Super Awesome September Wheeling Adventure

holy shit thats alot of trails!^ i just did swan, no problems there at all... but redcone to radical to swan is 7 or 8 hr drive id guess. assuming we'd camp on swan??? wheeler is one day, but not terribly long if we keep moving. we could get to mosquito and camp, then wheel out to HC? but HC takes allllll day. so im not sure about the second half of the trip

 

Haha that was bobs suggestion. I don't know where or how long the trails will take 7 to 8 hours is a significant drive. The main trails are of course HC an wheeler lake and something else, not sure what was decided for that one. What's our third "big" trail? Can we get waypoints in where each of the trails are?

 

I will not be able to join, so I won't vote. However, I'm here for the pics of what is sure to be an awesome journey.

 

Traildamage.com is where to find waypoints/marked google maps

http://www.traildamage.com/google_colorado.php?lat=39.4031900000&lng=106.4435200000

 

If everyone going is pretty capable and comfortable, Red Cone>Radical>Swan cna be done pretty quickly without much spotting needed, stopping for pics and such will add time though, so I think you are probably on point with a realistic 7-8 hours. We could also head out Thursday evening and camp either part of the way up Red Cone, or run all of it and camp in the Webster/Radical valley, but that may not be realistic if Mark is driving in that day.

So, I think if we head to the trail head or part way up Red Cone Thursday evening, and get a good start Friday AM, it would not be too difficult. BTW, I am currently estimating 7-10 people based on input here.

Then, run down to Swan near Breck on Friday, Saturday run Wheeler and back down, over to Mosquito and time dependent either all the way over or camp on the Alama side. Regardless of how far you get on Mosquito, it isn't too long/far over to HC, so you would have all day there ( you could also run down Birdseye Gulch which is pretty cool)

Campsites
Red Cone trailhead
https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...848,3444m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0
Webster/Radical valley
https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...405,3441m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0
Swan Valley Area
https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...085,6885m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0
Mosquito on the Alma side
https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...187,3454m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0
Mosquito on the Leadville side
https://www.google.com/maps/place/3...146,3455m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

 

James you are awesome. Thanks!

So are we planning a Thursday night/Friday to Sunday trip then? And head back Monday? That works.

If that's the plan and I'm skipping all of Thursday ( just have to make sure I'm not missing a crucial test or anything) I can leave Wednesday night and make my drive Wednesday night to about half way then finish Thursday morning.

The trail sequence you guys are talking about is that the best list/most logical order? It's not set in stone, like I said it was bobs suggestion. So if that's a solid line up for this trip cool! If you guys have something you have been wanting to do and it makes sense to throw that in and run it instead then cool! I'm at you guy's mercy

I realize some of these trails (HC specifically) can be hard, and I would hate to alienate people with less experience and less capable rigs if there are easier trails the first day or two more people could go on. So maybe the first two days of the trip have more people and take longer then some duck out if they aren't in for HC? Just a thought. And if it's a long day then so be it and we take breaks and eat a good lunch and what ever happens happens.

This trip is even more important to me now, becuse I'm picking up a passenger in Denver, or that general area. So I'm commig now hell or high water.

 

The current sequence is basically easiest to hardest, as well as closest to furthest from the front range, and also in a fairly logical sequence of A>B>C without backtracking at all. So with HC at the end, you could still get people to do the first two days and most of the trails, and then either bail or ride with someone on HC on Sunday. It is also less than 2 hours back to Denver from HC, so those doing HC don't really need to camp out and get back for work on Monday if they need to.

I could leave Thursday afternoon (3-4ish), the Red Cone trailhead is about 1:30ish from most places in the Denver Area, so I personally think you could make it over Red Cone to the valley by dark without too much trouble.

 

sub for pics!

 

Sounds perfect.

Good solid trail list then?

 

I think so, lots of scenic awesome view trail, and then Wheeler and HC to test your skills.

 

good enough for me

 

I might be able to make this on my drive back to Texas...... Hmmmmmm

 

Damn dude, just read through your expo thread: FUCKING AWESOME. This would be a nice little cap on the way back to TX.

 

We would love to have you

 

yeah im down with that sequence. i will try to get friday off now then. but i wont be able to leave til friday morning from denver.


just for thought... would it be smarter to start hard and go to easy? incase something breaks? we would have fri or sat to repair it(stores are open). sunday if we break, we are screwed til monday....

 

Hmm, yes, but if you break early you are out for the rest of the trip, and the first section(s) likelyhood of breakage is pretty low. You could probably do all but Wheeler and HC in 2wd if you had the gearing for it. It is also further to get to HC for any trail time on Thursday if that's what Mark wants to do. I am just along for the ride, whatever Mark wants to do is good with me.

 

hahahha I may have a guys coming in his 4runner now too

hes wheeling with me in montana so hes thinking of coming along! Got my Corbeaus today!!!! So pumped

 

I haven't yet figured out my schedule, but I've got an early season Deer tag for the 6th through the 14th. That gives me two weekends to hunt, so need to figure out what I'm doing. Would love to make this!

 

Shit, I can catch fish out of my truck, surely you can shoot a deer out of yours?

 

That's such a great picture!


Problem with my deer tag is it's Zirkel Wilderness area only. Oh, and the parks and wildlife would love me shooting out of a vehicle