Colorado High Country assembles in Boulder, home of the University of Colorado and training base of many of the worldโs top competitive cyclists and runners. Weโll get a taste of one of Boulderโs great training rides onย Day 2 as we climb through South St. Vrain Canyon from Lyons to its junction with Peak-to-Peak Highway near Allenspark.ย Weโll ride the beautiful Peak-to-Peak to Estes Park, where weโll spend our next evening. Rocky Mountain Park and Trail Ridge Road will command our attention for much of Day 3. We believe that Trail Ridge reigns as the premier alpine experience in North America. From the summit of Trail Ridge, at 12,183 feet, we actually descend well over 1,000 feet to reach the Continental Divide at Milner Pass (10,756′). Weโll continue on to Grand Lake and a night at the Gateway Lodge. Onย Day 4ย we head into the remote reaches of North Park with a mellow ride over gentle Willow Creek Pass (9,683′).
Following an overnight in Walden,ย Day 5 will have a gentle climb to Muddy Pass (8,722′), and perhaps not so gentle to the Continental Divide atop Rabbit Ears (9,426′), before descending into the Yampa Valley and Steamboat Springs. Weโll spend the next two evenings in Steamboat Springs, with its inviting pool and quiet setting near the slopes of Mt. Werner.
Day 6ย is a layover day and there will be options of a road ride, a hot springs trip or some hiking in the beautiful Mount Zirkel Wilderness. The hiking destination is Gilpin Lake, an 8-mile round-trip hike, with a stop for a soak in the natural hot springs at Strawberry Park on our way back to Steamboat.
Day 7ย promises to be our most challenging. Weโll trace the course of the Yampa south of Steamboat through an area that poignantly expresses the vast, rugged expanse that is Colorado. If you are anxious to get to the hot tub and happy hour in Vail, a van shuttle will be available in Wolcott to take you the last 20 miles. Then we will get to enjoy a fabulous dinner and evening in the famous ski town of Vail. We will enjoy a second layover day in Vail with exciting hiking, road and mountain cycling, or even shopping options.
Itโs back on the bikes onย Day 9 when weโll ride the off-road paved trails to the Continental Divide at Vail Pass (10,666′), down to Copper Mountain, and on to Breckenridge. Weโll arrive in Breckenridge early-afternoon with ample opportunity to explore this lively resort community. The adventure continues on Day 10, past Keystone Resort and a final visit to the Continental Divide atop Loveland Pass (11,992′). The road to Lovelandโs summit, virtually abandoned by motor vehicle traffic thanks to I-70 and the Eisenhower Tunnel, is a cyclistโs fantasy. Itโs downhill to Georgetown from Lovelandโs above-timberline summit for our final evening in this quaint 19th-century Victorian village.
Our descent along Clear Creek continues early on our final day, but we canโt resist one more adventure. Just up the road from Idaho Springs, lurks mighty Mt. Evans (14,260′). Our route continues on its flanks to the beautiful Echo Lake at about 10,000′, cresting at Mestaa’ฤhehe Pass, and then it is downhill all the way to Bergen Park, where weโll call it a tour and van shuttle back to Denver.
