Jeep tumbled down Radical Hill

Wow... Another story to add to the small pile I've heard about that area, and specifically that trail.

Here's the text for those who don't FB:

Aug 22, roughly 2pm. I was trail riding near Montezuma, CO on a trail called Radical Hill. This is basically a shortcut to the top of the summit. After rock climbing over several obstacles and going up the trail about 4-5 miles, I reached a small cabin near the top. I took a water break and got Barbie out to roam. We enjoyed the fresh cool air and views from about 12,000ft. We had only about 1/2 mile left before reaching the very top and intersecting at Montezuma road.

While traveling up the trail around several switchbacks, the trail at the top gave out under the back right tire pulling the jeep down the steep incline. The Jeep flipped straight backwards and rolled several times before ejecting me straight out the top. I was basically parallel in air with the hood. And yes I had my seat beat on...but it somehow failed which apparently in this case was a good thing. The next few seconds are a blur of impacts and flips before landing face down on the mountain side and catching myself from falling any further.

Once I stopped sliding, I picked myself up and looked down the mountain side. The Jeep was no where in sight. The first thing I saw was my bright white Yeti Cooler in the middle of the road about 30 yards down the mountain side and I thought well I got waters and a subway sandwich at least (survival mode had already kicked in). In the middle of the switchback curve 20 yards below me I saw Barbie laying on her side lifeless. I called her name and she picked her head up...I told to "hold on I'm coming".

By the time I got to her, she was standing waiting on me and I couldn't believe we were both standing there in a debris field that looked like an airplane crash. One of my Fox shocks was half buried in the mountain side to my right. I grabbed all the water I could from the Yeti and put them in a soft canvas bag that was laying beside it.

Barbie and I continued down the switchback road and rounded the next curve and could finally see the jeep on its side below the road. As I approached it, I saw my laptop bag totally unharmed...and my son's school ID next to it that he supposedly lost last year. Of course, I picked that up and put it around my neck and said "Barbie, we are going get off this mountain."

I could see the cabin in the distance and a storm was popping up to the west so I headed to cabin to take shelter from the storm and to wait to see if someone would come by. Earlier in the day, I was running with about 3 other jeeps up this trail. I ended up in the lead at the top and I guess the others turned around before the cabin at the top as they never came up. I could see Jeeps across the valley to the other summit and I was hoping maybe they saw or heard it...this was above the tree line so you can see very far from one top to the other.

I could tell I was bleeding bad and somehow I had a towel with me...I still don't know where it came from. I wrapped my head up tight and starting drinking a bottle of water to stay hydrated...giving Barbie some along the way. I knew a guy was camping at the bottom of the hill about 4 miles down and a few hours before dark I would head down to try to reach him if no one can along. I knew it would get really cold fast that high up once the sun went down. After about 30 minutes or so, I heard a motor noise and a man's voice saying "I hope no one is dead" and telling his friend to "look for bodies". Once they stopped, I yelled at them and they came down the mountain to my position at the cabin. I'll never forget the look on their face when they first saw me...my forehead had a gash that was basically exposing my skull. , you and Rico are life savers and I'm forever thankful for how you guys took care of me and got me off the mountain side. Even going back up to film the video and find my wallet and other personal belongings scattered for a good 100 yards down the side of the mountain.

I got on his 4 wheeler and we headed to the tiny town of Montezuma. Barbie followed right behind us for miles down the rocky road and even across a deep water crossing. She made it all the way to town but fell behind and out of sight as we approached a house to call for an ambulance. I went to the hospital not knowing where Barbie was that night but knew she would stay in that town. Later on, the sheriff told me they went up the road after loading me up in the ambulance about a half mile and found her laying in the middle of the road. They took her to a dog shelter about 200 yards from my hospital and had her checked out with a local vet. Only injuries were some broken toe nails, a cut above her eye, and soreness in her spine\back. No broken bones.

Me, I wasn't so lucky. After going airborne and face planting the side of the mountain, I ended up with a huge gash across my forehead and a small fracture to my nose. I have cuts and bruises all over...even my finger tips are bruised. I have two broken ribs...and a Jeep that is twisted rubble.

But somehow, I walked away...with my dog. And two guys I will be forever grateful for.

 

In case some can't see this video, it shows a twisted wreck of a Jeep Wrangler with little left of the factory roll cage and windshield.

 

First

 

Good reminder not to wheel alone.

 

Good reminder to not lose sight of your surroundings.

I've wheeled that trail (and Red Cone and others in that area) alone multiple times. It's not an area you want to take lightly, for sure.

 

Dang that's crazy. I'm glad they came out of that OK. Sure lucky.

 

I shared with the group last Sunday (or maybe it was the four wheelers on top of Red Cone... can't recall), how on a group run years ago we watched an ATV tumble down the mountainside as we wrapped up lunch. They took the first switchback down the north side of Webster Pass too fast, and launched off the trail straight down the mountain. The kid driving jumped off of it when he realized he was in trouble, and tore up his shin quite a bit. Not much of the ATV was salvageable... it made it about 2/3 of the way to the road at the bottom. There was a truck in our group who offered to load up and haul out what was left.

Never know what you'll see wheeling in that area.

 

Those that have done Radical Hill and Tomichi Pass....I did Tomichi last week and as I was on the shelf section I could see the soil on the side of the trail giving out as I rolled along, scared the shit out if me since I've been in a worse situation like that before and had to do some recovery bullshit to get out if it. Is Radical Hill prone to the side of the trail falling out like that too?

There was a destroyed ATV at the bottom of engineer pass on Sunday last week.

 

I commented in the CO Trip Report thread how I thought the long climb, final stretch of Radical Hill felt "looser" than I recalled (though, it had been two years since I had run it).

Now I'm curious to know where exactly this went down. Based on the story, it happened before the peak and in the area of the switchbacks on the upper portion.

I posted this to the FB page of the club who used to (and may still) perform the trail maintenance for Radical Hill, just in case there's a need for a work day.

 

This article specifically mentions the loose dirt and rock of Tomichi: http://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/953-tomichi-pass-trail-usa.html

I've not seen or heard of any sides of the trail failing on Radical Hill. Now, on Handcart Gulch trail (the one that approaches Webster Pass from the south) absolutely. I posted a YT video in another Colorado thread showing a washout being navigated by rigs, with one of them experiencing the downhill rear tire sliding off the trail.

 

Video of the aftermath made me think of how short the jeeps were when they packed em like sardines for transport.


Besides that, happy to hear he made it out before he was pulled along with that wreck, scared and glad his seat belt gave up.

 

Great reminder of the risks we take when traversing these roads and the need to stay alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Glad to hear that everybody made it out of this incident alive and in relatively good condition considering the circumstances.

 

My Guess is on one of those "outer" incline sections, he lost his position and got too close to edge. Visually they don't look that bad until you drive them and find out your 25- 30 Degrees tilt over the downslope side of the shelf road. They are very deceiving.

 

Second this. I turned my mirrors down to my rear tire so i could see where they where when we we went up radical hill couple weeks ago. Glade the guy is ok, jeep can be replaced.

I wondering if it happened on that washed out part run off on the second incline to the last switch back.

 

i knew this trail scared me when i first saw it as a kid and one of the reason i have never run it. I literally live at the bottom of it and have never done it. I snow wheeled once in the general area and went off the road and that was enough for me.

 

Colorado 4x4 Rescue and Recovery did their thing and recovered the Jeep. Looks like he was on the long climb to the last switchback when he slipped off and tumbled (linked to FB photo; sorry if you can't see it):

 

Glade he is ok

 

Interesting, any close ups of where he slipped off?

 

Wonder if they closed this trial
Or if its still passable. Or if they repaired the trail.