Telluride to Durango?

[BradyRobinson]

Does anyone have a .gpx track for Telluride to Durango? I'm getting ready to do a totally self supported tour next week and am wondering about the best route. And by best I mean best riding. I did the CTR last year and am trying to capture the fun parts of the race without all the sleep deprivation and suffering. I see that there are a number of commercial operators in the area but for obvious reasons they keep their routes and .gpx files to themselves.

Thanks!

Brady Robinson

[NT]

I don't have track files of this, but here's an idea that would be fun:
Telluride
Ride up gondola, get off at top
Prospect trail to Alta Lakes
Take one of the numerous trails (maze like) to highway 145 near the Alta lakes turnoff/Sunshine Campground
Either: descend the T35 trail to Illium, then get on the Sunshine Mesa Road, but get off it at the switchback continuing on the old railroad grade to Ophir Loop (Ophir turnoff)
Or: descend highway to Ophir Loop.
From Ophir Loop, take highway south
Left to Matterhorn Campground/Priest Lake
Jeep road past Priest Lake to Trout Lake
Take left on dirt road clockwise around Trout Lake, getting on old railroad grade trail to Lizard Head Pass
Descend Highway south
Left to pullout for the East Fork Trail (there is also a bigger pullout on the right for Lizard Head/Cross Mountain trail, you want the left side for East Fork.
Take East Fork Trail to Bolam Pass
CT to Durango.

Or if you want to go bigger, get into the mountains west of Rico:
From just south of Lizard Head Pass, take the Right for Lizard Head/Cross Mountain
Climb Cross Mountain trail
Left onto Groundhog Stock Driveway trail
This gets you to the Dunton Road
Never done it but some combination of the Winter Trail and/or Calico Trail looks amazing
Descend to highway near Rico (several options)
Climb up to CT, perhaps on Scotch Creek Road to Hotel Draw (other options too)
CT to Durango
For trails around Rico, get this map: http://2pedal.com/store/maps/mountain-bike-map-cortez-dolores-mancos-rico

Another option for leaving Telluride without using the Gondola:
Take valley floor trail west out of town
cross highway by Conoco
Galloping Goose Trail down to Illium Valley
Sunshine Mesa to Railroad grade to Ophir Loop as explained above

Sounds fun!

[evdog]

I can't speak to a lot of that above, but I have done most of Calico and some trails off the side.  It has some tough climbs (hike a bike) either direction but the views are excellent.  I'll have to check these suggestions against my maps.  They look interesting.  

[NT]

Was just in Tride over the weekend. There's a trail I didn't know about that connects you from the Ophir turnoff (Ophir Loop) to the Priest Lake/Matterhorn campground road. Starts on the Ames side of the highway, goes under a tunnel, then is on the East side of the highway.