Red Cone Aug 18th 2025

[191185]

Hey guys,

So it looks like the following;

Sunday - @yokramer @Powelligator
Monday - @DonH63 is interested

@DonH63 anyway you could switch things around, and join Sunday, then we'll be up to a group of 4 of us. Plus all are welcome, the more the better.

Does anyone use a radio for communicating on the trail? If so, which one, I'd like to buy one to make things easier for everyone ..

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[DonH63]

Hey guys,

So it looks like the following;

Sunday - @yokramer @Powelligator
Monday - @DonH63 is interested

@DonH63 anyway you could switch things around, and join Sunday, then we'll be up to a group of 4 of us. Plus all are welcome, the more the better.

Does anyone use a radio for communicating on the trail? If so, which one, I'd like to buy one to make things easier for everyone ..

My life is complicated right now (some health issues in the family) but I can do Sunday if I can do any day. Do not gate anything on my availability. It is also about 2-3 hours from my house to a meeting place near the trail depending upon where we meet.

Virtually everyone I know uses GMRS radios now to communicate on the trail. I have fairly inexpensive Midland GXT1000 handhelds; there are other units and mounted units from Midland and others that are more powerful. The handheld has been good enough for me so far since we (hopefully) stay together on the trail (and if carpooling there and back).

This is a single though I bought a three-pack for family use: https://www.amazon.com/GXT1000VP4-C...8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

If I can make it I can bring an extra radio. It is good to be able to communicate along the way.

Also need to decide start and end points for the trip; going up Red Cone and then down through Webster is typical, and Webster Pass should be snow-free by then. I missed the Red Cone trip our club did last year so not sure where good meeting points exist, but plenty of folk have done it so others will chime in.

 

[DonH63]

Our club met near the trail start: https://goo.gl/maps/Nu4UX38Q5a5brP139 This is a couple of hours from my house, closer (~1 hour) for the Denver/Golden crowd.

 

[CO2Wrangler]

Hey guys,

So it looks like the following;

Sunday - @yokramer @Powelligator
Monday - @DonH63 is interested

@DonH63 anyway you could switch things around, and join Sunday, then we'll be up to a group of 4 of us. Plus all are welcome, the more the better.

Does anyone use a radio for communicating on the trail? If so, which one, I'd like to buy one to make things easier for everyone ..

Count me in for Sunday. I use Midland GMRS handhelds as well.

 

[DonH63]

You do need an FCC license for GMRS, but I know a lot of folk skip it. It's pretty cheap and you get it online, think it was $35 for 5 years or something like that.

 

[yokramer]

Hey guys,

So it looks like the following;

Sunday - @yokramer @Powelligator
Monday - @DonH63 is interested

@DonH63 anyway you could switch things around, and join Sunday, then we'll be up to a group of 4 of us. Plus all are welcome, the more the better.

Does anyone use a radio for communicating on the trail? If so, which one, I'd like to buy one to make things easier for everyone ..

Just talked to the wife about it and she may be flying out that day to head back east for work. So long as its not that day Im in for Sunday.

 

[Powelligator]

GMRS. I have a semi-permanent install in my Jeep and a couple extra handhelds if anyone needs one. I paid the 35 bucks a few months ago when our club made the move away from 70's era CB radios to GMRS.

 

[CO2Wrangler]

GMRS. I have a semi-permanent install in my Jeep and a couple extra handhelds if anyone needs one. I paid the 35 bucks a few months ago when our club made the move away from 70's era CB radios to GMRS.

I'm "official" as well. Just don't ask me any questions about the rules and regs...

 

[DonH63]

I'm "official" as well. Just don't ask me any questions about the rules and regs...

A friend is pushing me to renew my Ham license. I am tempted, but OTOH don't need another expensive time-consuming hobby in my life...

 

[Fishing Jeep]

Haven’t done Red Cone but planning to August 16. Can’t stay to Monday.

Lots of great trails and beautiful scenery in that area- SOB Hill, Radical Hill, Middle Fork Swan, St John’s, etc. Don’t skip over these.

Here’s Glacier Ridge Overlook on SOB Hill…

 

[grimmjeeper]

A friend is pushing me to renew my Ham license. I am tempted, but OTOH don't need another expensive time-consuming hobby in my life...

Mine is coming up soon. I'm on the fence about it.

 

[DonH63]

Mine is coming up soon. I'm on the fence about it.

Do it if you don't have to retest. I should have kept mine active (along with my CDL).

 

[191185]

*Update*

I ordered myself a GMRS radio, so I'm good there, ordered a 2nd one as well if anyone needs to borrow one.

@CO2Wrangler Glad to see you can join us! the more the better.
@DonH63 hope you are able to make it Sunday, if not, catch you next time.

Between all of us that are potentially going (@CO2Wrangler, @DonH63, @yokramer, @Powelligator,) Does anyone want to step up and take the lead, and kind of run the show? I am more than happy to do it, however I am an out of towner, (coming from Minnesota) don't know the area, and don't know the trail etc.

I think we need to go over the following, feel free to add any additional unknown's to discuss:

Meeting time:

Meeting location:

After Red Cone, what path/trail out of there, vs. is there time to take additional trails, then head back to town?

If there is a sever weather warning, do we call it off? at what point? Only if the weather is how bad? This would be good to know ahead of time for some of you who are driving 2-3 hours to the meeting point. .

And the obvious, we have a no man left behind policy right? even if that means, we leave you behind, get to town and call a tow truck Or we give you a ride to town, and leave your jeep there for a tow truck, if unable to fix on the trail.

Anything else we should go over or cover?

 

[CO2Wrangler]

*Update*

I ordered myself a GMRS radio, so I'm good there, ordered a 2nd one as well if anyone needs to borrow one.

@CO2Wrangler Glad to see you can join us! the more the better.
@DonH63 hope you are able to make it Sunday, if not, catch you next time.

Between all of us that are potentially going (@CO2Wrangler, @DonH63, @yokramer, @Powelligator,) Does anyone want to step up and take the lead, and kind of run the show? I am more than happy to do it, however I am an out of towner, (coming from Minnesota) don't know the area, and don't know the trail etc.

I think we need to go over the following, feel free to add any additional unknown's to discuss:

Meeting time:

Meeting location:

After Red Cone, what path/trail out of there, vs. is there time to take additional trails, then head back to town?

If there is a sever weather warning, do we call it off? at what point? Only if the weather is how bad? This would be good to know ahead of time for some of you who are driving 2-3 hours to the meeting point. .

And the obvious, we have a no man left behind policy right? even if that means, we leave you behind, get to town and call a tow truck Or we give you a ride to town, and leave your jeep there for a tow truck, if unable to fix on the trail.

Anything else we should go over or cover?

I don't want to lead anything because I'm generally disorganized and irresponsible (did I just vote myself off the island?), but here are some considerations:

- The earlier you start, the better off you'll be. Thunderstorms tend to roll in mid to late afternoon and make things... interesting.
- Weather - see note above. The weather report in CO is the most useless thing known to humankind. Full send, rain or shine. I've done Red Cone in a hail storm if that makes you feel any better.
- Webster Pass out I've never done. Looking at that shelf road gives me full scale panic attacks. Handcart Gulch is an easy and fun way to end the day, but I'll go whichever way we agree upon. Radical Hill is right there as well and makes for some interesting travels and great views.

Would be good to know what everyone is driving as well:
21 JLURD Rubi w/2.5" lift and 37s

 

[yokramer]

Ive only lived in Colorado for a month and a half so Im not the leader lol

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