Wednesday Wheeling - Webster Pass

[RicardoJM]

Martin, Dan and I got in a little bit of Wednesday wheeling with a trip up Webster Pass. We met in Conifer about 1:00, caught up on things, looked over each others rigs for about 15 minutes while waiting to see if others would be joining us. As compared to a larger run with more participants, our pace was a less frantic, much slower and we had plenty of time to take things in. This trail was new to Martin and I and it was very nice to have Dan along as this was not his first trip on the trail.

The trail is more than a forrest road with a variety of cool things; rock filled climbs, puddles, stream crossing, trees over the trail, switch backs, off camber situations. Nothing that can't be handled by a 40 year old truck running 235s and everything that could get you in trouble if you don't pay attention. The views from down low looking up and from up high looking down are fantastic. We were looking to get to the top and then deciding what the next leg of our day would be. We were able to get to the top, but our trucks were not so we decided to make it an out and back trail run.

On the way up we met a couple of gentleman on ATVs and were forewarned of a washout near the top that has made the trail very narrow. I watched the conversation between the ATVrs and Dan and from the body language and movement even I was able to get the gist; real narrow, big drop on oneside, bit rock on other, real narrow. We traveled on to the washout location and checked it out. The road bed has indeed washed out and vehicles with a span of 4.5' will be able to pass through "cleanly". Wider vehiles would need to put themselves into an off camber situation over a fair sized rock and any trouble would most likely result in a very bad situaiton. The washout is on the last switchback and just a couple of hundred yards from the top. After checking out the washout, we walked up to the top and looked over to the other side. On the walk back down we stopped again at the washout and discuessed how we would get accross the washout (if we really had to) and then backed our trucks down to the switchback where we could turn them around.

Here is a picture of the washout.

One of the puddles had a very steep and deep drop and caused the only carnage of the day. It claimed the new tail light Martin had just put on his rig. Fortunately we were able to fish out the trim ring and lens with a stick. A bit of duct tape and the light was fine for the drive home. In retrospect, we should have spent more time fishing around that hole with the stick, I'm sure there is a more treasure in there. Here are are some before and after shots of Martin's tail light.

Here are some other pictures that I took, hope you enjoy.

Martin, Dan I had a great time and am looking forward to doing it again sometime.

 

[rock_wagon]

Great Pics! Is this area called handcart gulch?

 

[MountainGoat]

Great Pics! Is this area called handcart gulch?

Yes. It runs roughly parallel to Red Cone except along the bottom instead of the top. They meet at the top (the picture of Martin and I by the sign).

 

[Jacket]

Nice looking set of rigs. So that washout is on the last switchback before the top of the pass? That section was already a bit narrow for my liking, so I can see why you chose to turn back.

 

[MDH33]

Thanks for posting the report Ricardo, and thanks to you and Dan for taking the afternoon off to go.

Like Ricardo mentioned, there is a very loose washout right near the top that is going to keep most everything other than atv's and bikes from getting through. The road bed is crumbly soft and the only way by is to tip your rig up onto a rock, which would place all the weight of your vehicle right onto the softest part along the edge. Then it's a loooong way down. We probably could have shoveled for awhile and made a temporary fix, but I would hate to hear about someone rolling off that hill after our "repair" gave way.

Looks like I'll have to find another route for the 40's Only Run that doesn't include going up those switchbacks. Maybe RedCone if it's not snowing?

 

[theboomboom]

Nice looking set of rigs. So that washout is on the last switchback before the top of the pass? That section was already a bit narrow for my liking, so I can see why you chose to turn back.

I did this run in the middle of the summer with a buddy of mine, it's even funner in a full size where a large portion of the trail has to be drivin using the the ride-half-your-tires-on-the-wall technique

 

[MDH33]

Here are a few of my pics. The color was amazing up there.

 

[wesintl]

the 40's look great up there.

 

[Uncle Ben]

the 40's make it look great up there.

Fixed it for you....

 

[rover67]

wow.. that first picture looks like a painting.

 

[jacdaw]

Wonderful photos, I'm insanely jealous, dang meetings (although it went well).

 

[Ron Helmuth]

thanks for sharing the photos-the one of the washout is not coming all the way through but is described perfectly.

Came down this section past the washout on Saturday in my Runner and with an '02 Sport and it was a white knuckler and a butt pucker upper.

If I had to do it again I would not.

Discretion is the better part of valor-and you made the right choice to not push your luck.

The swamp section has been cleaned up significantly on this trail-and a former shack that you had to drive around has been removed- apparently by Park County.

 

[MDH33]

Came down this section past the washout on Saturday in my Runner and with an '02 Sport and it was a white knuckler and a butt pucker upper.

If I had to do it again I would not.

Wow, you guys are nuts! That eroded edge was so soft you could kick it away with your foot. No way I would trust it to hold the weight of a vehicle.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

you are correct Martin.

However- I watched several other larger and wider vehicles come by traveling uphill. Just required careful tire placement and the rear locker.

I warned everyone I encountered further down and told them about it and every single one had to check it out for themself.

 

[MDH33]

My rig is too tippy (and I'm freaked out by off camber stuff) that I didn't think I could drive high enough onto that side hill to get by. But I did tell Dan and Ricardo that we could probably clear it if we built a sweet jump.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

likewise-I am freaked out by the tilting when off camber -it was one of those spots where intuitively you want to go slowly but keeping the power down actually made it easier to keep the momentum uphill and away from the slide. But again I was traveling dowhill from the pass and not uphill.

I had enough of the sweet jump-ing called Radical Hill and should have chickened out and gone back down to Montezuma.

You made the right call. I could not imagine off camber in a short wheelbase and narrow track like a 40. The Jeep guys did not seem even worried however.

You're only young and cocky once. A roll of that magnitude would have been fatal.

 

[mtncrsr]

I ran a trip two weekends ago over Red Cone and down Webster. That spot on Webster certainly held everyone's attention. There were two 40's that were wider than stock and an LX450 in the group. It was snowing sideways on top of Red Cone. All in all it made for an interesting day. And yes that mud hole is deeeeep.

 

[SRT08BUS]

I was planning on making this my 2nd RSM run but had this happen trying 2 avoid a dog. I came 2 a complete stop, then went over. That was around 11:30 that day..so close, it looked like a blast.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

you seem okay.. everyone okay? I think that is commendable how little damage there is.

This was a very low speed only onto the drivers side? Dog okay?

 

[RockRunner]

Big bummer but sound slike all is OK, now you can get that EXO cage you were looking at