Meeting / trail Run????

Who would be up for an informal Saturday morning meeting/breakfast (mabee at McDonalds) and a trail run for this Saturday? I've been obsessing over running Red Cone for weeks. I got the word that it is all clear and even the downhill section is dry and because of the grading last year, not slippery.

I was going to run Red Cone Saturday but my daughter decided to make me a grandpa again. Damn I'm feeling old :doh:

I think we could get some pretty mild rigs through Red Cone. I'm willing to try out my new winch to help. While the trail is pretty easy, there is one place early on that could yield a scratched tail light last year if you didn't have lockers or a spotter. You might also drag in a spot or two. None of these obstacles are at all exposed, they are in the forest. If anybody else has any trail descriptions to help others make up their mind, please post them.

For those who don't know where Red Cone is, it is southwest from Denver on 285 to Grant. You then head almost due west up and over the divide. The views are some of the best in Colorado. We would come back down into Keystone and could either head home over Loveland Pass or through the tunnel. I guess you could even head south through Breckenridge and meet back up with 285 for the trip home.

I will see if I can post some pix from last year and link them. I would like to take a bit of time to take photos and poser shots on the trail as well. Might be nice to work on a club photo album to post.

I am out of town or I would love to join. One question: Is the steep down hill section as bad as the literature would make you think or is it just a matter of using 4 low and taking it easy?

It used to be real fun. It was a mogul field of loose skree (small rocks). Once you started down it was no stopping and somewhat like driving a boat. I loved it, but my wife of 29 years says I crazy anyway. Last year they bladed the loose rocks and made it no big deal. It was one way down only, but now it could be run up the hill with no big problem. The trail was no big deal before, just different enough to induce a high pucker factor. Now it is a lot easier and less fun.

Low range first gear and keep the speed down and you will have no problem. I was able to stop multiple times going down it last year. This trail is probably scary as hell for a flat lander, but really not that dangerous if you just take it nice and slow.

looks like i need to turn soem wrenches but ill try and make it out there its ben a wile.

I would be in for that run, and meeting

COXJ said:

looks like i need to turn soem wrenches but ill try and make it out there its ben a wile.

Click to expand...

What kind of wrenching ya got to do?

i just got my C-Rok frame brace kit to fix my frame and my new driver door wireing harness so i can roll down my windows. alredy welded up my cracked "frame" but im just lazy and never got around to puttin the C-Rok plate and inside frame plate in. the harness isnt in yet but will b by wed or thurs and btw CO sucks with no A/C or windows. just need to get off my butt and do it.

WIll

Just a couple of pictures of Red Cone to wet your appetites for the trip.
The zig zag road in the lower left hand corner is Webster Pass. Red Cone comes down to meet it at the top. On the range in the distance you can see glimpses of Radical Hill.

Where do we want to meet?

I might be up for a run up there...that'd be a fun trip... gotta clear it with the better half (I always get signed up for weekend activities without my knowlege). Congrats on being a grandpa again!

I've been getting a bit nervous about there being a lot of new snow on Red Cone for Saturday. But I went to the Eisenhower Tunnel webcab and took a look around. This seems to be a strictly upslope storm and they almost have blue skies up there. So it seems that if it quits raining, we might have a nice day on Saturday.

How about a show of hands on who is interested. Also since most of you know Denver better, is there a good location on the SW side of Denver for a breakfast/meeting?

i am still inturested even in the rain. and a good place to get together would be just east of 470 on 285 there is a IHOP at the north east corner of 285 and sharadon(sp) decent parking and MMMMMMMMM pankakes arty:

WIll

I'm in too...what time is good for everyone to meet in denver (I'm an hour north on denver so 8-ish is good for me....and IHOP will be good for a meeting place.

That sounds good to me too. Except for the waking up early part.... Oh well

See you all there!

It is starting to look like we might be trying to run the trail in the rain. Is everyone up to that? I still have to get under my rig sometime between now and tomorrow to do some work. Damn I hate the rain.

How about a show of hands of who is showing up, where you are coming from, etc. Once I find out who all is going, we can figure out a good place to meet.

I'm coming, I'm in fort Collins

ill b there 8ish i guess im commin from golden/arvada area so no sweat for me

WIll

Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I talked to Dave S. in Pine Junction. He says it has been raining for the last few days up there and there is a high probability that there will be snow on top. I checked the weather bureau and they said to expect up to 8" of snow and ice on top tomorrow morning. I guess I am going to bail on the run. The first mile or so is where the toughest obstacle and steep climb is and its a mixture of red clay and rocks. It will be slick as hell I guess I just don't like to spend more time washing off the mud than I do wheeling.

If you guys still want to go tomorrow, call Dave Strothman (sp?) or email him over on the ColoradoXJ list. He was either going to go with us or go run Chinaman's tomorrow. I have a drive shaft that is out of balance and going all the way to Chinamans doing 50mph means 4 hours or so each way for me.

with that much mud and snow up top thats gonna be mighty tough going for my rig, being unlocked and not real tall, maybe another weekend would work better. any thoughts? Other trails that wouldn't be so bad (hopefully not too far south)?

I would loved to make it, but I am putting on my rock rails tomorrow....and since theres snow/rain/mud at Red Cone; how about China Wall on Sunday? It's at a lower elevation, right? But that is WAY south.