4th Gen Red Cone 2012

[adkinsadam1]

Last year I went up Red Cone in my stock 4runner.... and turned around at a perilous obstacle I was afraid I may get high centered at. I probably could have made it but you know. Scary. Anyways. I am moving away from Colorado soon (GASP!), and I want to do red cone all the way! Is the trail different this year? Can I make it? How is that obstacle? Thank you all so much!:thanks:

 

[Martinjmpr]

Last year I went up Red Cone in my stock 4runner.... and turned around at a perilous obstacle I was afraid I may get high centered at. I probably could have made it but you know. Scary. Anyways. I am moving away from Colorado soon (GASP!), and I want to do red cone all the way! Is the trail different this year? Can I make it? How is that obstacle? Thank you all so much!:thanks:

I presume you turned around at either one of the sharp curves in the part that's still in the trees, or the rock field that in the open as you come out of the trees?

What are you running in terms of lift, tires, etc, and do you have your running boards?

FWIW I ran Red Cone in my bone-stock 04 Taco and 99 4runner. The Taco had 235/85/16's and the 4runner had 265/75/16 (both are 32" tires.) I think I'd be reluctant to run it in my 07 just because of the 265/70/16 (31") tires and running boards, though.

Once you get past the rock field it's just a dirt road, basically. Steep as hell and with 1500' drop offs on two sides, but still just a dirt road. :shrug:

 

[adkinsadam1]

First of all, is there an easy way through the area you pictured? And secondly, it was in the trees. There was a very large rock and no way around it. I want to make sure I can make it through the rocky section without damage. Here is a photo of the spot I turned around at. Is this spot better? Once I make it through here am I golden?

 

[krupnation]

I'm not trying to be an a-hole here, but I doubt it has gotten any better. How can a trail with huge boulders get better? If anything, it has gotten worse due to weather and people on the trail...just saying. Either way, I say go for it and see for yourself. If it's better then you're all good and can make it past that obsticle. I seem to be missing the point of this thread...

 

[CXS]

The point of the thread is stated clearly.

If that's what stopped you I have to ask if you did any rock stacking to get over it?

 

[Martinjmpr]

Hmmm....I don't recall that exact spot unless it's right after the really sharp right-hand turn. I don't recall it being that difficult, I think I just put my tire on the rock and when right over.

What I remember about Red Cone is that there is a very sharp left turn that I got stuck in when I was in my open/open Tacoma, and I finally got out by rocking backwards long enough to catch traction with both rear tires and then powered over. The sharp right turn almost got me, too because on the right side of the road was a deep ditch.

After that comes the rocky part I showed up above. You can get a pretty good idea of what it looks like from that pic. Once you're past that, it's basically just a dirt road.

I would say if you're in doubt, skip it. No reason to tear your truck up or get stuck just to say you did it. If you have a buddy to go up there with, you could always go and if you get in trouble, your buddy could strap you.

 

[adkinsadam1]

Ya that's true. I've just been so eager to do this trail and I feel like I possibly could do it... but I can't risk any damage to our car. If it wasn't one way I would be more inclined to go and then turn around if need be, but it is and I don't want to have to go back down again. I feel like if I go up I am committed and I will go forward no matter what. What does your gut tell you? Will I be alright with a stock 2006 4runner? Or will I be not alright? I will make my decision based on that.

 

[CXS]

Stock, running it alone is likely to be a regrettable experience. I think Martin will agree.

 

[2004Runner4x4]

Ya that's true. I've just been so eager to do this trail and I feel like I possibly could do it... but I can't risk any damage to our car. If it wasn't one way I would be more inclined to go and then turn around if need be, but it is and I don't want to have to go back down again. I feel like if I go up I am committed and I will go forward no matter what. What does your gut tell you? Will I be alright with a stock 2006 4runner? Or will I be not alright? I will make my decision based on that.

I think the real question is, what does YOUR gut tell you? Is your driving ability able to handle this? Are you willing to risk any damage? Are you willing to go and turn around when you can't go further? Are you willing to go all the way and venture back down? What does your gut tell you?

 

[adkinsadam1]

Well it sounds like confidence is fairly low. I have never damaged the car on a 4WD and don't want to. I think I could make it up Red Cone without damage, but I do not know that for sure. Maybe I am not brave enough to attempt it. We'll see. There are a few days in between today and Sunday. I may go for it, but right now maybe Santa Fe Peak Trail is a better option. SLIGHTLY less rocky, but still rocky, and still way above tree line. That may be the name of the game for me.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Well it sounds like confidence is fairly low. I have never damaged the car on a 4WD and don't want to. I think I could make it up Red Cone without damage, but I do not know that for sure. Maybe I am not brave enough to attempt it. We'll see. There are a few days in between today and Sunday. I may go for it, but right now maybe Santa Fe Peak Trail is a better option. SLIGHTLY less rocky, but still rocky, and still way above tree line. That may be the name of the game for me.

That's probably a smart choice. FWIW I think the wife and I will be going up Red Cone on Monday with some folks from CO4x4.org (if you're not on that board, you should be.)

Other trails in the area that can be done in a stock 4runner (with decent tires) are Deer Creek (which can get you to the top of Radical Hill, where you can watch vehicles descending the steep downhill slope of Red Cone), Saints John, Middle and North Fork of the Swan River, and possibly Chihuahua Gulch (although Chihuahua is very rocky and in the past has had a deep water crossing - given that it's been so dry, my guess is that the water is not there this year.) Saints John and the Swan River trails are above treeline and very scenic.

 

[adkinsadam1]

Is Santa Fe trail not a good one for a stock 4runner in you opinion? What about the south side of webster pass / handcart gulch? Because I did that fine.

 

[Martinjmpr]

Is Santa Fe trail not a good one for a stock 4runner in you opinion? What about the south side of webster pass / handcart gulch? Because I did that fine.

Never done Santa Fe so I can't say.

Webster pass isn't bad if you don't mind the narrow shelf road. I hated it.

 

[marked]

You should be fine on Santa Fe Peak. The views at the top are amazing - just be sure to turn around when you get to the top and don't continue on the trail for the last few switchbacks.

Smart move to not try your stock 4R on Red Cone.

 

[04rnr]

I think the real question is, what does YOUR gut tell you? Is your driving ability able to handle this? Are you willing to risk any damage? Are you willing to go and turn around when you can't go further? Are you willing to go all the way and venture back down? What does your gut tell you?

this for the win......

Ive said hundreds of times, its the driver that matters.. Ive seen good drivers with a stock 94 run Carnage in boulder with zero damage

 

[adkinsadam1]

I don't want to sound cocky but I do think that my driving ability would be able to handle it. I know the undercarriage and know where to put the wheels. I just recently drove to the top of Mount Antero road with out scraping bottom once. But I think I will just stick with santa fe peak trail. Assuming it does have some challenging rocky sections. I love rocks!