Colorado trip. What to bring?

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    • #202006

      Hey! Ive been mtbiking for the last 4 years in WI. Im planning a solo trip this summer to CO and plan to sample all that the mountains have to offer. Ill be driving and bringing along my road bike as well. Going to stay at hostels some nights and camp others. What should I do to prepare for this? Im not really worried about training, I do that anyway, Im more interested in the gear I should be bringing for some high altitude fun.

    • #202011

      Hey Cyclosaur,

      What exactly are you qualifying as “summer”? First tip for riding here in the Rockies of Colorado is that the true high alpine trails won’t be accessible until early July at the earliest.

      As for gear, here’s an overview of what you should bring above and beyond the usual:

      -Rain Jacket – we have afternoon thunderstorms most days around 1pm in the high alpine. Plan to be done with your ride before then, but prepare for the worst.

      -Warm layers – just in case. It’s pretty common to get some snow and hail in the high alpine when those thunderstorms roll in.

      -Spare parts for bike

      -Plenty of water storage for your ride

      -Sunscreen and chapstick with sunscreen in it

      -Extra mountain bike, if you have it. It’s always nice to have a spare on hand for a big trip in case something catastrophic happens to your main rig.

      What not to bring:

      -Road bike

      Seriously, unless you’re really stoked on riding road, you should just bring your mountain bike–there’s a lifetime of mountain biking in Colorado, and you’ll barely be able to scratch the surface of it, even if you’re not pedaling pavement.

    • #202012

      Bring warmth.  It can get pretty cold at altitude.  I have camped in temps in the low 20s in August.  You probably won’t be camping at 12,000 feet like I was, but even at 8 or 9,000 feet, it gets chilly at night.

      Bring layers.  Temps can change rapidly, as can the entire weather picture.  A 30 degree morning can quickly turn into a 70 degree afternoon.  It is important to be able to adjust with the conditions.  I have done rides and hikes where I encountered brilliant, warm sunshine, rain, hail, and snow all within the space of a few hours.

      Bring something that makes it easy to keep water.  While the mountains can be cool, the thin air facilitates dehydration.  Drink more than you think you should.  If you plan on doing any long backcountry rides, a water filter or steri pen is a must.

      If planning any above high alpine rides, be sure to do them early as lightning is almost guaranteed in the afternoon.  Getting caught above treeline in a lightning storm is a recipe for disaster.

      Training should help, but there isn’t always a correlation between fitness and ability to handle altitude.  Some people come from sea level and rock the place, but some others, even very fit ones, have difficulty.  Pay attention to what your body is telling you.  If you’re spending some time, do some lower level rides (6 -8,000 ft) to facilitate acclimatization before going after the high alpine.

      Make sure your bike is in excellent mechanical condition and bring whatever tools and spare parts you are comfortable using/repairing yourself.  The trails you ride are likely to be more abusive than what you’re used to in WI and local shops can’t always turn a bike around overnight.  Spare chain links and a spare derailleur hanger can come in handy.

      Bring a camera.  You will see amazing things!

      edit:  let me reinforce two things Greg said.
      1.  Sunscreen!  The UV rays at altitude are vicious.  You can get positively torched on a cool, and even on a cloudy day.
      2.  Don’t bother to bring the road bike.  Most of Colorado’s attractive roads have little to no shoulder and local drivers have little if any consideration for cyclists.  You will have no more fun road riding here than you would in rural Wisconsin, probably less.

    • #202023

      Thanks for the tips! I suppose Ill leave the road bike at home. I should be sampling most of the front range and I wanted to climb Pikes Peak when I get around there. The old motorhead in me wanted to make the climb on a roadbike, but I could just mash it in the car to get it out of my system.

      I planned on starting off in Denver and then following the range a little further south than CO Springs. I dont have a route or anything set in stone and Ill be out there for 16 days. Since I’m car camping, do you have any suggestions of a route to take/places to visit? Id like to sample the best, never been to CO before.

      Any Non Mtb suggestions for the trip?

    • #202041

      As for route, I would recommend spending as little time on the Front Range as possible–too many people, and even the best trails aren’t as good as those you’ll find up high in the real mountains, in the desert on the Western Slope, etc.

      Here’s a great article that Michael Paul wrote about a short whirlwind CO road trip. You could easily use this as your basic outline and then flesh it out with more riding and a couple more stops:

      The Perfect Colorado Whirlwind Road Trip

    • #202094

      Hey i made a recent video on some key things before going mountain biking It might answer 1 of your questions if it doesn’t mind you please check it out.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=je9cnfWdOek

    • #202119

      Hydrate baby hydrate!  Biggest mistake visitors to Colorado make isn’t not bring enough protection from the elements, it’s not drinking enough water.  Our summers can occassionally get chilly, but not as often as people think- this does not mean come unprepared, but most visitors struggle with our dry climate.  It can be dificult to drink enough water on the trail to keep up with your needs even when you’re staying on top of it.  Tons of fluids the night before and just before heading out- if your conditioning is an issue this will prove even more important.

      Can’t believe I’m going to have to disagree with Greg H., but…  I would not avoid the Front Range, too many great trails in close proximity to each other.  Nothing compares to areas like Crested Butte, but do you want to spend your time driving all over the state or riding.  Hit some of the classic high alpine trails, but base yourself in a Front Range city.  The Buffalo Creek area, even made better with the addition of Little Scraggy, all of Colorado Springs, Canon City area with Oil Well Flats and Hogbacks- especially if it’s early season, Hall Ranch, Curt Gowdy, the list goes on and on.  Can you make a great loop of this state and hit nothing but classic high alpine trails?  Yes, but you’ll put days of driving into it.  Split the time between Front Range and hit places Like Crested Butte, Salida, Vail and Breckenridge which are only 2-4 hours from the where you are staying.

       

    • #202120

      Colrado Springs is the the best “Big City” on the Front Range to hit a variety of trails and have great local trails at the same time- cheaper than Denver to stay.  Yes, I’m bias.

    • #202122

      I share Gdb49s bias — which is why I wrote this series:

      Riding the Springs, Part 1: Palmer Park

      Riding the Springs, Part 2: The Other Major Parks: Ute Valley and Cheyenne Mountain

      Riding the Springs, Part 3: The Southwest Complex

      There is camping at Cheyenne Mountain State Park

       

      If you’re looking to do the “best,” then the Monarch Crest is an absolute must.  The one classic front range omission from Michael’s article is Buffalo Creek.  Buffalo Creek allows dispersed camping and you should have no trouble finding a spot if you go on a weekday.  Bring water as most camping spots aren’t near the creek.   In the northern Front Range, there is tons of great mountain riding in the whole Sourdough/South St Vrain/Buchanan Pass area.

      As for non-MTB things, it would be helpful to know what you like to do.  Colorado has most anything any other place has.  What it has that is unique is the mountains, which you will get to enjoy from the seat of your bike.  There is also world class hiking/backpacking.  You can make the trip to the top of Pikes Peak (by foot, car, train or even bike, but it’s a lot more fun to just go down on the bike):

      Shuttling Pikes Peak: Descending An Iconic Colorado 14er on Mountain Bikes

       

       

       

    • #202257

      You are most likely already bringing this, but I will stress it anyways, as not having this item on a Colorado trip would be a crime. Bring a camera, and preferably a good one. You’ll be experiencing some of the best scenery anywhere, and you’ll most likely want to capture it. Just making sure!

    • #202329

      Also from Wisconsin, we go almost every summer out to CO.  My tips:

      -While you can, knock off some bucket list trails.  Monarch Crest, The 401, Buffalo Creek, etc.

      -Bring some money.  While you’re going to be dirtbagging it mostly, having a local brew and food after an epic day is pretty much a must.   Each town out there has some of my favorite eats anywhere, it’s a world class casual eating destination.  If you’re near Breck, hit Broken Compass brewing for a Coconut Porter.  It’s the best porter I’ve had anywhere.

      -Climb a 14er on your feet.  Mountain biking is cool.  But being above 14k feet with no roads is surreal.  The scenery up that high is beyond amazing and most trailheads have free camping.

      -Road bike not required, but you can definitely bring one and try climbing Mt Evans or Pikes Peak.  Or doing one of the fondo events out that way if they coincide with your schedule.  Or to just ride a high mountain pass.  But mountain bike is king!

      -Hydrate.  A lot.  It feels cool but the elevation and thin air make you dehydrated!

      -Lift Ride.  Because the biggest lift in Wisconsin for mountain biking is 150ft.

       

    • #202353

      How much does a rental generally cost at a DH place? Ive never been and I’m not sure my XC oriented X-cal wouldnt fare too well.

    • #202359

      Oh! And how about good camping/hostel spots? The only website Im really aware of is AirBnb

    • #202601

      Colorado in the summer. Bring sun block and an umbrella. Shorts, tee shirts, and a down parka. A brimmed hat for the sun and a wool hat for the cold. A campfire guitar is always welcome. Sounds like a good trip.

    • #202605

      DH rentals- If you do a package, lift, bike gear, and guide (skip the guide) it is very reasonable.  They are trying to make you fall in love with DH- and you will!  Go on their websites.  Winter Park, Keystone, Granby Ranch, Crested Butte, and Snowmass are the main ones in Colorado.  You need more than just a bike to experience some of these places.  Snowmass is cool with a trail bike, but you will not be dropping into the best Colorado has to offer without a true DH bike, full face helmet, and body armor.  Camping $6-$17 per night for tent sites.

      The true secret to riding in Colorado is WEEKDAYS- plan other events that you want to do out here for the weekends and ride M-F.

    • #202606
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