journeyvision

Monarch Crest to Cotopaxi

Here was the plan start at Monarch Pass, ride the crest to the Rainbow Trail then stay on the RT to the Big Cottonwood trailhead outside of Cotopaxi Total ride about 70 miles lots of vertical and 3 days to get it done. We had our multi day gear with us and camped in some really cool spots.

With a late start on day one and a couple of mechanical problems we ended up running out of time to complete the ride via the Rainbow Trail. We had to bail out and follow the Arkansas on day 3 to make it back to the shuttle vehicle in time. Day 2 also kicked our arse taking the RT from hy 285 to Bear Creek Trail head. Lots of pushing on this part and I ended up bonking. Day 3 ended up being a cruise along the Arkansas River, it was actually cool we found a jeep road right along side the river and it ended up being a good cruise and stayed away from the Hy 50. We did get to ride 2 of what I would say are the best parts of the RT, the Section by Silver Creek and the 6 mile section by Bear Creek. Both sections were like candy. The Crest was awesome also. It has been awhile since I have ridden the whole thing.

We are going back this weekend to complete the final 2 sections and after that I can say I have ridden the entire RT!

A familiar intersection at the start of the singletrack

It was raining on us Day 1 but the Crest was o so sweet!

Another familiar spot, the hunters cabin. With our late start it is about 6pm and nobody is on the trail.

Day one we camped at about 11,000ft right off of the Colorado trail about a mile from the Silver Creek Junction. I will say it got a bit chilly this night.

Not to many streams this high up but we did stumbe across this natural spring and camped here and siphoned some water

View outside my hammock the next morning

The Descent down Silver Creek rocked!! Perfect weather and I forgot how pretty this Valley is, lots of beaver dams

The beginning of the Rainbow Trail! This section was Primo

These pics are from the Methodist Mountain/Poncha Pass section of the RT. The pictures do not do justice for how difficult this section was. Out of all the sections of the RT I have ridden this was by far the toughest plus it did not help I bonked this day

Day 2 Campsite man we packed alot of Chit.

This was out bailout point on day 3 the Bear Creek trail head. There was a possibility of completing the ride via the RT but it would of been about 36 miles of rough single track and decided it would be easier to head down to the valley and get to the car via dirt roads. Easy decision after 2 days on the trail. Plus we dropped about 2k of vertical on this road and hit a new top speed record of 40mph, not to hard when you are loaded down with gear

The Arkansas and a nice spot for lunch

Random pics through Howard and Cotopaxi and the end of day 3. That dear leg was at the very end of the ride. Not sure who ate that feller and glad I was not around (:

Beartooth Mountains 07

For about the past 6 years I have stayed out here for a week and have had a chance to really explore the area on my mountain bike. I dont see how the scenery can get much better. The Absoraka Beartooths Mountains are on the NE corner of Yellowstone on the border of Wy and Montana.

There are two rides posted here. I did the ride a couple of diffrent ways, the first day I got rained on wrecked and broke my rib. The second day was just picture perfect.

Start of the ride

Cruzin along lots hopin it does not rain

Somehow my front tire got wedged between the side of the trail and this rock

Ended up OTB and took a handle bar to my rib cage OUCH broken rib

Plenty of water features

Fork in the road

And the Downhill Begins

Mud kept clogging up my fork

And a quick wash to get the mud off and this completes the first ride

Perfect weather for day two!

Dank Trail to start off on

Every great ride requires a bit of Hike-A-Bike

WOW!

Not my best self timer shot

More climbing

Cruzin Along just blown away with the scenery

Time for a little break and siphon some crystal clear glaicer water

Getting close to the top

Start of day two downhill no mud this time!

Nice Shot Jay!

More DH Shots

The last part of the ride was all marsh around the lake but rideable

And the Final Stream Crossing

So I hope you enjoyed the show. I spent extra time trying to get good shots with my MTB Peeps in mind!

Colorado Trail Molas Pass To Hotel Draw

9.2.2006

This trip to Durango was one of our best of all time. Early into backcountry mountain biking this area offered up a sweet section of the Colorado Trail. Most of the 20 mile section of the Colorado Trail we rode was at or above tree line. Eager to test my abilities against a plush section of high alpine I picked to ride the section of the Colorado Trail from the top of Molas Pass to Celebration Lake. I plan on a multi day trip connecting about 70 miles of singletrack from Molas all the way back to Durango.

Our campsite was cool we got in late the night before and randomly fell upon a spot in the middle of a cow pasture. I remember waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of a cow ripping up grass just outsitde the tent. I could hear it breating and chewing the grass and ocassionally it would trip on the tent guy lines shaking the tent.

Engineer Mountain. I want to thank my dad for lending me his camera to capture the spectacular trip.

The start of the Ride. Mike is on his brand new Session 7 after the Raliegh got stolen this summer of 2006.

Twisty Colorado Trail. It was a bit dry.

My favorite Jersey

Go figure Mike with a flat.

Here is a pic of me right after I had Lasic Surgery. Man it was cool to wear sunglasses again. I will say my night vision was off as I hit a Mountain Lion driving on HY160 at dusk.

Ah the ole Stupmy. This may be the ride that made me realize 100mm of travel aint enough

Mike bombing a cool alpine section of the Colorado Trail I was chillin at the top of the pass when i took this photo. I need to look at my map and see what the name of this pass was. I know it was well of 12k feet.

Dank ass woods. Check hot the girth on that pine!

Mike checking the map one last time to finish the ride and get us back to camp. Is he wearing a snowboard coat? I remember my bike falling over after leaning it aginst the post.

I love the San Juans unlike any other range in Colorado. This was the tail end of the ride and it was about 90% downhill from here back to camp.