webster, montezuma, radical hill, red cone

[alexb]

I am looking to plan a day out, ending near Dillon/Breckenridge.

Looking to travel on Sunday, 8/17.

When I look around, I keep seeing Webster Pass, Montezuma Road, Radical Hill, and Red Cone.

What's a good way to string some of those together and end up near Dillon/Breckenridge?

Thanks for your advice!

[ExplorerTom]

Do Red Cone from 285. That'll put you at the top of Webster Pass. Go north off the pass and go up Radical Hill. Take Swan River over to Georgia Pass and go into Breck.

[alexb]

How are the difficulties of these compared to something like the MSV/Coney Flats trails? Same, Easier, Harder?

Any trouble for my stock 2005 Wrangler?

[Jim]

Is the "boulder" still at the entrance to Red Cone... (that'd perhaps be the issue for a stock clearance / open diff vehicle - a winch would be a guarantee to pull over it though)...



Full Red Cone & Radical Hill pictures from a year or so back...
www.JimWilliamson.net/automobile/2012-09-09--trail--red-cone--radical-hill/

[ExplorerTom]

It's still there. I've gotten through it while open-open. A Wrangler in our group got through it open-open last weekend.

I can't comment on Radical Hill or Swan River since I haven't driven those. Red Cone and Georgia are not a problem for a Wrangler.

[Tom]

I did Red Cone last summer with Gary. Open, open 2 inch lift, 33s.

[ExplorerTom]

Here's upper Webster Pass, Red Cone and Radical Hill. The views are amazing up there.

[ExplorerTom]

Peak 10:


Plus you get to play in the puddle in the bowl below the switchbacks.

[alexb]

So if I want to do Red Cone from 285, Webster Pass, go north off the pass and go up Radical Hill. Then Take Swan River over to Georgia Pass and end in Breck, what's a reasonable start time? Meet at the trailhead? Meet at 60 & 285?

[ExplorerTom]

Early. Like on the trail by 8-8:30.

[Haku]

If you don't dilly dally, you can do Redcone to Webster in 2 hours or less, then maybe another hour for Radical Hill. I haven't done the other trails (I have always gone back down Radical and either driven to Montezuma or back to 285) but maybe another two hours if you do Georgia Pass (less to go back down and go through Montezuma). On the other hand, I've had Red Cone by itself be a long day if you stop to take pictures and lots of breaks and such, so its down to the pace you set.

I haven't done Redcone this year yet, but did it a while back with a lifted Subaru Brat and he got over the big boulder obstacle with some momentum and good spotting...


That is the only mandatory obstacle that is truly a high clearance spot unless something has changed a lot. The rest is just chunky loose rock and some steep uphills and downhills, but anything with a low range box should be able to handle it if they get passed that big boulder.

Have fun, its a great area and a great trail. Oh, and I'm not sure if the pictures posted so far are from this year or not, but if they aren't then there is a possibility that the snow drift at the top of Webster is still something that could make going towards 285 interesting. It should be clear by now, but there was a lot of snow fall last year so maybe not. One of the main bridges on the road to Montezuma got washed out in the floods last year and they closed that trail temporarily too, but I think its open again as well.

[alexb]

Wow... so many paths...


Thanks for all the suggestions. Here's my new thought...

1. Start in Dillon at 8 ... at the lake front park?
2. Go to Montezuma
3. Take Webster Pass all the way south to red cone start (nearest 285)
4. Take red cone back to webster pass.
5. Go up Radical Hill
6. Go towards swan river and then follow the continental divide to Georgia Pass (What is this road?)
7. Follow Georgia Pass trail North to come out half way between Frisco and Breck.

Mystery road is light green in the attached picture.

I figure that if it's getting long, we could stop after 4 or 5 instead of adding Georgia Pass.

Thoughts?

[Tom]

alexb previously posted:

[alexb]

Tom previously posted:

[SubAlpine]

Red Cone is more of a pucker factor. I did it last year in my runner, on 28" tires (bald), stock height, broken rear shock, in the rain. You can sure get into trouble, as there are harder lines. LOVE Red Cone. Is Webster still all washed out mid way down? That looked hairy. About 5 mins in...

[Shadowmaker]

Webster seemed more hairy in on the lower portion of the climb. Tosses you slightly right, off camber, in a tight section. However, it does not seem as off camber as prior years. Not bad, just intimidating for those who are newer to it and run a wider rig. It wasn't a bad ride in the sleet and rain yesterday. Near the top after the lower section, it appears to be widened quite a bit this year.

Radical hill though, seems to be one of the more challenging trails up there. Tried to tear of my plastic running board yesterday, probably from a poor line choice on my part. (I secretly hate the running board and am trying to convince the GF that a rock rail would be a better choice than the plastic.)

1st and 2nd pics are on Webster and the last one on the upper portion of Radical Hill

[alexb]

Seeing your pictures definitely makes me excited. Thanks for sharing Jim.

[Robert B]

how wide of a rig there is too wide? .... i think i am near the widest of those in the group

[Haku]

Unless something has majorly changed, there is nothing you won't fit through. I've run all of those trails with a K5 in the group and they had no problem. It'll feel like your tires are hanging over on Radical, but in reality you'll have lots of room at even the narrowest spot.

[Tom]

I wouldn't recommend a full size pickup on Webster. Full size pickup on Red Cone struggled a bit and had some carnage last summer.