Crested Butte - August 25th, Rosebud to DeadmansTrail

Yep, we went for another weekend in Crested Butte. It is starting to feel like the summer is fast winding down. The downhill slopes close for the season in only a few weeks and it seems like we need to start cramming in as much high mountain stuff while it is still ridable.

Saturday we headed out to do Rosebud across to Deadmans. We had tried this early last year but there was a lot of snow in the trees and we had to carry bikes through it instead of riding so we were looking forward to the loop.


It starts out from the Spring Creek side and even the jeep road start is great riding. It has a number of rock gardens to cross and then ends with a creek crossing.


The first few miles has some tough climbing and this late in the season it is pretty torn up by motor bikes leaving a lot of loose rock in the steep sections.


But there is still a lot of nice climbing and some fun technical sections as well. Definitely gets the legs and lungs working.


Crested Butte single track.


It is fun getting out onto some of the more obscure parts of Crested Butte's trails.


Up above the tree line.


The sight of trail disappearing into the distance is always what you want to see.


Once you start downhill the fun really begins with great flowing and buffed trail.


As well as great riding in and amongst the dark timber.


The ride across to Deadmans cuts in and out of the the trees and goes across sweet open sections of riding.


Yeah it was some fun riding.

Crested Butte - August 19th, 413 Trail

Since Amanda and John were heading back to Boulder on Sunday, Amber and I decided to go and check out a trail up near Cottonwood Pass that we had been wanting to ride for a while.

We didn't know anything about the trail other walking the start of the trail a couple of weekends ago where it looked like it would be great riding.


It had a really nice mix of technical (rocky mostly) sections and nice buffed loamy riding. We assumed that it would be an out and back trail so everything we road up we would also be able to ride back down on the way back.


The trail looked like it was mostly used by motor bikes but the condition of the trail was excellent with very little of the loose rock that you often find on trails that motor bikes frequently use.


We didn't see anyone else on the trail which was somewhat surprising since there were 4 other vehicles at the trailhead.


This was a great section to ride up and even more fun on the way back.


Riding in the dark timber is always good times.


There were a couple of stream crossings as well each with it's own technical challenges - all in all some really excellent riding.


We also crossed a couple of rocky sections as moraine rockfall crossed the trail. The most technical of them we didn't get any photo's of as we were to busy riding it. On the downhill run through it it was ridable and very enjoyable on the way back we pushed our bikes but it would be conceivable that it could also be ridden.


The grade of the trail was also very well built as there was very little very steep stuff and mostly you just stayed in the seat and keep turning the pedals.

Unfortunately after about 3 or 4 miles the single track turned to double track and headed down a steep torn up ATV trail. It looked like it went all the way to a valley that would have taken us back to the Taylor Res. We decided to turn around and just enjoy the return trip.


The ride back was really sweet with fast and smooth sections broken up nicely by some techy descents and some techy climbs.


You couldn't help but have a smile.


This was one of the water crossings with a nice little technical exit over a collection of rocks.


It was fun to go up and even more fun to come down!



All in all it was a fun little ride that we will have to research to see how to add more length to and come back and explore some more.

Crested Butte - August 18th, 401 Trail

Saturday we were in Crested Butte with friends of Ambers from California. John and Amanda flew out to see the sights and maybe enjoy some of the surroundings.

We started out with John and I heading up to do the 401 trail. Since he had flown from sea level the day before we decided to shuttle the Gothic Rd to the start of the single track section.


John borrowed Amber's mojo and after I tossed a set of flat pedals on it and reset the the suspension for his weight we were off. The single track climb has some very steep sections that must have been somewhat of a shock to John's system but he kept plugging away.


And soon started to enjoy himself after the initial steepness was behind us.


Obligatory bike porn photo at the high point before we started the decent.


This is the 3rd time this summer I have ridden 401 and every time I see another section in an entirely new light. Looking back at this section as John comes down it only again reminds me how great the riding is.


Similarly as I look ahead as John heads down the miles of single track awaiting just brings a smile to your face. I remember the first time we did 401 trail I thought that it was a nice trail but certainly not the best of Crested Butte with Flag to Deadmans and the Doctor Park trails being better. But the more I ride 401 the more it starts to niggle at me that perhaps it is the best of Crested Butte. The descent is just so much fun every time you do it.


It also happens to be remarkably scenic.

We went for dinner that night at the Wooden Nickel, unfortunately John really started to feel the effects of altitude and after a couple of beers had a very rough night and didn't feel well at all on Sunday. Amanda and John decided to head down to lower altitudes and head back to Boulder.

Keystone - 08/13

Still no photos. I guess one day I am going to have to take a camera to keystone and stop and take some pictures.

Amber and I both went to keystone on saturday this weekend after deciding we needed to stay home and clean up the apartment. The one drawback from going and playing every weekend is that your abode can get messy and stay that way. Amber has some friends coming to visit from California next weekend so we figured we had better make apartment look like something other than having a bombshell hit it.

It was a fun day at Keystone with a couple of runs on TNT/Loggers Way, a run on Eye of the Tiger/Mosquito Coast and a run down TNT into a new trail section Even Flow which is going to be a classic. The normal finish to the standard race trail is down Wild Thing, now there is an option to finish down Even Flow instead.

no photos recently - Keystone, Crested Butte

No photos recently but the weekends have still been fun.

On July 28th I did another Keystone day, this time with a buddy from work. It was his first time downhilling and he had a great time with his riding improving with each run. We had to cut the day short after 4 runs after I blew my front shock out.

It was a good news bad news thing though as it meant that my proscrasinating about whether to replace it or send it to Push Industries was now going to be decided. I opted to try out pushing the shock and it just arrived back yesterday (9 Aug) and I am really looking forward to trying it out this weekend.

On the weekend of August 4th Amber and I headed over to Crested Butte for the weekend. Unfortunately (for her) Amber had a cold developing Friday morning and it blossomed into fruition by Saturday. She decided to relax and fly fish while I rode so I got some really nice riding in with the luxury of some shuttle service. Amber dropped me at the the top of Doctor Park and then fished the Taylor River at the bottom while I enjoyed myself on one of the best rides in Crested Butte.

In the afternoon I got dropped up near the top of the 401 trail and then enjoyed the trail in total solitude as there was no-one else to be seen on it. It probably had something to do with the clouds and occasional rain. As I was leaving the car it started raining but it stopped soone after and the trail conditions were perfect.

I had an insanely good time really pinning it on the downhills of Doctor Park and 401 - what a great way to spend a saturday.