MTB Touring Out West

[jh504]

I am from the East and havn't spent much time out West. I am thinking of doing a week long trip the first of September but I can't narrow down my options (there are so many!). I am looking for a place with an airport I can fly into, bike in hand, and head out for a multi-day MTB/camping trip to see some great sights. I need some suggestions on areas and routes from you guys with experience. I am thinking a high elevation, alpine environment that will be a little bit of a change from the smokys that I am used to. I was originally considering flying into Anchorage and heading out to Chugach State Park, but being that the trip will be in September I don't want to spend a week in the rain. Thanks for any help!

[dieselcruiserhead]

Gunnison Colorado would be another one too... (about 30 minutes from Crested Butte). You might have to take the shuttle up to Crested Butte but given those options that is what I would do. Even in September, factor in heat particularly during the day. Unfortunately why I would avoid a desert location...

[dnellans]

If you've never been out west, I would second gunnison as a great place to start. You can easily ride from gunnison up to crested butte (on the road/side of the road) and from there you can do the pass over to aspen in a single day or take your time and do several. crested butte is a great place to home base out of and do single to multi day tours. watch out, the passes could start having snow again by september if you are at high elevations

[jh504]

Crested Butte looks pretty promising, when do the rains usually start out there?
I was also looking at flying into Jackson, WY. I would have good access to the Grand Tetons from there.

[dieselcruiserhead]

Not a lot of riding up there though, long road tours but not endless MTB riding tours like in Southest Colorado... I'm sure you saw this link (third time I posted it) http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=410393 In fact I would even repeat the route if possible. Even around here with hundreds of miles of single track you couldn't repeat the courses these guys have done. That AZ route looks good to, but again, the heat...

[jh504]

Not a lot of riding up there though, long road tours but not endless MTB riding tours like in Southest Colorado... I'm sure you saw this link (third time I posted it) http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=410393 In fact I would even repeat the route if possible. Even around here with hundreds of miles of single track you couldn't repeat the courses these guys have done. That AZ route looks good to, but again, the heat...

I have read that link you posted, that was an awsome trek. Some of those routes would probably work. Is there any singletrack from Gunnison to Crested Butte, or would it have to be roadside? I could work out some sort of a circle like Gunnison->Crested Butte->Aspen-> and then loop back around to Gunnison for the flight out. I will start trying to piece together some trails that would work that way. If anyone has any suggestions, scenery wise, that would work in that route I am all ears.

[Flounder]

Patching together continuous multi-day loops in the Rockies is actually kind of tricky. Locating the trails is a snap, but some of those trails are serious hike-a-bike slogs. We're talking hike-a-bike for several hours. I did a loop near Silverton, Co that involved one 5 hour bike hike. Sucked. In your research, make sure you locate ride worthy trails.

Crested Butte, Durango and Vail might be worth looking into. Flights into Durango and Vail are pretty easy to negotiate.

Arizona is hotter than blazes in September. Central Colorado will bring possible bad weather. Southern Colorado might be a little less prone to early fall storms.

I'd look into Durango. That way if the weather gets ugly, you can stay at a campground and do amazing satellite rides every day.

[jh504]

Patching together continuous multi-day loops in the Rockies is actually kind of tricky. Locating the trails is a snap, but some of those trails are serious hike-a-bike slogs. We're talking hike-a-bike for several hours. I did a loop near Silverton, Co that involved one 5 hour bike hike. Sucked. In your research, make sure you locate ride worthy trails.

Crested Butte, Durango and Vail might be worth looking into. Flights into Durango and Vail are pretty easy to negotiate.

Arizona is hotter than blazes in September. Central Colorado will bring possible bad weather. Southern Colorado might be a little less prone to early fall storms.

I'd look into Durango. That way if the weather gets ugly, you can stay at a campground and do amazing satellite rides every day.

Thanks for the info. Durango-> Silverton-> Telluride, looks pretty hardcore with some valleys to follow if things got hairy

[Flounder]

Thanks for the info. Durango-> Silverton-> Telluride, looks pretty hardcore with some valleys to follow if things got hairy
Keep in mind, any time you see these forum postings of singletrack touring, there are often long sections of connectors on jeep roads or pavement. There isn't a true Durango/Silverton/Telluride loop that would be even 50% singletrack. That holds true for much of the Rockies.

Lastly, don't forget about Wilderness Areas, which are no-bikey. In those areas, you are definately confined to roads. I think walking with a bike on your back is asking for trouble.

Okay...I lied....Now that I think about it, there is a realatively nice loop possibility to do Durango/Silverton/Telluride/Durango. You'd hit a couple nice jeep roads and get in some killer singletrack near Durango. You might end up doing 30-40 miles of pavement but it would make for a pretty sweet 4-5 day romp.

And....if you were so inclined I could show you where my 5 hour hike-a-bike is near Silverton. :)

[jh504]

Keep in mind, any time you see these forum postings of singletrack touring, there are often long sections of connectors on jeep roads or pavement. There isn't a true Durango/Silverton/Telluride loop that would be even 50% singletrack. That holds true for much of the Rockies.

Lastly, don't forget about Wilderness Areas, which are no-bikey. In those areas, you are definately confined to roads. I think walking with a bike on your back is asking for trouble.

Okay...I lied....Now that I think about it, there is a realatively nice loop possibility to do Durango/Silverton/Telluride/Durango. You'd hit a couple nice jeep roads and get in some killer singletrack near Durango. You might end up doing 30-40 miles of pavement but it would make for a pretty sweet 4-5 day romp.

And....if you were so inclined I could show you where my 5 hour hike-a-bike is near Silverton. :)

That sounds good, I don't mind patching things together with jeep roads. I am used to that around here. I'm sure NC is much worse than CO as far as being chopped up.

I am up for anything on this trip as long as I'm seeing things that will make me jealous of all you westerners.

[Flounder]

To spit ball some ideas, you can depart Durango and ride up HWY 550 to Lime Creek(dirt road). That will allow you access to Molas Pass. From there.....boop...20 minute paved screamer to Silverton. Once in Silverton, you have options to access Telluride via a couple routes that skirt Lizard Head Wilderness. I'm thinking about doing a route by Hope and Trout lakes west of Silverton off Mineral Creek, but that could very well be another 5 hour hike a bike slog. The no brainer is Ophir Pass which would be a lung cruncher, but fun. I"ve done that on my single speed with no problem. From there, there are options to Telluride that all require backtrack. Maybe skip To-hell-you-ride.

On the return trip, you could work your way up Barlow Creek or some of the lesser used roads and trails. Very likely a mix of pavement, service road and "I wanna hang myself hike-a-bike." Primary target is Bolam Pass and the drop into Durango Ski area aka Purgatory. From there you get to ride Hermosa Creek back to D-town.

Lots of options there. The scope of the Rockies will clobber your brain. For example, I've ridden Durango to Silverton as part of the Iron Horse Road Race in a time under 2 hours and 27 minutes. That's 50 paved miles and 2 passes over treeline. On the flip side, I've labored for 5 hours hauling my bike on my shoulder to cover 3.5 miles at a gain of 4,000ft.

Who knows...maybe I'll see you there. I'll be in Durango for a similar trip most likely in early September.

[Flounder]

Oooooo.....I had an idea...There is a trail from just west of Engineer Mountain by Purgatory Ski Area that you might be able to use to access the awesome meadow along Mineral Creek.

Look on a map for Cascade Creek, Engineer Creek, Engineer Mountain, South Park, Mineral Creek, Bandora Mine and Jura Knob. The trail off of the pass up there would be accessible from the south and drop you down a very nice trail to Mineral Creek and awesome camping. You could go DOWN that trail with minimal headache.

I think I'm going to do that!!!!

[jh504]

I will check on those trails and see what I can do. Thanks a lot for the ideas. I am not 100% on what dates I will be there, it will be a solid week in Sept sometime. I am leaning more toward the first to the middle of the month.

Does anyone else have any input on this area? What about wasatch trail, anyone hit that one?

[DirtyDog]

My vote would be for Crested Butte first, Durango/Telluride second. I've ridden MTB's for over 20 years and I've been all over the place and Crested Butte is my favorite, no contest.

[calamaridog]

September will be real hot some places still, so that narrows down your choices quite a bit.

[ccrider]

Gunnison has a very clean KOA camp near the local riding area. Shuttles run to CB and Salida both of which have sweet aspen / alpine single track.
Keep in mind the end of August the high country returns to freezing temps at night.
Flying into Grand Junction or Montrose will shave money from flights.

[mtn-high]

A few thoughts:

You may need time to acclimate/adjust to the altitude. As sweet as it sounds...I would caution against a route that popped you off the plane and had you spinning to a high-altitude trail/pass immediately. As a 25 year resident in Ski Country..i've had numerous friends arrive to ski only to soon be in a heap with headache/nausea and worse due to pushing it to hard/coming up too fast in altitude from the lowlands...alcohol consumption... physical exertion too soon after arrival/etc. If this happens I guarantee you that riding a bike will be out of the question.

September weather can go both ways but exteneded cold/snow isn't the norm. Days are often warm and nights, *crisp*. Frost usually arrives the first week or so of the month..especially above 10K.

Crested Butte is a mountain biking heaven, for sure. You do, however, take a chance *if* the weather were to turn off cold/wet....and there isn't any low ground for miles if that were to happen to bail out to without a long ride West.

I've vote Durango...maybe Moab. While it will be hotter in moab..the 4000ft elevation is less likely to have a negative effect...and in this area there's everything from the "slickrock trail" to the Manti-La-Sal forest where you can traverse from the desert to a high-alpine environment @ 11K or so with a view that will knock your socks off.

Another place fast gaining popularity is Fruita..near Grand Junction. Koekepelli trail...

Durango is higher....but you could head south there if the weather closed in on the peaks or the altitude proves too much/etc.

look for local links...bike shops//etc...some of which will have local trail info/etc.

good luck!

[jh504]

Thanks all, altitude sickness has been in the back of my mind. I have been thinking of going to GSMNP before I leave and spend some time in the 5,000ft air. I will definitley be focused on slow ascents and descents when I get out west. I have been in high altitude areas before (Denali NP) and have not ever had any trouble. But I will e'r on the side of caution.

[Flounder]

I find sleeping one night at altitude helps me tremendously.

I am lucky though, living in Tucson I have 8000' mountain in my back yard. I go there just about every weekend to hike or bike, to prep me for Colorado.


Those short romps up to 8,000ft don't actually aid in your acclimation, but they do help bolster your aerobic efficiency. Most likely, those trips up to 8,000ft reap positive gains with increasing your Vo2Max. If you're riding and hiking, it can also help improve your lactate threshold level a teeny bit. This is all part of the train high, sleep low method replicated by altitude tents.

True acclimation takes anywhere from 5 to 9 weeks and comes from sleeping at high elevations. Everyone is different. I do great on day one. Day two blows.

There's a product called EPnO that helps build good blood health. Paired with a highly aerobic preperation period prior to your trip, it can help with your aerobic efficiency enough to stave off some altitude woes.

[Twenty-niner]

It took me a year to start feeling good on the bike here in Preskit.

[Bad Voodoo]

Be a shame if you came all the way out here and limited yourself to CO. Yeah, yeah, CO is great and all, but depending on what kind of riding you do, you should come ALL the way out west, and do Santa Cruz, Marin, and/or Tahoe. You'll be kicking yourself for not carving out an entire month to ride once you experience Norcal! ;)

http://ogrehut.com/

C'mon, you know you want to:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=434457

[Flounder]

It took me a year to start feeling good on the bike here in Preskit.
But you sure make'er go now, don't you! Good ride at G-mountain wasn't it?

[Twenty-niner]

But you sure make'er go now, don't you! Good ride at G-mountain wasn't it?

That ride was incredible. Eddie said it best: "majestic." We don't get many of those days here in C. Arizona.

That one may just prove to be my favorite ride of 2008, when all is said and done. The excellent singletrack of Arizona combined with the ethereal weather of the Tongass.

:elkgrin: