Sat. 7/31 Red Cone via Webster Pass
It was a wonderful day to be out!!
Tom's yellow(ish?) jeep is easy to pick out in the large parking lot at Keystone. We aired down there. Max and friend, Patrick, went to the Peru Creek turn out and aired down there. The turn-out was busy.
The three of us trekked through Montezuma and found the Deer Creek turn easily. Tom kept the wheels rolling and in short order we were at Webster Pass. I headed down and noticed two vehicles ahead working their way down. They were slower than us and nicely pulled aside to let us pass. We worked towards the Red Cone eastern trailhead and encountered a few sets of bikes and full size vehicles working up Webster - all easy / quick / courteous to pass.
On Red Cone - near the start, a jeep, was coming down with a comment that a large group (13) was ahead and they were SLOW - he turned around to not have to deal with'm. We encountered the large group just before the "in the woods" undulated section. At the open area they parked on the trail and blocked folks with little care for people following behind. They were nice folks - just somewhat didn't care / didn't realize - odd. Tom rolled around them but I held back. In the end that split us up. Max and I were never able to work through their group. We passed a few at wide spots but they didn't make effort to help faster moving traffic.
Atop Red Cone I directed the second half of their group where to park and all were able to fit. The first half of their group held everyone up for each of them to get out for pictures and drive off - they parked on the trail down from the first pitch. Tom called out on the radio - have fun! and we split for the day. Max, Patrick and I stayed atop Red Cone for perhaps 30 minutes - waiting their group (the second half!) to get moving and down. They were, again, quite slow moving down to the Webster Pass intersection. Fortunately, their group moved down Webster Pass. As Max and I worked down towards the intersection I noticed a large chunk of their group sitting at one of the Webster Pass switchbacks. I didn't see any rolled vehicle - but they weren't moving. I'm happy they went a direction other than where we were going. Aside from a bit of a head scratcher with that group, the trails were very lightly traveled - the weather forecast likely keeping many at home.
Max, Patrick and I decided to do the Radical Hill / Saints John exit for the day - tacking on a bit more trail than the short Deer Creek exit. Atop Radical were a group of SxS's. The dahl sheep were around - with kids - always nice to see them. We stopped at the Saints John vista point for perhaps another 30 minute stretch. Well enjoyed by all to kick back with a grand vista.
While the day had a fair bit of cloud (no rain or sprinkles) the weather was quite nice.
Leaving the trail for the day, we aired up at the Peru Creek turn. We headed back to Silverthorn not knowing if US-6 was open. I decided to make it a "longer" day be heading home via 2-lane vs freeway (Silverthorn > Kremmling > Grand Lake / RMNP > Loveland > home). I figured it'd put me home about 10pm (PFFT - 1am!). A quick bit of food and fuel at Silverthorn I headed to Kremmling. A quick check of folks changing a tire on a trailler - they were good - I kept moving. East of Kremmling I saw a kid pushing a bicycle - flat back tire. He was heading WEST. I turned back and asked if he wished a ride - easy answer there. He was about 5 miles east of Kremmling - sure I can easily flip him to town. He went out camping for the weekend and was looking to get back home. Where's home I ask??? Steamboat. K. Sure. I'll get you home (mentally clicking the clock - it's going to be a LONG day).
Leaving Steamboat, if one searched hard, some barely faint remnant of sunset could be seen on the horizon - about 9:30/9:40pm. More fuel and turn the key. Animals on the road were high on my mind. Rabbit Ears Pass - check. State highway to Walden - check. Safety gas at Walden - check. Review road closures to ensure Poudre canyon is open - it is - turn the key. I rolled slower than speed limit with a concern for deer / moose (no moose seen but the deer at/near the shoulder were abundant). Head to pillow at 1am. The key turned on at 7am - a long day in the jeep. Five fuel stops.
Pictures and info later...
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