Ping Denver area forumites: Mt Evans

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  1. Orange Crush

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    Some plans for next summer are starting to settle in. Just got word that Italian in-laws (which we visited this year) will be coming out to Canada next summer, first for a week in BC for some outdoor fun, before all of us head out to Ontario to meet rest of family and get fattened up by Nonna.

    I want to take a little side trip either on way into ON or way back to BC to satisfy my craving to ride up Mt Evans. The plan:

    Day 1: Arrive Denver, head out to Boulder, rent a bike and ride out to Idaho Springs. Small day pack with civilian outfit will have to come along.

    Day 2: Mt Evans

    Day 3: Idaho Springs return to Boulder.

    Boulder seems like a good place to start as there are several places that rent bikes.

    Couple questions:
    1. Are there good routes from Boulder to Idaho Springs? Ie better than simply following the 119?
    2. Are there easy routes back that would allow me to compress Day 2+3 into one day?
    3. Any better starting place than Boulder for good routes? I will need to rent a bike somewhere, that's a constraint!
    4. Conditions wise (snow up high) is there any difference to be expected between late June or mid-July?

    For now I just want to get an idea of how many days this will take before the mrs starts buying tickets for all (free miles!). Details will be filled in later.

    Cheers and thanks for the input!

    The wise man said follow me...and he walked behind.
    Posted 6 months ago

  2. Orange Crush

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    Speaking of Italy, aahhh flashback

    http://forums.competitor.com/topic/13943

    Posted 6 months ago

  3. bodynazi

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    Orange. Peak to peak dumps you into I.S. you can also get there via Evergreen, however getting to Evergreen from Boulder is a bit of an effort.. Need to get to Golden then Morrison then up.. Fair amount o traffic.

    I.S. straight north on P2P is the easiest way back to Boulder.

    Vail/Copper/Frisco is a good place to stay if you want to ride the 'copper triangle' loop.

    Later is typically warmer for Evans.

    If you ride either a 60 or a 50 I can hook you up w a bike and skip rental. (I'm tall-ish and wife is 5' 3" so no in between sizes)

    Posted 6 months ago

  4. Inferno7

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    Boulder, Denver to Idaho Springs is a difficult ride. I actually just drove through there an hour and a half ago. From Golden you would have to take Hwy 6 and bikes are not allowed on it through Clear Creek Canyon. (Hwy 6 to 119)

    It might be better to drive to IDaho Springs and ride Mt.Evans, the pic some rides around the Boulder/Denver/Golden area the other days.

    LeMond VO2 max 95, Armstrong 82....doh
    Posted 6 months ago

  5. Orange Crush

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    Thanks guys. BN - I am right between those two measures so won't work.

    Sounds like Lefthand Canyon Road to Ward, then P2P may be way to get to Idaho Springs and avoid traffic.

    But Copper Triangle sounds like potentially time much better spent. Evans to warm up, then Copper Triangle, or the other way around?

    I'll have to give this some more think.

    Posted 6 months ago

  6. rnddude

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    Left hand/Ward/P2P is a beautiful ride, but a bit narrow, be careful.

    "To be free and to live a free life - that is the most beautiful thing there is."
    Miguel Indurain
    Posted 6 months ago

  7. Cosmic Kid

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    It has been a while since I lived there, but couldn't you go down to Golden (lots of options to get there, including one going over "The Wall" on Morgul-Bismark), head up Lookout Mountain and then continue on 40 through Evergreen and into Idaho Springs?

    IIRC, there is a brief section on I-70 between Lookout and Evergreen, but it is a very wide shoulder and I never had any issues riding it.

    Just say "NO!!" to WCP!

    "Want to get faster? Work harder, eat better, cut the crap. Instead of talking the talk, work the work"
    Posted 6 months ago

  8. Orange Crush

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    Lookout, isn't that where you flatted on your last trip there? Either way sounds like there's options and I'll need to spend at least 3 days in area. That's all I need to know for now. Cheers.

    Posted 6 months ago

  9. mahoba

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    Boulder to Idaho Springs is a pretty tough ride, particularly starting Left Hand to Ward. Very scenic though.

    Another good spot to start would be Breckenridge/Keystone/Frisco areas. You can ride over Loveland Pass and descend all the way to Idaho Springs. The East side is a bike path from Loveland ski area to Bakerville. Then its the old Highway 6 all the way in. You'll have virtually no traffic on weekdays on the entire route. If you are feeling strong add Evans on to this day. The downhill from the top of Loveland Pass will give you a very long rest before you start climbing again. Don't ride Evans on a weekend if you can help it. Gapers everywhere.

    I can hook you up with a 56 cm if you need a bike.

    Posted 6 months ago

  10. Clydesdale

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    I live nearby and ride Evans regularly and I agree with the other comments about starting in the mountains versus the front range. Starting in the mountains avoids narrow roads and traffic. If you do start on the front range then I would suggest starting in Golden. You can rent a bike from a few shops there, one of which is bigringcycles.com. They have bikes to rent in the summer. You can literally leave the Big Ring shop and head up the road to Lookout Mountain road which is a great ride, and then you can either continue to Idaho Springs along the HWY 40 (frontage road to 1-70) or take another route to Evergreen Parkway and the opposite side of Highway 103 (Hwy 103 is the pass that runs between Idaho Springs and Evergreen with the entrance to Evans at the top of Hwy 103). The Evergreen side is slightly longer to the entrance to Evans but with arguably better views. Finally, regarding your schedule keep in mind the Triple Bypass is scheduled for 7/13-7/14, 2013. The Mt. Evans Hillclimb is not yet set but usually follows the Triple so likely 7/20/13. See Bicyclerace.com. You may wish to consider riding the Evans Hillclimb as it is a great event and they block of car traffic to the top which makes it a more pleasant ride. Good luck!

    Posted 6 months ago

  11. Cosmic Kid

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    Technically, I was on my way TO Lookout Mountain. I was still in Wheat Ridge when I flatted.

    ;-)

    Posted 6 months ago

  12. BikeCzar

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    Sounds like you're trying to do this sans vehicle. Admirable. You might consider Boulder to Estes Park. You can take a variety of routes up to Peak to Peak highway and then over to Estes. Then, overnight in Estes. Then, Trail Ridge the following day and all the way back to Boulder. The accommodations in Estes are far better and it is a stunning ride on bicycle friendly roads.

    If you're set on Mt. Evans, you might consider driving to the high country. You could stay overnight in Frisco or Dillon. You could spend one day riding Guanella Pass from Georgetown and another day riding Mt. Evans from Idaho Springs or from Evergreen via Squaw and Bergen Pass. Guanella is freshly paved and provides some amazing views. It is a great climb. Earlier this year I rode Frisco > Loveland Pass > Georgetown > Guanella Pass > Georgetown > Loveland Pass > Frisco. ~100 miles and a little over 10,000ft. of gain. Amazing ride.

    Happy to help you dial in some plans if you need, OC.

    Posted 6 months ago

  13. gabbard

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    I am not 100% certain, but I believe that P2P will end up on Clear Creek Canyon a few miles from Idaho Springs. Clear Creek is very narrow and would not be a pleasant ride, and I am not even sure if bikes are allowed on it. You can go through Central City and get to Idaho Springs more easily by either riding Oh My God road, or the Central City Parkway. If you are looking to do big climbs, and have a car, I would recommend driving to Idaho Springs and riding Mt. Evans. Next day, ride from Boulder to Estes Park and back. You can go up past Carter Lake and come down on P2P. Scenic, great ride, ~100 miles. Feeling enthusiastic, you can add on riding to the top of RMNP, which adds another 3000 vertical. Do both of these rides during the week to avoid traffic. Even just riding up Left Hand Canyon all the way to Brainerd Lake is a good ride if you have not been there before.

    Have fun!!

    Posted 6 months ago

  14. Orange Crush

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    Tons of good ideas here, thanks.

    BC - correct, my initial plan is/was to go carless. I had also thought of Estes/Trail Ridge. I may be back in touch once I can figure out the size of the canvas I can draw on. Three days may not be enough but there's only so much I'll be able to get away with.

    I spent two days in the area as part of my forced relocation from CA to ON; remember the old Tercel having a rough time up at elevation and reckon same will happen to me.

    Posted 6 months ago

  15. GOLDENBOB

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    Listen to CK.

    Golden - Lookout - Idaho Springs

    Or just go up from Evergreen and skip Idaho Springs. Make it epic and just go Golden - Lookout - Evergreen - Evans.

    Posted 6 months ago

  16. 79pmooney

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    O.C., a reality I learned the hard way - flying from sea level to Denver, then riding to high altitudes will be very tough. I flew to Denver from Michigan years ago. Next day I entered a XC ski race at Breckenridge, altitude ~ 10,000'. I died in that race!

    An extra day or two at altitude will make for a lot more fun trip.

    Ben

    Posted 6 months ago

  17. bldrgal

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    I also second CK's route suggestion if you're up for some long days in the saddle. You might also want to send away for a free Colorado Byways map, which shows a fairly detailed route along I-70.

    http://bicyclecolo.org/product-list/books-maps-1002/maps-road-1010/

    But for the exact route of getting out of town from Boulder, best to ask a local for details.

    Posted 6 months ago

  18. eurochien

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    You can start from Morrison (a little further south than Golden on 470) and ride up to Evans and back through Squaw Pass. That's also a good alternative. You're looking at about 90 miles (45 up, 45 down!).

    Posted 6 months ago

  19. Orange Crush

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    Thanks for the continued suggestions. I've determined I will need 5 days. Now it's wait and see how the in-laws travel plans develop and then the horse trading can begin.

    Five days would be nice but as a married guy with two kids you can only get away with so much. Bid high and hope for best.

    Posted 6 months ago

  20. Orange Crush

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    OK - looks like this will go ahead. Wanted to book it on Monday but came 50 Airmiles short. This week's grocery shop will rectify that!

    So week of July 8 it's looking like. Plans modified a bit. In the 4 days I'll have on the ground (Tue-Fri), I want to square away as many of these as legs will bear

    Day 1: Trail Ridge Rd/Rocky Mnt NP
    Day 2: Mt Evans from Idaho Springs
    Day 3: Copper Triangle
    Day 4: Independence Pass from east side (depending on how thing go down to Aspen and back)

    Someone tell me I'm crazy.

    Posted 6 months ago

  21. DonnaMobile

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    "Speaking of Italy, aahhh flashback"

    Indeed, Orange Crush...'tis my favorite pass...very bad weather in our part of Italy recently, though: floods, landslides...so we're not missing anything

    Posted 6 months ago

  22. eurochien

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    Phew. Sounds ambitious. One bit of advice for Mt. Evans: start as early as possible. Thunderstorms above treeline are no fun and in early July they're very frequent in the late morning up there. And pack arm and (at least) knee warmers and a vest (+ newspaper, the Denver Post is great for that) for the descent back to Idaho Springs.

    Posted 6 months ago

  23. DonnaMobile

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    Crush, your relatives will be totally impressed by the places you take them. An Italian friend of mine, who is a nature guide in the Dolomites, spent her honeymoon in CA visiting national parks and returned to Italy ecstatic and in love with every place she and her husband visited. Every Italian I know who visits the US raves about it and wants to return, and not only for nature and scenery. A young man who owns a store in my (Italian) town said he likes the US because it is so casual and relaxed and there's no need to conform. Of Italy he remarked, "In this country [we're so fashion conscious] we can't even go out and about without having our belts match our shoes."

    Posted 6 months ago

  24. 79pmooney

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    And it never crossed my mind that my belt and shoes were supposed to match! I guess I live in the right place. I'll give thanks for that tomorrow!

    Ben

    Posted 6 months ago

  25. BikeCzar

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    copper triangle is less than stellar. Not great views. High speed highways. Narrow shoulders. too much bike path.

    Do Guanella Pass or Loveland pass instead.

    Posted 6 months ago

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