Who's riding CT in 2009?

[FeloniousDunk]

My riding partner, better known as my wife, and I are planning on a tour on the Colorado Trail next July.  We'll have about 14 days to be out there with the approach of starting in Denver and getting as far as we can, of course we hope to make it to Durango but if not, no biggy...though if we're moving slow we will likely take some short cuts to get in the better single track and finish in Durango.

We're not totally set on dates, but ideally we'd start, or travel out, on July 4th so as to save a vacation day.  I'd like to say we'll just watch the weather and come out when it looks good, but that last minute scheduling probably won't go over too well with the boss.   I'd also kind of like to be out before the race because I know I'm going to be a bluedot junky and I don't really want to listen to everyones stories of the race and have it influence my expectations of our trip.

So, who else is going to be out there next year?  Other than the CTR riders and a handfull of other people, I haven't heard of a lot of people doing the whole trail.  Is it really not that common, or do I just not know about it?  When my wife finishes it, will she be one of a few women to do so?   

BTW, come March, we'll likely be putting up a longish Southern Appalachian route on the route matrix as we do a prep ride for the CT tour.  I've got a long point-to-point mapped out pretty well.

~Shaun

[Pivvay]

Marni and I are thinking of touring it this summer near the CTR date. Probably start a little before and take 2 weeks or so. Not 100% final yet, still waiting to see how her knees hold up to more long rides.

[ScottM]

I'm thinking pretty seriously on the CTR this year.  I think most years July 4 would be too early for snowpack.

I don't get the impression that many people plan or pull off a CT thru-trip.  I'd wager the CTR itself has seriously increased the number of successful trips.

My friend and pro-roadie Garrett Peltonen took the most recent trip I know of:

http://www.garrettpeltonen.missingsaddle.com/2008/10/11/colorado-trail-trip/

Check out the front pannier setup!  Ouch!  I pointed him here to get some tips on lightening things up -- a cracked frame ended the trip for them.

[FeloniousDunk]

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but I think all that weight on the front suspension fork is just asking for it to fail in one way or another.  Sounds like they generally had a fun adventure though and that's what matters.

Thanks for the heads up on early July snow.   I've gathered a lot of info from you guys and others through MTBR a couple months ago.  Thanks for all that. 

I'm hoping we get a break in the weather here over Thanksgiving so we can do a 2-3 nighter to test some more stuff. 

Scott, if I put together a southern Appalachian route will you be able to put it on your route matrix? 

[FeloniousDunk]

Marni and I are thinking of touring it this summer near the CTR date. Probably start a little before and take 2 weeks or so. Not 100% final yet, still waiting to see how her knees hold up to more long rides.

Chris, I had some nagging knee problems since I was a kid and thought it was just genetics.  Then I finally got...fed up I guess...enough to go to an orthopedist.  Between the info he gave me and the follow ups with a really good bike knowledgable PT, I'm in really good shape again.  Not doomed after all, just out of wack! 

[Pivvay]

Good to know. She's been stretching and doing some strength stuff lately to stabilize the knee. We'll see if it pays off. If that doesn't I'm making her go to the DR. She had a DR in high school tell her it was all in her head so she's hesitant to go again but I know better DRs even if I have to pay for BCSM out of pocket.

[ScottM]

Scott, if I put together a southern Appalachian route will you be able to put it on your route matrix? 

Absolutely.  Get crackin'.

[raposu]

Hi!
I was wondering when it would be the latest date you can start touring the CT. I am thinking to start around 15-21 of September from Denver to Durango and employing around 2 weeks. Is this schedule safe enough?
Thanks Scott!

[ScottM]

I'm not an expert on Colorado weather, but I did spend two summers / falls there.

This happened to Mike and I on the CT, in late August (~26th):



Pretty sure the *very* high country stuff closed out soon after.  Some years you would be fine, and you can also avoid some of the high stuff (like Spring Creek Mesa).  But my *general* feeling is that it would be a little late to start.

[kbabin]

Pivvay,

Has Marni been fitted on her bike?  My wife and I did a tour where we rented the bikes and she had to drop out because of knee pain.  Before the tour she had no problems with her knees.  Later, I found a bicycling magazine article (can't remeber) which claimed women are more prone to knee problem due to bad bike fit.  I would have known that before the tour we would have shipped her bike.

Kev

[zenboy99]

Hello everyone.  I've recently been bitten by the bikepacking bug.  I'm hoping to spend a week on the Colorado trail at the end of June starting in Denver and seeing how far I get.

How busy will the trail be in the end of June?  What are the chances of snow?

I'm hoping to do the 24 hours of Nine Mile solo at the end of July so I don't want to have this trip to close to that race.

[velomatt]

I plan on doing a thru starting in Denver the first two weeks of September. Anyone else going to be on the trail then?

[Mike Brown]

zenboy- I had snow issues around the first week of July.
Had to detour Searle Pass above Copper Mountain due to snow. 
But last year was a very significant snow year.
A GREAT week of riding could be had at a nice but decent pace from Denver to either Buena Vista or Salida, depending on how fast you felt like moving.

[Moondoggy]

Hello everyone.  I've recently been bitten by the bikepacking bug.  I'm hoping to spend a week on the Colorado trail at the end of June starting in Denver and seeing how far I get.

How busy will the trail be in the end of June?  What are the chances of snow?

I'm hoping to do the 24 hours of Nine Mile solo at the end of July so I don't want to have this trip to close to that race.

Same here. Sounds like we have similar plans. Looking to celebrate my 50th with an epic ride. CT is something I have my eye on. This site seems to be the go place for info. I`m doing 24/9 on a 4 man team. Love that race

[Moondoggy]

zenboy- I had snow issues around the first week of July.
Had to detour Searle Pass above Copper Mountain due to snow. 
But last year was a very significant snow year.
A GREAT week of riding could be had at a nice but decent pace from Denver to either Buena Vista or Salida, depending on how fast you felt like moving.

So on a "normal" snow year, would it be advisable to leave at the end of June? I`m starting in Denver and going roughly half way

[Miles2go]

My wife and I might look into this as an alternative to the divide.  My first post was in the intro thread, for more info on us. 

Though we live in the mountains, we might start in Denver because we'd likely put up our collie there.  In 2004 we biked 980 miles from our door in Utah to Denver, zig-zagging across the mountains (99% on roads).  Another tour in CO would be swell.   

[Rob]

How does April or May sound for a CT thru ride?

[Pivvay]

CT thru ski?

[Moondoggy]

If you look at some of the post you`ll see that snow is an issue well into summer. Being a newbie I was considering going the end of June, but advise from several people idicated that June would be too early. With that in mind I changed my plans to August 1st.Going solo, but any cool ,mellow person who`s interested in joining in PM me.

[alpka]

Is it allowed to pack your bikes through the wilderness areas instead of using the detours?