Stardate 215.764

Kenosha Pass to Georgia Pass
Autumn Visits Segment 6 of the Colorado Trail
Part II

In the previous post, the Black Pearl and I had reached Georgia Pass and were admiring 13,370-foot Mount Guyot (GEE-oh). Georgia Pass is a nice setting, and it was fun to sit and stare at mountains for a while. I wondered how many mountain goats were staring back at me. After lounging around replenishing energy stores, it was time to get motivated for the pedal back to Kenosha Pass.

Not overly high by Colorado standards, Mount Guyot (state rank # 344) still has a mystical ambiance to it.



A handful of miles to the north towered 14,267-foot Torreys Peak (left, rank 11) and 14,270-foot Grays Peak (rank 9).



Lodgpole pine typically does not harbor a luscious and thick understory like spruce forests on the west-side of the state. However, vegetation it does sustain can be quite colorful in the fall.



Back into stands of aspen and Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road comes to mind.



Another patch of baby-smooth singletrack welcomed the Pearl. Considering at least 50 percent of the trail is very rough, root-bound and rocky, I guess I need to go back for some photos of those segments of trail.



Eventually, the climb back to Kenosha Pass comes into view.



This year's leaves have already been dropped in places adjacent to Kenosha Pass.



Kenosha Pass was the end of the trail for me. Hopefully more leafy rides are yet to come this year.

My parting shot is for Mrs. Micawber!




Some stats for this ride:

Elevation gain.....3,369 feet
Start elevation....9,969 feet
High point........11,874 feet
Low point..........9,828 feet

Total trip time.....5:00 hours
Ride time..........4:03 hours
Distance............23.7 miles

Weather and daytime temperatures...sunny and low 50s to 70s

Stay tuned...

Adios

Stardate 2015.751

Kenosha Pass to Georgia Pass
Autumn Visits Segment 6 of the Colorado Trail

Autumn has arrived at Colorado's higher elevations. Moreover, trees down low are beginning to show signs of fall as well. I recently had the opportunity to take the Black Pearl (mountain bike) out for a fall grunt along segment 6 of the Colorado Trail. Rolling across the skin of the earth on a warm Indian summer day full of yellow, gold and orange tapestry is about as good as it gets.

The Colorado Trail is a collection of trails linking Denver with Durango, Colorado. Much of the trail penetrates some of Colorado's most striking landscapes, especially the southwestern San Juan Mountains between Lake City and Durango. The trail is approximately 500 miles long and divided into 28 segments. The path visits 6 wilderness areas, 7 national forests and 5 river systems. Except for the wilderness areas, it is open to hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. Designated detours route cyclists around wilderness areas, where bicycles are forbidden.

My day started at the 9,961-foot level of Kenosha Pass. I rode a sleeveless out-and-back from Kenosha to Georgia Pass. Close to the halfway mark, Georgia Pass is the high point of Segment 6. From Georgia Pass, the segment descends to the winter ski town of Breckenridge.



Segment 6 is entirely singletrack to Georgia Pass. Much of the trail is an enhanced cardio challenge due to physically handling the bicycle over root-bound trail while climbing steeply. The pay-off is baby-butt smooth trail in other areas and needless to say – the views.


The leaves in the Kenosha Pass area are some of the first in Colorado to change color. Leaves were at various stages of change this year. In the following pic, the trail is seen traveling from the lower right to the center of the photo (not the dirt road). My destination is in the background; 13,370-foot Mount Guyot is home to Georgia Pass. Yes, the trail loses elevation near the start; and it has to be made up at the end.



Although yellows were a bit muddy this year, there was some good orange; flame-tips I like to call them.





In addition to groves of aspen (quakies), stands of Lodgepole pine make-up a large portion of the montane ecosystem. The following pic shows some of the smoother trail scattered here and there.



Around 10,000 feet in elevation, Lodgepole pine gives way to Engelmann spruce and the subalpine ecosystem. Mount Guyot dominates the view.



Georgia Pass cradles the Krummholz, which is the interface of the subalpine and alpine ecosystems. Note the stunted growth and wind-shaped branches on the coniferous trees.



At 13,370 feet, Mount Guyot is the 344th highest peak in Colorado. Guyot is named after Arnold Henry Guyot (GEE-oh) who was a Swiss-American Geologist and Geographer (1807-1884).



Viewing northwest, the northern Gore Range rises in the background.




More pics from this trip to come...

Adios

Stardate 2015.049

Favorites 2014

Part 3

Crested Butte, Colorado

Crested Butte

Crested Butte

Gunnison, Colorado

South Park, Colorado

Grenadier Range, San Juan Mountains, Colorado

San Juan Mountains

San Juan Mountains

Pitkin, Sawatch Range, Colorado

Durango

Alpine Pass rail grade, Sawatch Range

Alpine Pass, Continental Divide, Sawatch Range

Alpine Pass, Continental Divide, Sawatch Range
After Part 4, 2014 will be no more.

Adios

Stardate 2014.742

Whisperings of Color

After our Crested Butte ride, Snowcatcher and I camped at one of our favorite places along Mill Creek. This area also is access to one of my favorite wilderness areas – the West Elk Wilderness. We've spent a lot of time here backcountry skiing, hiking, harvesting wild raspberries and dodging lightning.



We had planned to ride again on day two of our adventure. However, a small wet system put the kibosh on that. Riding wet trails isn't too cool from a rutting standpoint. Plus, Zeus was active; I'm convinced he has a thunderbolt with my name on it.



After enjoying the drizzle softly ping against our vehicle off and on throughout the night, we enjoyed taking pictures in the early morning mist. We also decided to slowly work our way back home, hitting leaf areas along the way.



Our home away from home is ready for another day in the sticks.



Mill Creek still had a fair amount of green. However, where the leaves had changed, the colors were spectacular.



We bid Mill Creek a farewell, for now.



Eastbound, we decided to check out South Park's Michigan Creek and Georgia Pass area because it usually has a good display of color. Better yet, there are moose in the wetlands. Sometimes you get lucky enough to see one.



The aspen were close to peaking here.



Many places were almost surreal.



Snowcatcher went to work catching images.



But I kept waiting for fairies to appear.



Thanks for the color Georgia Pass; we'll see you next year!

Adios