Off-road Guidebooks:
Charles Wells Colorado Book (the best): amzn.to/3CJLir2
Charles Wells Moab Book: amzn.to/3R6RSfu
Shortcuts:
Webster Pass junction: 2:02
1st minor rocky section: 3:10
Rocky hill: 5:08
Rock obstacle: 8:13
2nd rock obstacle: 17:54
Tight spot in the trees: 30:28
Washed out, flex section: 35:09
Final ridge to summit: 1:05:50
My buddy John (Outlaw 923) was on this run. Go check out his channel!
• Jeeps in the Colorado ...
Red Cone has to be one of my most favorite Colorado off-road trails. If I was going to take a first time off-roader on a trail for a ride along, this would be it. It would be either Red Cone or Black Bear Pass. Red Cone is close to Denver (about a 1.5 hour drive from our house in Castle Rock to the trailhead). In the matter of an hour or so from the trailhead you are on top of an iconic peak with incredible views and some cool minor obstacles on the way up. Access to this trail is off Hwy 285 and County Road 60 just east of Kenosha Pass. Elevation there is about 9,000' feet. You take County Road 60 on up and come to the Webster Pass turnoff. It is a constant climb from the bottom to the top and the excitement just builds as you get above tree line. The final ridge to the summit is stunning and iconic. I can’t think of another trail in Colorado that is so dramatic as you make the final climb to 12,801’. The descent from the summit is steep and loose but I’ve never slipped coming down and I’ve probably ran this trail 10 times. 4 low, first gear and just go slow on the way down from the summit. It is never a race and it is ok to go as slow as possible on stuff like this. It is steep and the rock is loose but the trail is flat coming down with no obstacles and it’s not tippy.
Charles Wells rates this trail as difficult but I would put it as moderate. My buddy Warren was with us on this run in his slightly lifted Toyota 4Runner and did great. I only had to give him one tug on the washed out, twisted up section. I would not attempt this trail in a full-size long wheelbase vehicle only because some of the spots in the trees are very tight. You could do it but it would require some patience.
Contact info:
e-mail: steinernm@gmail.com
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