VAIL'S #1
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Adventure Cycling in the High Country
By Jane Stebbins
In the Colorado Rockies, biking reigns supreme.
Be it road, mountain or recumbent bike — or even the old single-speed Schwinn buried under a lifetime’s worth of stuff in the garage — the sport offers something for everyone. Tens of millions of Americans ride bikes on a regular basis. And when they arrive in Colorado, the urge to hit the road, the path or the trail is, for many, too much to pass up. They’ve come to the right place.
“It’s the diversity,” said Chris Hart, co-owner of Great Adventure Sports in Breckenridge. “If you’re a road biker, you can ride in some really neat places, and there are off-road opportunities for cyclists of all abilities. In many areas, there are miles of paved bike paths, and almost all the resorts now offer lift-served trails for the downhillers. There are all sorts of ways the whole family can enjoy biking in the mountains.”
Summit County alone offers more than 55 miles of paved bikeways that meander along the Blue River north to Lake Dillon, through the woods to Frisco and branch from there through the lodgepole pine forest — in the early summer, be sure to check out the osprey nesting on Sentinel Island — along the lake or up (and up) along the edge of Tenmile Creek to the summit of Vail Pass. From Frisco, cyclists can cross the Dillon Dam to the town of Dillon, and take off around the lake towards Keystone Ski Resort. The next stretch of bike path there will be over Swan Mountain Road, from Farmer’s Korner to Sapphire Point to Keystone, completing a full circle around the 26-mile lake.
Just west of Summit County is Eagle County, where there is an equally wide array of bicycling opportunities. Summit County’s bike path merges at the summit of Vail Pass with another path that winds down to the ski town of
Vail.
An increasingly popular and incredibly scenic bike path wends its way through Glenwood Canyon, where bicyclists are surrounded by sheer, towering walls. The Colorado River carved its way through here eons ago, leaving in its wake a narrow valley. The 17-mile path between Dotsero and Glenwood Springs not only features breathtaking views of the geology, but also serves as a great jumping-off point for other trails.
The most popular of these is Hanging Lake, a vigorous 1.5-mile hike to a crystal-clear lake whose waters are supplied by a melted snowfall cascading over the rock walls above. Parents with children in tow will enjoy the path for its relative ease — and the four rest areas along the way. Coal and passenger trains that groan slowly through the valley are another source of awe for the younger set
The High Country pathways are most often used by road bikers on mountain bikes (hey, you never know when you might want to get a little crazy). Others are seen on recumbent bikes that allow people to pedal feet first and low to the ground. Many cart their children behind them in enclosed trailers or trail-a-bike. On occasion, a bicycle built for two is seen cruising down the path.
Yeee-haw!
Others choose trails far less traveled.
Popular trails throughout the Rocky Mountains were, in many cases, originally flumes, through which water was supplied to mining camps to help separate worthless rock from gold ore. They now provide an easy avenue by which bicyclists can access historic sites.
Some locales offer superb wildlife viewing, including the Three Forks Trail near Rifle. The trail follows the creek, crossing beaver ponds at numerous intervals. Spruce and aspen line the trail, which eventually leads to views of the East Rifle Creek drainage.
Closer to Vail, the Deep Lake/Heart Lake road leads riders through wildflower meadows as it follows the shores of the lakes. The Ute Indians camped at Deep Lake in the early 1880s. President Teddy Roosevelt followed 100 years later, as did pioneers who relaxed at a hotel in the area in the late 1800s.
In Minturn, south of Vail, is a difficult trail meandering from Camp Hale to Kokomo Pass. The 10th Mountain Division — soldiers on skis — trained here for winter warfare in Italy during World War II. The trail generally travels east from the camp to Kokomo Pass at elevations exceeding 12,000 feet.
Extreme
Then there are cyclists who like the extreme. They’re not looking for quality time with their families. They eschew the smooth pavement of bike paths. Their goal isn’t to admire scenery or take in the crisp mountain air — unless it’s in lung-ripping gulps. They want steep — and steeper. The rockier, the better.
The mountains in these parts were named the Rockies for a reason, and the challenge awaits those looking for a rock-hopping adventure through the woods.
Firebox Park Loop, near Eagle, starts with a 4.5-mile climb — with only one downhill slope. It travels through aspen groves and lodgepole pine forests through which inspiring views can be glimpsed along the way. Once the uphill portion is done, the terrain changes. Soft soil alternates with intermittent streams, bush and hills — the last of which is a 34 percent grade on a loose road base
A difficult trail in the Aspen area is the 5.5-mile Express Creek Road to Taylor Pass. From here, spectacular views of Taylor Lake, Castle Creek Valley and surrounding peaks keep bikers’ minds off the task at hand, grinding 2,506 feet to an elevation of 11,928 feet. Among the most popular trails is the one to Crystal, an old mining town near Aspen. The Dead Horse Mill, a historical landmark, hangs precipitously over the Crystal River. The mill, one of the most photographed sites in the state, is on private property, but visible from public trails. The trail is narrow, steep and rocky, but well worth the effort.
The locals often take to the road for exercise or a way of getting away from the bustle of town. Visitors to the High Country long ago learned that biking is a great way to see the sights in the cool, thin air. Oh, about that air: You are, as the locals say, “at altitude.” If the views don’t, the thin air will take your breath away. But the sights — lakes, wildlife, historic mining sites, glacier-carved canyons, expansive wildflower-dotted meadows — are usually enough to get your mind off the elevations, which range from the low valleys at 5,700 feet to the snow-capped peaks that exceed 14,000 feet.
Racing
While many opt for single-track, others head for the ultimate in competition.
Races, many of which are open to the public, include Montezuma’s Revenge, said to be the world’s most extreme 24-hour race. The course takes riders over 12,000-foot above-timberline mountain peaks, past abandoned mining camps, along creeks and a glacier ridge on the Continental Divide.
There’s Hell in the High Country, a NORBA-sanctioned off-road race in Summit County, the 100-mile and 100-kilometer Ultra 100 Mountain Bike races in Vail and an all-dirt Ultra race in Glenwood Springs in which racers gain 7,000 feet elevation in 50 miles. Additionally, there is the Fat Tire Poker Ride in Breckenridge that awards riders for their fastest times and best poker hands, NORBA-sanctioned races through the backcountry, multi-sport races that include swimming and running, and professional competition like the Saturn Cycling Classic, said to be the most challenging bike race in the state.
The Classic is a 140-mile race from Boulder to Breckenridge in which cyclists gain — and lose — thousands of feet in elevation over seven mountain passes, including one near Idaho Springs called Oh My God Road. Flat tires and broken spokes don’t get these athletes down. If a bike has a problem, the cyclist drops back and hugs alongside their race van, while another bike is passed through the doors. Snow, rain, high wind and intense high-altitude sunlight… These elite racers see it all.
Help When You Need It
Throughout the High Country, there are cycling clubs, some of which host sunset rides — this is a great way for visitors to catch a glimpse of an area from a locals’ perspective — and others that help rebuild eroded trails.
Those looking to improve their own skills need look no further than most mountain bike shops. Clinics vary widely, ranging from women’s’ classes to basic bike maintenance and advance rock-hopping courses taught by local racing professionals.
Local bike shop personnel know the sport and eagerly dispense advice or get a disabled bike back on the road again. Most shops also sell maps and guide books to help people get to the trails.
Jane Stebbins is a reporter for the Summit Daily News in the High Country of Colorado, where she bikes, rows, skis and hikes. She lives in Breckenridge with her husband, John, and daughter, Erin.
Aspen and Snowmass
