Colorado- Sleeper Hit!

We are just finishing up a trip to Colorado, where we spent most of our time on an Interval exchange into the Grand Lodge on Peak 7 in Breckenridge. I have some friends in Colorado, so it's been great to hang out. We've never been to the Rockies and I guess we didn't know what to expect. But it's been a really great trip. Some of you know that I'm an avid cyclist, so I shipped a road bike here to ride and wound up getting 200 miles in. Heaven for me! A local friend is an avid mountain biker and he was able to lend me a mountain bike and that was pretty fun too. Besides biking, we did tons of eating and drinking and a little hiking. Great anniversary dinner at the Ski Tip Lodge in the Keystone resort, highly recommend.

I biked the Copper Triangle with some friends, an 80 mile ride that goes over three mountain passes, two of which are over 12000 ft of altitude. Killer for me, I train and ride at 1200 ft:



Beautiful views from the bike path in Breck, if you just want to take it easy:



You can drive up to Loveland Pass and do some easyish hiking- easy because you drive most of the way up but anything at 12000 ft is still hard:



We also hiked up to Crystal Lake, which is at 12000 ft. It's just a few mile hike, beautiful:



Here is me trying out the mountain bike, coming down from Boreas Pass:



Dillon Lake is beautiful:



We saw two juvenile big horn sheep, in the lower left in this pic:



And today I rode in the foothills of Denver with a friend, this is us coming up Lookout Mountain:



Great trip, we head home tomorrow via Amtrak's California Zephyr. Thanks to Timeshare Von who gave us heads up about changes to the Amtrak Rewards program, so we got this train trip (sleeper car) booked on points before redemption costs went up.

We are so smitten with Colorado that we are thinking of coming back in Sept 2017 in lieu of our planned trip to Hilton Head. Thinking about Aspen...

Very nice post and great pics!

Wow, biking in the Rockies!

We've never been to Colorado. We're headed there the end of next June. We've got a week at Ram's Horn in Estes Park. Looking forward to the trip.

Thanks for sharing.

Egret1986 said:

Wow, biking in the Rockies!

We've never been to Colorado. We're headed there the end of next June. We've got a week at Ram's Horn in Estes Park. Looking forward to the trip.

Thanks for sharing.

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Here's what I have learned coming to Colorado for the first time:

1. Altitude has a real effect. We were staying at 10000 ft in Breck. It looks like Estes Park is 7500 ft. Most people get a little altitude sickness at around 7500 ft. The longer you take to get to altitude, the less the effect. If you can stay 2 days in Denver before you get to Estes Park, that will help. If you can't, try not to plan anything too strenous the first 2-3 days. (Note: I did not do this. I arrived Fri night & rode 40 easy miles on Sat and then Copper Triangle on Sunday. Sat's ride was not that pleasant- big headache. Sunday I was just weak/slow but felt ok. I was no weaker/slower Sunday than I was during the rest of the week, so I adapted pretty quickly).

2. Watch out for afternoon thunderstorms when you're spending time outdoors, especially when you are above the tree line. Thunderstorms are very common this time of year- almost a daily occurrence.

Enjoy your trip and please post back about it. I'll be really interested to hear what you think.

I just love your pictures!

I'll be heading to Breckenridge in early September, been doing it for several years. Not in your class but have done the bike ride from Breckenridge to Vail Pass and back (~45 miles), that's my limit. The loop around Dillon Lake is also a very nice shorter ride. The biking in that area is excellent! I live at about 5k' and haven't had much of a problem adjusting, just take it a little easier than normal.

zinger1457 said:

I'll be heading to Breckenridge in early September, been doing it for several years. Not in your class but have done the bike ride from Breckenridge to Vail Pass and back (~45 miles), that's my limit. The loop around Dillon Lake is also a very nice shorter ride. The biking in that area is excellent! I live at about 5k' and haven't had much of a problem adjusting, just take it a little easier than normal.

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Maybe you already know this but Relish restaurant has a great happy hour- a drink and an app for $10 or $12, depending on what you choose. Food was great, we went back for a full-on dinner.

My friends on the Copper Triangle ride (the ones in the pic) are all racing cyclists (the woman just won the Colorado State Crit Championship a few weeks ago) and they kicked my butt. Our ride went from Copper Mountain to Leadville to Minturn to Vail and then back over the Vail Pass at the end. I think from Minturn to the top of Vail Pass is something like a 20 mile climb with 3500 ft of elevation gain and it just gets steeper as you go. It was 90+ degrees that afternoon, so Vail Pass was really tough, I had to stop and rest in the shade for a good 20-30 min halfway up! Worth doing though, just beautiful scenery.

heathpack said:

Maybe you already know this but Relish restaurant has a great happy hour- a drink and an app for $10 or $12, depending on what you choose. Food was great, we went back for a full-on dinner.

My friends on the Copper Triangle ride (the ones in the pic) are all racing cyclists (the woman just won the Colorado State Crit Championship a few weeks ago) and they kicked my butt. Our ride went from Copper Mountain to Leadville to Minturn to Vail and then back over the Vail Pass at the end. I think from Minturn to the top of Vail Pass is something like a 20 mile climb with 3500 ft of elevation gain and it just gets steeper as you go. It was 90+ degrees that afternoon, so Vail Pass was really tough, I had to stop and rest in the shade for a good 20-30 min halfway up! Worth doing though, just beautiful scenery.

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I guess I should say "the other woman besides me" in the Fremont Pass pic. I'm the one in the light jersey on the right. She's the second from the right in the blue plaid pic. Also her in pink coming up Lookout Mountain.

Gorgeous picgtures--thanks for sharing. Colorado was my second home, but where I spent the majority of my life. To miss it is to miss something very special.

Love the pics & thanks for sharing!
Trying to plan a family reunion in one of the ski areas in a year & 1/2 or so--just trying to decide which. But all areas look great.

I can relate to the altitude adjustment--we're at sea level and really had some adjustments to make in the UT ski areas for a few days.

Grand Lodge at Peak 7 is a great place to stay, although some of its convenience is lost during the summer since its further from town than the Hyatt or Marriott.

The altitude can be killer in Breck due to its altitude. But it sounds like you had great fun.

If you are up for a different type of biking - mountain biking, then you should try Park City in Utah. The mountain biking is world class in that area and better than Colorado. The altitude is a lot lower, the town restaurants and ambience are as good or better, and the area is beautiful.

Marathoner said:

Grand Lodge at Peak 7 is a great place to stay, although some of its convenience is lost during the summer since its further from town than the Hyatt or Marriott.

The altitude can be killer in Breck due to its altitude. But it sounds like you had great fun.

If you are up for a different type of biking - mountain biking, then you should try Park City in Utah. The mountain biking is world class in that area and better than Colorado. The altitude is a lot lower, the town restaurants and ambience are as good or better, and the area is beautiful.

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Good to know about the mountain biking. I'm leaning towards taking it up but so far I've only been on a mtn bike twice, both times on this trip, in many ways, the road is more couple-friendly when you have a non-riding spouse. My husband can drive SAG if he wants and we can see all the same stuff and see each other. So I'm not sure how the mountain biking would work out as far as that goes.

Park City looks doable in the we could drive to Vegas, stay overnight with a relative. Then maybe get in a road ride in Zion area and continue on to Park City. My coach lives in Reno, maybe I could get him to meet us & rude!

However my friend who I spent a lot of time with in Breck has invited us to stay with him and would be interested in Aspen too, So I could see booking a partial week at the Hyatt in Aspen and maybe spending half a week at his house in Breck & half a week in Aspen.

Any other great time-share MTB locales? I'm guessing Sedona?

heathpack said:

Maybe you already know this but Relish restaurant has a great happy hour- a drink and an app for $10 or $12, depending on what you choose. Food was great, we went back for a full-on dinner.

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Will have to check it out, Mi Casa also has a good happy hour ($2 Tecate's, free chips and salsa, etc.), Breckenridge Brewery also has a good happy hour.

Thanks for the beautiful pictures. It brought back memories of our one time hiking in Colorado up to above the tree line and into the Alpine meadows. Just gorgeous.

As far as lightening, we were told about a nearby mountain within our view from a peak we scaled that it was a very popular mountain to climb, but you had to do it starting early morning because dangerous lightning storms were common in the afternoons. You had to be off the mountain no later than two.

One more comment about lightening. We were also told that it was not unheard of for a lightning storm to be occurring ten or fifteen miles away, blue skies over head where you were standing, and a bolt of lightning to span the expanse and strike near by. From that, the phrase, "a bolt out of the blue."

Again, thanks to the OP for jogging fond memories with the beautiful set of photos.

Great info and reminders.

heathpack said:

Here's what I have learned coming to Colorado for the first time:

1. Altitude has a real effect. We were staying at 10000 ft in Breck. It looks like Estes Park is 7500 ft. Most people get a little altitude sickness at around 7500 ft. The longer you take to get to altitude, the less the effect. If you can stay 2 days in Denver before you get to Estes Park, that will help. If you can't, try not to plan anything too strenous the first 2-3 days. (Note: I did not do this. I arrived Fri night & rode 40 easy miles on Sat and then Copper Triangle on Sunday. Sat's ride was not that pleasant- big headache. Sunday I was just weak/slow but felt ok. I was no weaker/slower Sunday than I was during the rest of the week, so I adapted pretty quickly).

2. Watch out for afternoon thunderstorms when you're spending time outdoors, especially when you are above the tree line. Thunderstorms are very common this time of year- almost a daily occurrence.

Enjoy your trip and please post back about it. I'll be really interested to hear what you think.

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I need to remember that altitude thing. Yes, that's a good plan to spend a couple of days in Denver.

Thanks for a follow-up on the lightening and thunderstorms

"Roger" said:

As far as lightening, we were told about a nearby mountain within our view from a peak we scaled that it was a very popular mountain to climb, but you had to do it starting early morning because dangerous lightning storms were common in the afternoons. You had to be off the mountain no later than two.

One more comment about lightening. We were also told that it was not unheard of for a lightning storm to be occurring ten or fifteen miles away, blue skies over head where you were standing, and a bolt of lightning to span the expanse and strike near by. From that, the phrase, "a bolt out of the blue."

Again, thanks to the OP for jogging fond memories with the beautiful set of photos.

Click to expand...

I haven't really started the research for the area. The reminders about altitude and lightening storms are helpful reminders.

heathpack said:

Good to know about the mountain biking. I'm leaning towards taking it up but so far I've only been on a mtn bike twice, both times on this trip, in many ways, the road is more couple-friendly when you have a non-riding spouse. My husband can drive SAG if he wants and we can see all the same stuff and see each other. So I'm not sure how the mountain biking would work out as far as that goes.

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With MTB-ing, there are many different options available. One convenient way is for the biker & bike to take a ski chair lift up to the top and follow the trail downhill until you simply meet your partner at the base of the ski resort. Your partner doesn't need to go anywhere, he can read and drink beer & wine at the base lodge. In contrast, you'll be jumping and speeding downhill over the course of a couple hours, your speed only limited by your ability to go downhill at speed with a variety of switchbacks over a man made course. You need to pay for the lift ticket, of course.

You can also bike over to an adjacent ski resort where your partner can do the same reading and drinking wine at a different base camp from where you went up the lift.

Lots of MTB popular trail resources can be found using Google.

From Amtrak's California Zephyr, Colorado River through Gore Canyon. No roads through Gore Canyon means no cars. Just trains and whitewater rafts.

I will be going to Estes Park in Sept !! I can not WAIT !!! Staying at Ram's Horn. Afterwards, I will be in Colorado Springs for 3 days. I can not hike but I can do photography. It will be my first big trip since my hospital stays. shaggy

PS : I can't see your pictures ????? '

Colorado is Spectacular in the Fall

If you love fall colors, Colorado is the place to be starting the 3rd week of September. One can never tire of viewing the golden aspens against the blue sky, red fall leaves, and greens of the forest. We can't wait to go back. I was pleased to find the cars actually wait for pedestrians, unlike Florida. We hiked to Hanging Lake by Glenwood Springs. Lots of waterfalls and streams. Beautiful beyond words.

wow, those are some amazing photos!