (16 yr old) kid on a quad roll it 1/4 mile down a hill.... it was totalled!! We took a detour from doing Radical hill at that point and loaded the busted quad into my bed and I took him into Montezuma. He had an angel on his side... he ended up with just a bruised hip and some other minor scrapes.

Next time I'll have to go with you guys!

[thesoundmaster]

Yeah, last time I was up there running webster pass, I saw a Scout that lost everything electrical and made it down pretty dang quick. The poor guy driving couldn't drive it back into Montzuma he was so scared

[Becker69]

Crazy.

Was the bottom area in the trees all mogley and boggy? If so, I bet there was some fun action in that twisty section... tight for us long wheelbase guys, huh?!
The Rover guys said they had a new-ish chevy dually fall in with them at the bottom last year and against there heavy cautions to him... he followed them. He ended up losing one whole plastic (fiberglass?) side and broke most of the other side - of the dually bulge. Once he got committed to the trail, there was no going back! :popcorn: We waited with a guy at the top of Red Cone who had a nasty flat tire in a full size 05-ish Land Cruiser.... he didn't even have a lug wrench or bar to lower his spare! Along came an 'old man river' type cool old dude in a Toy p/u (ON BFG CRAWLERS) who was nice enough to get him set. Crazy the stuff you run into on the trail.

[thesoundmaster]

oh yeah. My thoughs are this... we know the dually has "4x4' on the bed, but do you really think it's gunna fit on the trail, let alone redcone?

[Becker69]

I know, he probably figured he has traction galore... not the damage I want to do to a $50K truck.

Sorry for the thread hijack;

I'll get off this thread and put together a 'feeler' for a late spring 08 run to do Ptarmigan, McCallister gulch, Mosquito Pass and ... like we did a few years back

[bronc_17113]

Nice pics.

[84broncoII]

I went up both those hills In My 84 bII and then I went down and then I took the redcone pass back at night to the campground and came back home down 285 I was all alone and had a great time night run WOO HOO!http://www.rmftc.com/forums/http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/22607/1397138333074327474S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/1397138333074327474xJkLlf)

[bronc_17113]

Where in PA is your dad from?

[Becker69]

Red Cone at night??!!! By yourself??!! :confused: And you went from the back through to the 285... so you did it backwards??!! YOU are nuts dude:eek: :eek:

From what I remember, red cone is one way the Peak heading North (away from the 285). Not that you had traffic to worry about, but I thought it was one-way due to the grade.

[bronc_17113]

only time i wheel at nite is when i have to track a deer

[Becker69]

I'm usually too busy setting up camp or inspecting for damage :D

[Starkman]

only time i wheel at nite is when i have to track a deer

You are from PA then! Remeber that when you see red eyes it's a Possum.

I grew up in Boyertown, near Reading. I remember you saying you are from there, where?

I visited here in 1988 and never went back! I like the sun! I like to visit PA but I like living here.

[84broncoII]

Red Cone at night??!!! By yourself??!! :confused: And you went from the back through to the 285... so you did it backwards??!! YOU are nuts dude:eek: :eek:

From what I remember, red cone is one way the Peak heading North (away from the 285). Not that you had traffic to worry about, but I thought it was one-way due to the grade.

Yea its those two big hills ,Especially the highest one the sign is at the top of red cone mountain .I was a novice wheeler then .
I had played at Red cone mountain when i was younger I owned Motorcycles for about 10 years and frequently visited Red cone pass .I got a warning from a forest ranger when i was about 15 for climbing up red cone with a Yamaha 100 endoro I tried it with a kawasaki 100 enduro and couldn't make it .so i went back to base camp and got My mothers bike .
The first time I'd seen the mountain I rembered it from long before and so I had to try it in the BroncoII it took Me three tries to make that hill and I had to back down alone two times alone very intimidating .going forward I almost made it the first two times so it was like backing down twice all the way .
The third try I got into third gear 4 low and had the engine up to about 4500 RMP kept the revs high and down shifted twice without missing a gear and barly made it to the top and over that is wheb I snapped the picture in My AVITAR and a few others when My heart was pounding in My chest .The wind was blowing hard like 40 MPH and i felt young again .

[Becker69]

Wow... that's cool man :thumbsup:

[bronc_17113]

yeah i lived in harrisburg i'll let you know next time I go I almost always bring back yuengling and middleswarth.

[mattadams]

OK, gotta step in and say something for sensibility. Red Cone is CLEARLY labeled as one-way only. This is not only for safety issues but trail issues. I've seen people try to go up and you know what happens? They risk their own life (seriously, life, because if they start to roll backwards they can easily die) but they are also spitting rocks out the whole way as they are spinning their tires to try to give them enough momentum to make it up. That makes the trail more hazardous as well well as more susceptible to erosion and other issues. If a trail is labeled one-way, honor it. If something says Do not Enter, honor it. If something says private property, or no trespassing, don't go in. It's just respect for the land, respect for peoples property, respect for the trails, and respect for those who works o hard building and maintaining trails.

[84broncoII]

I learned My lesson years ago,I just like telling that story .and Yes I did take My life in My own hands .and Yes it was wrong .and I didnt see the sign both times Maby they need a bigger sign? I know where the sign is at the bottom .
I saw the stickwith a sign on it ,Both times I never got close enuf to actually be able to read it .when i got to the top of Red Cone .I got out of the truck and walked around .I looked at the stick.and figured that is where and what the sign on the bottom said .I rembered getting bitched at YEARS earler by the RANGER ! and thought I came this far why not do the rest .The Ranger that actually posted the sign told Me then that the reason He posted it was there were a few really bad rollovers on the hills and it was very expensive as well as dangeroius to extract the vehicals and bodies from off of the mountain .
It seems that helicopters and the HIGH altitude -With the High unpredictable wind don't mix on that mountain even though it seems very flat and safe .A person might think a helicopter could be safe up there .Aparently it isn't .
They somehow learned this from experience I never found out the whole story .Maby one of the older members knows it ?

Urban Leagend ?? I seem to rember a story like a few trucks on that mountain that broke down and for years anything that broke down on that mountain got hauled off in pieces due to the location and asociated reports they literally cut the trucks up in pieces small enuff to be hauled down in the back of a pick-up .Or Jeep and picked soley for the reason of salvage alone .once they let the salvage companies know .It becomes a free for all .Cause the City doesn't want to pay to have the pieces removed .

[mattadams]

In regards to the urban legend, as I recall it was a Dodge 2500 and no helicopter, save certain military models, could hoist it off given the altitude. So the guy from avalanche engineering took on e of his trucks up there and winched it down the hill... burned up a winch or two as well as I recall.

[84broncoII]

When I heard the story it was 30 years or so ago so i doubt that anyone on the job today had anything to do with it Probably befor there time This would have been pre 1976-77? maby as late as 79Im trying to rember If My dad had His new 79 Chevy yet?? I dont think so I think he still had the 74 I still had the Kawasacki so it was 74-75 so it was 33 yrs ago God I hate admitting Im this old .

[mattadams]

there waw a story from just a few years ago where a guy followed hte wrong trail and ended up severely off-camber on the side of a mountain. That's the one I was referring to.