NTCT (Not the Colorado Trail)

[gosurfariver]

This past week I had an amazing ride from Glenwood Springs to Durango Colorado.  I boarded the train in SLC at 3:30 A.M. with my bike and gear.  Arrived in Glenwood by noon and rode out of town by about 2:00.  

The Plan:
Day 1: Ride road to Marble and up to Crystal.
           Reality:  Just as planned.  The ride on 133 is nice but not much shoulder.    
                       Great BBQ in Marble.  Camped next to Crystal Mill. "one of the most photographed spots in Colorado".

Day 2: Ride steep 4x4 road up to schofield pass then take the classic singletrack
          Trailriders #401.
          Reality:  Just as planned.  Road up to Schofield is a tough one (expect hike
                      a bike)  401 is beautiful and fun singletrack.  Stayed with friends.
      
Day 3:  Ride more phenomenal singletrack (Reno Flag Bear Rosebud to Doctors Park,    
           then on to Gunnison via Taylor Canyon and road 135.
            Reality: Same as planned again!  Rode Reno Flag Bear and Doctors with
            a great friend and screamed the ribbons of singletrack      
            At two meals:  Meal one Blue Iguana smothered burrito and Pie Zan's Pizza.
            Resupplied at City Market Grocery.  Camped at Neversink (day use only area,
            but had no problems).



Day 4:  Gunnison to Lake City via Cebolla Creek through Powderhorn.
           Reality:  County Rd 27 which turns into county rd. 50.  Beautiful canyon!  Dirt road cruise but steep climb to Slumgullion pass at the end.   Fast descent from Slumgullion to Lake City! ate lunch (twice or three times)  then rode to Grizzly Gulch trailhead for the night.  Cold night with frost on all the bags.  This is where I got the name NTCT (Not the Colorado Trail)  It happened that the CTR was happening at the same time.  It was in Lake City that people started asking me if I was in the race (if I was I sure was off route).

Day 5: Lake City to Silverton via Cinnamon Pass
          Reality:    Cinnamon Pass was great.  Got an early start to miss the hoards of jeeps and four-wheelers.  Only saw a few groups.  Ate in Silverton (a lot) and rode on to Durango Mountain Resort.  Rain started heavily and I was going to be wet, but fortunately there was a yurt left unlocked at the base of the ski area with thick lift tower pads left inside .  Slept like a baby.

Day 6:  Silverton to Durango via Hermosa Creek.
           Reality:  Durango Mountain Resort ate two hardboiled eggs (purchased at Silverton grocery the day before)  Rode up to Hermosa Creek Trail.  Very muddy from the rain but so much fun!  Arrived in Durango sometime after noon.  Ate and found the Hometown Hostel.  

Conclusion:

This ride is a great way to see the heart of the Colorado rockies by bike, devour some super fun singletrack and not have to hike your bike except for the 1-2 mile stretch up schofield pass.  I saw moose, bear, deer, beaver, etc.  I would do it again in a heartbeat!  Great ride to do with a bike such as the Salsa Fargo.  Fully rigid was not an issue.  Do this ride and have fun!  let me know if you want more details.

link to some photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/84769306@N03/

[jhl99]

What about pictures?  You can't spend 6 days in CO and not take pics!

[Slowerthensnot]

Great route!

[gosurfariver]

What about pictures?  You can't spend 6 days in CO and not take pics!

I just got back home and added photos.  Click the link to check them out

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84769306@N03/

[Aslan]

Thanks for the routing ideas. It looks great and minimal HAB is always appreciated.

[Pawel]

Thanks for the route ideas and beautiful photos. What do you think about riding it in opposite direction?

[gosurfariver]

Riding the route in from South to North would be very doable.  Hermosa Creek is ridden both ways.  It gains elevation and in that direction so many people ride it from Durango Mountain Resort to town, but many locals ride it as an out and back.  Lake City to Gunnison section would be make Cebolla Creek Road a little easier.  You would want to consider some re-routes on the CB Side.  Doctor's park and Reno Flag Bear and both really fun trails going from North to South, going the other way would be  a lot of climbing on single track and descending on jeep road.  Totally doable but not as fun.  401 to Marble would be the same story.  Climbing classic fun downhill singletrack and then descending from schofield Pass on jeep road.  Doable, but not as fun.

There are plenty of route alternative to ride in the CB area that would be better.  You would have to do some research on that one.

[dream4est]

Nice to meet you at the hometown hostel. After you went to bed that night I ate a whole Domino's pizza!! Soooooooo tasty.

Mark

[gosurfariver]

Mark, My appetite hasn't slowed down too much.  Still eating in line at the buffet (no need to waste time going back to the seat)

[aaron w]

Nice report!  Is that tent a Moment?  Have you had it a while?  How do you like it?

[gosurfariver]

Aaron,

It is the Moment.  I really like it.  the tent is super light (not much heavier than a OR advanced Bivy with the hoop.  It is tall enough to sit up in and has plenty of room on the sides.  The vestibule has plenty of space.  I only wish the small fiberglass poles that provide the shape at each end were a bit shorter or broke down.  They are a little too long to fit under my bars (one one Midge).  Which means I need to take them out of the tent before I pack up, and put them in my frame bag.  They would probably fit under a flat bar though.