CTR 2013 Planning

[bartspedden]

Sargents Mesa is haunted.  Just an FYI.

Two years ago I foolishly decided to "camp" in a little nook near the trail head at Sargents Mesa where the CT goes back into the trees. I crashed around 11pm and woke up at 2am so spooked that I decided it was time to get out of there and just started riding. I couldn't help but feeling like I wasn't welcome there and it was time to go. No where else along the trail did I experience anything like that. There's a whole bunch of stones scattered around the memorial up there with phrases in different languages. I promise I will never even consider camping there again. Creep factor high!

[Done]

This was just posted on the CTF Facebook page:

UPDATE ON CREED-AREA FIRES, CT SEGS 21 & 22: Fire itself has not reached the CT. However, SMOKE ON THE CT HAS BEEN REAL BAD AT TIMES, depending on wind direction. One local user said when smoky, the CT has been so thick "no one would want to hike or bike, nor would it be healthy." Further, road closures (including part of Hwy 149 plus Hwy 160 Wolf Creek Pass) are eliminating some CT exit routes. Town of Creede is under pre-evacuation. A HUGE PORTION OF THE RIO GRANDE NATIONAL FOREST IS CLOSED and the CT borders this closure in and out. These fires, the "West Fork Complex" including "Papoose Fire" are Colorado's biggest and firefighters have not begun to contain them; they might burn for weeks, maybe months longer. CT exit points include Hwy 114 at the West end of Segment 17 where there is some auto traffic. Other exit routes to the north of the CT in Segments 18 & 19 have very little traffic and may only work if users have a pre-arranged ride. Users wanting to reconnect with the CT could do so from the north (say through or near Silverton) at Segment 25 Molas Pass (passenger car) and possibly Segment 24 Stony Pass (jeep). http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3436/

[THE LONG RANGER]

Yeah it's a sad mess, on the Durango side of things. Hopefully it'll get under control in a month's time for our selfish reasons. South Fork looks to be in a horrible, horrible bind.

Looks like the CTF is saying Waterton Canyon is opening up again, on Wed. Sweet.

http://www.denverwater.org/AboutUs/PressRoom/EADBF611-9B53-C9C1-946A76174888DC19/

[joeydurango]

I've been watching this whole West Fork deal closely, partially because of the CTR but partially just because it's so close to home.  Seeing the plume on various rides in the higher country around here is impressive and discouraging.  Firefighters on the West Fork Complex have been quoted as saying that these fires could well burn all summer long, and that they have no chance of containment right now.  They're just trying to keep these fires away from structures and guide them in less-populated directions.  The WFC is burning in tinder-dry beetle kill, and even if we get a heavy monsoon season, an hour of rain a day may not be enough to put a damper on these fires.  All of south central CO is under a health advisory due to heavy smoke, and all the photos I've seen don't look like something I'd want to ride in for three hours, much less 20 hours a day.

Given all that, I've been very, very curious about what this will mean for the 2013 CTR.

[Couloirman]

So not good on so many levels. My thoughts go out to all of those whose homes are affected by the fire.

This makes me wonder if I should hold off making plane tickets and mailing my bike out.

[joeydurango]

Don't make any decisions until we hear from the man himself - Stefan G!

[peteshoe]

Joey, I was planning on driving down this weekend to ride Durango to the end of 23. How bad is the air quality really? Thanks for any input.

[joeydurango]

From here to Silverton is completely fine.  In fact, we're hosting the Durango Dirty Century this weekend, which uses the last ~50 miles of CT, and it will be beautiful!  Even 23/22 itself should be totally fine, air-quality-wise, because the prevailing winds push the smoke away from those segments.  However, those segments are closed to all use right now.

If you're just planning on riding from here to Silverton, however, do it!  It'll be sweet.  Stop in and say hi Friday - we'll be closed Saturday for the DDC.

[peteshoe]

Thanks for the intel Joey. Have fun with the race on Saturday.

[pharmvet]

Just got the new CT Databook in the mail!  Pretty sweet having the bike detours and the new Collegiate West info at hand! 

At the risk of sounding selfish, here's hoping the West Fork Complex settles down in time for the ride this year.  Would be a shame to reroute over the Silver Thread and miss the high country HAB of segments 22, 23.

[GrizzlyAdam]

Got the data book also. It's great!

[Stefan_G]

Don't make any decisions until we hear from the man himself - Stefan G!

Race is still ON!  I know it's a huge commitment for people coming from all over, so at the very worst there will be some detours.  I will be in SW Colo a week prior to the race and if sections of the CT are closed I'll try to put together a .gpx track with detours.  Otherwise, we'll all learn about them at the start!! There may be air quality issues with the fires, so whether or not to ride with poor air is a decision left to the individual.  Perhaps this will be the year of the ITTs throughout the summer and fall...

As most of you know, Tarryall is still in but I do not have the .gpx up on my website yet.  Toby Gadd mapped it, but is updating the remainder of the track with some new data from Jerry at Bear Creek surveying.   We'll wait for that instead of posting an intermediate version.  HUGE thanks Toby and Jerry!!

That's about it for now.  Ride LOTS and I'll see ya'll on 7/21.  I'm super stoked to be able to join in the race this year!  :-)

Cheers,
Stefan

[joeydurango]

From here to Silverton is completely fine.

Pete, I may have jinxed it - woke up this morning to a valley full of smoke.  Not from the CO fires, but from some smaller fires in New Mexico... hopefully it will clear out this morning once the daily southern wind picks up.  Fingers crossed for your ride and for the start of the DDC tomorrow!

[Couloirman]

Well, the way I see it is that at least 2 sections have been removed from the race. Anyone want to add something to make up for it? I vote for a reroute over the summit of Mt. Elbert just for good measure. I don't care at all if the official race goes over it and it's just me, but anyone else want to tag the top of CO on a bike in the middle of this beast?

[Stefan_G]

Well, the way I see it is that at least 2 sections have been removed from the race. Anyone want to add something to make up for it? I vote for a reroute over the summit of Mt. Elbert just for good measure. I don't care at all if the official race goes over it and it's just me, but anyone else want to tag the top of CO on a bike in the middle of this beast?

I like the way you think! And the summit of Elbert is only like 2 or 3 miles off route...  :-)

[joeydurango]

Without 22/23, we won't be filling our HAB quota... may as well do something additional!

I'm not-so-secretly hoping that the CT/CDT gets reopened through 22/23, since there's no way the fire will actually be a danger well above timberline.  Something tells me there's a lot of red tape involved in this, though.

I'm already missing my planned full-moon ride across Cataract/Coneys.  I guess full-moon dirt road rides aren't necessarily terrible either...

[Couloirman]

I like the way you think! And the summit of Elbert is only like 2 or 3 miles off route...  :-)

Couldn't one go up and over the summit of Mt Elbert without any backtracking and join some of the new trail additions of the collegiate loop and be back on the regular CT at the end of segment 11 (if going northbound)? Or are there biking restrictions I am not aware of?

[Done]

I like the way you think! And the summit of Elbert is only like 2 or 3 miles off route...  :-)

You guys are nuts. In a good way!

[GrizzlyAdam]

The new data book lists Tarryall as the official Lost Creek Wilderness bicycle detour. Was that always the case, and the CTR just used 285 instead?

[TruthRider]

Couldn't one go up and over the summit of Mt Elbert without any backtracking and join some of the new trail additions of the collegiate loop and be back on the regular CT at the end of segment 11 (if going northbound)? Or are there biking restrictions I am not aware of?

I have had my bike at top of Elbert.  Can't find the damn pic.  It was late 90s though, so perhaps they've restricted it by now.