I have seen several posts lately about some of you being in the TP area late June/early July.

Lets pick a day and get together for a ride.

John,
We are going to use one of the NP campgrounds like Lake View or Dinner Station, just depends on what is available when we get up there.
We arrive on the 22nd and leave the 26th morning heading to Denver to pu the wife and back to Cripple Creek area.

The boys and I would really enjoy having others along for the ride. They are just leaning to I have to take it very careful.

How old are the boys and what do they ride??

the oldest is 15 the youngest is 10.
Raptor 250 and trx 90. The younger one can ride with me also, he get tired after a while.

Ok, right or wrong, I don't know but here it goes.

I am going to suggest leaving the 90 in camp and let him ride it when you get back. I would think YOU will have a lot better trip if the youngest is riding with you so you are NOT worrying about him at every turn. Then again is the deal what would you do if you got 15 miles from camp and he is so wore out from dodging the boulders that he cant or wont drive anymore? In looking at the specs, I see it is about 13 inches narrower than my Polaris 500. This means on an ATV trail he is going to be riding the hump and with only 4 inches of ground clearance he would get hung up on everything.

Think it over, I'm just throwing out some things that could be a MAJOR problem out on the trail.

FWIW, John's suggestion makes sence to me also.
The kid could have alot of fun around camp & burn off that extra energy.
The other thing is he'll loose 3% HP for every 1000 feet above sea level. On a decent pass, a horse may have more HP than that 90cc.

I'll 3rd JWS. Pitkin side of Hancock is Steep and technical in at least 1 spot, with a zero runner at it. You turn and there it is right there, Up... From what I remember of Napoleon, Pitkin side was steep, and very top of west side was too. Then there's Flag Mtn. The 4 inches of GC as mentioned, it'll be getting hung up and scrapping bottom quite often.

Even a leisure ride to Union Park/Canyon Lotus Creek. If you're set to let him ride these spots, better make sure there is Armor underneath, because it will scrape, and hang up.

Yeah, listen to Rockon, his Mad Kaw is very comparable to the TRX90. So he knows!

Hi Scott.....how's it going?

The Mighty Brute isn't just another cheap imitation of a TRX90.
It has darn near twice the HP!

I really didnt even think of Hancock Pass at the time. I was really trying not to show disrespect with my post. Tincup Pass, which wont be open by that time, they use 12" boulders for road gravel. Hancock Pass is a little bit smaller boulder size, but then you have to figure in the washed out areas. Napolean Pass with the tree roots would be high center city with that little thing, then you would have to try and get it thru the beaver dam which will be full this time of year. Heck even the ATV trail down the side of Cumberland Pass road would be more than the little 90 could handle I would think.

I mean you guys that have been there before know what its like. Just like Hancock Pass from the St Elmo side. Heck you can drive a 48 person School Bus up to Hancock. and then the trail turns to boulder city in an eye blink.

Yep, what I thought, with regard to the 90. I had planned on him riding with me on the longer trails due to the combination of him getting tired and the clearance. That was one of the reasons that I thought camping at Dinner Station would allow him lots of area to ride. The trails to Taylor Park, according to Google Earth, look rolling and should be easy..My oldest needs to practice as he is new as well. The ATV course was a big help, yet that was last year and he needs more practice.
I wanted to ask about cells, Verizon has always served me well, I could get a signal when many others could not. In the middle of Lake Norris in east Tennessee for example as most cells will not work. This is my wife's big issue, as you know, the boss has to be able to reach you all the time. haaha.

Oh yea, give Tim Tool Man Taylor a call, maybe he can get more power out of the Mad Kaw..He did blow up most of the projects he worked on, that was a funny show, Tim Allen did a good job with it. Really showed what married life was like sometimes

quote:

I was really trying not to show disrespect with my post.

Same here. You brought up some good points.
I forgot about the Beaver dam. It's just a little deep.

Redbone, sounds like you got it figured out pretty well. But don't count on the cell phone. I think the only coverage is on the front porch of the store in Pitkin. He has a cell booster.

I've got a call in to Tim.
You're right, great show.

I have Verizon, The Silver Plume in Pitkin as mentioned. Only other places I had service was Top of Aspen (a little ways past Taylor Pass), although I didn't try it up on top of the trail to Aspen, it might work there. Sky was dark and headed for the trees. Also the false summit or end of the trail for Mount Antero.

I seen others on Flag Mtn and Cumberland pass talking on there phones, or they had withdrawals and were talking to themselves, I had no service at those places.

There are very few places with cell service in the area. As was mentioned, the front porch of the Silver Plume has a cell booster antenna and it works great. I have never had service at the top of Cumberland Pass, but just a couple miles to the west at the parking area for Fairview Peak had service. I never thought of trying from up on Duncan Hill.

I look at a cell as a nec. evil. My son however is going to go crazy as he is texting all the time. I am not telling him as he may not come.
Thanks to all for the info..Just can't wait to get started on the trip.

The little quads, 90cc etc., are a lot like trying to ride an untamed goat in the mountains. The wheelbase doesn't match the trails and most of them don't have real suspension. Every excursion we have made outside of the campsite with one of the grandkids on a 90 has meant someone else bringing the 90 back to camp and the kid riding with an adult the remainder of the day. On one occasion we had to winch the 90 out of a tree about 8 feet off the downhill side of the trail. You had to see it to believe it. Fortunately, the rider was scared and impressed, but not hurt.

I think riding two-up on a quad is safer than trying to herd one of the miniature atvs on a mountain trail.

And no matter how many people are on the quad, each and every one should be wearing a helmet!

John,
Just as a note, I am going to take the phone number for the General Store in Tincup just in case something happens on the way out there.
I will leave you a message with them. Hope you have a safe trip out and see you Wednesday at 10am June (24). Looking forward to meeting you and riding.

Will be looking forward to it. You have a safe trip also.