2017.710

12,987-foot Peak 8

Seasons Be A Changing

High country leaves are beginning to change, and fall is in the air! I wanted a late season ride at altitude. Off I ventured to the Tenmile Range to prospect some colored, two-wheeled fun. I was a bit early; leaves in this area still have 1 to 2 weeks until peak color.



Initially I rode the Breckenridge Ski Area Peak 9 access road to hasten the climb to more than 12,000 feet in elevation. My plan was to ride the access road to the Wheeler Trail, hook up with the Colorado Trail on top, drop to Copper Mountain Ski Resort, then swing around the northern terminus of the Tenmile Range on a bike path, ultimately catching the Peaks/Gold Hill trails to my vehicle.

If that sounds like a haul, it is; I didn't quite make it. I needed another 2 to 3 hours of time. As you'll see below, I was close. Nonetheless, I had a 2 p.m. turnaround because I needed to be back in the Denver metro area by 5:30. The following pic portrays a diminishing 4x4 route reaching treeline on 13,195-foot Peak 9.




Breckenridge Ski Resort is huge. Adjacent to my north was the Ski Area's Peak 8.




Below is a juvenile stand of bristlecone pine. This species occupies the krummholz and can live thousands of years.



The following zoomed pic shows what I needed another hour or two to accomplish. After leaving the 4x4 track, the switchbacks of the Wheeler Trail top out at 12,400 feet, at which point I could light the afterburners and quickly drop into Copper Mountain. Nonetheless, the bewitching-hour had arrived, and I disappointingly aimed the Black Pearl down.




Breckenridge lies at the base of the lower slopes of Peak 9.




Hopefully there will be more leaves to come.

Adios!

Stardate 2015.805

Where's the Snow

The weather forecast was for sunny skies in the high country. Mountain snows have been minimal this autumn. Snowcatcher and I took advantage of the dry by taking the mountain bikes out for jaunt up, and possible summit of, 11,481-foot Boreas Pass (pronounced Bore-ays) from the Breckenridge side. Weather quickly changed as we started up the 133-year-old rail grade. Nonetheless, we got a little ride in before the wet hit.

In the 1860s, Boreas Pass was used by gold prospectors to travel from South Park to the Blue River area of Breckenridge. Around 1866, the road was widened to accommodate wagons and stagecoaches. The Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad began laying rail in 1882, and all that hard work was abandoned in 1937. The US Army Corps of Engineers designed the rail grade for auto traffic post World War II. Boreas Pass was named after Boreas, the Greek god of the north wind. I hope you enjoy the pics. I used the iPhone as a camera again.

Clouds were quickly brewing above Breckenridge and the northern Tenmile Range.




13,684-foot Bald Mountain (state elevation rank #156)




There were still some patches of color here and there.




The road cuts had some color too.




Next year's soil vitamin supply




14,265-foot Quandary Peak (rank #14) rises at the far left.




From Victorian-era mining to 21st-century mega-ski resort, Breckenridge can share some history.



We didn't get any snow, but we got some cooler temps and rain. I must admit, even though we need the snow to start piling up, I like being able to ride my bikes this far into the autumn.

Stay tuned...

Adios