DAY ONE

The Hermosa Creek Trail is considered one of the best singletracks in the Rockies due to the smooth nature of the trail and fast descents.  It literally leaves a smile on every rider’s face.  Beginning in the open meadows of Hermosa Park, we follow Hermosa Creek for 10 miles before the creek drops away from the trail.  The singletrack threads through large stands of aspens and conifers and the riding is fast for the first hour.  After intersecting Dutch Creek the trail begins a series of short and strenuous climbs.  Some of the best riding of the day occurs between the climbs as the trail rolls high above the roaring creek while contouring into and out of the moist draingages that intersect the trail every half mile.

Once we reach the trailhead, we’ll descend a Forest Service dirt road to a paved road and ride the final miles to Trimble Hot Springs.  We’ll stop here for a well deserved soak.  After our soak, we’ll shuttle 20 miles north to our camp on Molas Pass.

TOTAL MILEAGE – 19 miles of unsupported singletrack,  7 miles of Forest service roads,  6 miles on paved road.

John’s Notes: I have ridden the Hermosa Creek trail well over a dozen times.  I never tire of the trail’s speed and winding rhythm.  It is a Colorado Classic.

DAY TWO

”The Queen Stage”  The Colorado Trail runs 500 miles from Denver to Durango and provides wilderness scenery that is difficult to reach by either bike or on foot.  We begin our journey on the Colorado Trail with today’s stage.  The theme for the day is 25 miles of exposed alpine riding, most of it near or above tree line.  From our camp, we climb for three hours to Rolling Pass which sits at 12, 500 feet.  Most riders push the final 200 yards to the pass.  The views from the top are stunning and along our route we will see Engineer Peak, Twin Sisters Mt., and the peaks of the Grenadier and Needles ranges.  After we take it all in, we will begin a big descent to Cascade Creek, riding through wildflowers which when at their peak can be handlebar height!  From the creek, we begin a steep, but mostly ride-able two hour ascent to Sliderock Pass (11,800 feet).  From the pass we descend to our camp on Bolam Pass at 11,300 feet.
TOTAL MILEAGE – 25 miles.

John’s Notes: Due to the exposed nature of the riding, an early 6 to 7am start to the day may be necessary.  The high elevation of today’s riding requires a slow, steady, and efficient cadence. Celebration Lake is near camp and offers a highly refreshing end to the day.

Day 2: The trail between Molas and Bolam Passes

DAY THREE

Today’s ride starts climbing from camp by winding around the slopes of Hermosa Peak before ascending 12,000 foot Blackhawk Pass.  There will be some short hike-a-bikes on the section of trail before the pass.  From the pass the descent starts with some technical switchbacks carved into the granite hillside before winding into one smoothest and fastest descents of the tour.  We will stop at a spring to fill water before continuing our well earned downhill journey across the forested ridges high above Straight Creek.  The trail swoops into Hotel Draw where we’ll pick up the Highline section of the Colorado Trail.  The Highline Ridge section provides expansive views of the mysterious Weiminuche Wilderness and the   peaks of the La Plata Mountains while continuously climbing and descending the final two hours to camp. TOTAL MILEAGE – 20 miles
Orphan Butte Camp

John’s Notes: The downhill section from Blackhawk Pass is one of my all time favorites. Tonight’s “Orphan Butte” camp on Highline Ridge at approximately 10,800 feet offers exceptional views from camp.

DAY FOUR

“The Penultimate Stage”  Today’s Indian Trail Ridge section of the Colorado Trail presents the most challenging terrain on the tour. The ridge itself is a section of trail that runs above treeline at 12,000 feet for nearly five miles. It is an outstanding alpine trail, truly unique in the world of mountain biking. The riding in whole is alpine in character with both smooth and rocky descents, long climbs, steep hike-a-bikes, and outstanding 360-degree views of mountains stretching to the horizons.  We camp tonight on Kennebec Pass in the La Plata Mountains at 11,600 feet.
TOTAL MILEAGE – 17 miles

John’s Notes: The exposed nature of Indian Trail ridge may necessitate another early start to the day.  Hike-a-bike sections total 1 to 2 miles in length.

Indian Trail Ridge

DAY FIVE

Today is the reward for all the climbing of the past four days. We’ll follow the Colorado Trail 26 miles to Durango, which sits at 6,800 feet. Since it is never “all downhill”, there is a 1,200 foot climb mid-day.  Adding this together will show that we descend 6,000 feet in total, over a vertical mile! The day starts with a stellar descent of 3,500 feet, which winds back and forth in the creek drainages of the La Plata Mountains.  At the base we’ll cross Junction Creek and begin a steep climb that takes about 1-1/2 hours before topping out on Wild Oat Mesa. Continuing down another 2,500 feet the Colorado Trail eventually ends our journey as we ride triumphantly into Durango.
TOTAL MILEAGE – 26 miles of singletrack and 5 miles of paved back-roads and bike paths.

John’s Notes: Brake systems in good working order are important for today’s ride with total net descending of nearly 6,000 feet.